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

Description

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

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

"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)