October 2008

The Lives of Our Galician Ancestors

Suzan provided two handouts at the Meeting, which are reproduced below.

Handout #1

Judische Kultus Gemeinde = Jewish Cultural Administration 1772-1918

Other titles:                 Kahal (central body)

                                    Kehillah (local district body)

Characteristics

Self-governing system established by Austrian law through most of Empire

Continued under Poland rule 1919-1926

Governmental tool to:

·         Communicate with Jewish communities about laws

·         Track Jews for official purposes

·         Enable government to hand-off enforcement of unpopular law & taxes

Useful for Jewish community to:

·         Promote cohesion

·         Promote standardization of compliance with Jewish law

·         Organize advocacy for more favorable laws and taxes

Gemeinde mandated Jews to:

·         Belong to a Jewish community

·         Attend annual service in the official synagogue of district

·         Obey secular and Jewish law

·         Pay required taxes to the district

Maria Theresa died 1780

·         Legislation for central appointed Kahal comprised of 12 men;

·         Later changed to 6 appointed and 6 elected

Josef II died 1790

·         Reformer;

·         revamped Kahal to 141 Jewish communities;

·         Disbanded Gemeinde structure 1789, retaining 141 recognized communities

Leopold died 1792

·         Reinstated Gemeinde;

·         Overturned some of Josef's reforms

Franz Ferdinand 1792-1835

·         Overturned rest of Josef's reforms;

·         Enacted new Jewish taxes;

·         Harsh rule; return to occupational restrictions

Ferdinand 1835-1848

·         Ruled under regent;

·         Increases in special Jewish taxes;

·         More occupational restrictions

Franz Josef 1848-1916

·         Abolished some special taxes and in 1848-1868;

·         Emancipation throughout Empire 1868 and in Galicia 1869;

·         Retained Gemeinde structure with new duties

Charles 1916-1918

Handout #2

Jews were born into a district where they were registered for life unless given permission to change, but generally residence could be changed at will for marriage or work.

Composition of Gemeinde:

·         12 elected men;

·         President selected to represent Jewish community with respect to state and local government and church leadership;

·         Appointed Chief Rabbi for each district:

·         Court composed of 3 rabbinical elders, and

·         Administrative personnel.

Who voted? Eligible men 13 years old and up and, apparently, women in business or with property. Eligibility meant that taxes were current.

How often were elections? Every 4 years

Were there political parties? Yes, many of them as time went on.

Gemeinde responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Jewish community, i.e. infrastructure; production of kosher wine and candles; kashering standards; integrity of eruv.

Annual approved budget for administration paid for with tax receipts.

Taxes were numerous and high for Jews until 1848: kosher meat; candles; "head" tax; synagogue; cemetery; marriage. Candle tax collected weekly by a "lecht pachter."

Franz Josef: came to power in 1848 during Hungarian uprising at age 18. Emancipated Jews throughout Empire, except Galicia in 1868; Galician Jews emancipated 1869.

·         Mandatory elementary secular education 7-14

·         Access to higher education

·         Access to land ownership

·         Reduction in occupational restrictions

·         Mandatory military service for men

Expanded role of Gemeinde in 1875 legislation to include registration of births, marriages and deaths. Regulations issued 1877.

Hassidic influence very strong within Gemeinde

·         Major roles in elected governance; struggle to dominate chief rabbinate;

·         Organized resistance to civil marriage and mandated secular education;

·         Advocacy for relaxation of restrictions, special taxes, prohibition of production and importation of Hebrew & Yiddish books.

To Purchase Suzan's Book

Click HERE