The Many Deaths of Jew Sss: The Notorious Trial and Execution of an Eighteenth-Century Court Jew

(Hardback)

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A groundbreaking historical reexamination of one of the most infamous episodes in the history of anti-Semitism Joseph Suss Oppenheimer--"Jew Suss"--is one of the most iconic figures in the history of anti-Semitism. In 1733, Oppenheimer became the "court Jew" of Carl Alexander, the duke of the small German state of Wurttemberg. When Carl Alexander

Reviews

"This remarkable book does much more than offer a gripping reconstruction of the 1737 trial of Joseph Suss Oppenheimer, who had been the personal banker and advisor of the duke of a small German state and was executed, after the duke's death, for serious crimes against the state. Such a reconstruction would already have been a significant achievement, as the rigorous attention to detail and nuance bring the case vividly to life. But Mintzker ... also explains the challenges presented to a historian in ascertaining the truth about the trial, and the rationale behind his way of dealing with the evidentiary record... This fascinating intellectual journey deserves a wide audience."--Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) "Well written and engaging... This meticulously researched work offers a fascinating and intelligent accounting of Oppenheimer's life that will captivate readers of history and Jewish studies."--Jacqueline Parascandola, Library Journal (Starred Review)

Author Bio

Yair Mintzker is associate professor of history at Princeton University. He is the author of The Defortification of the German City, 1689-1866.