A chance discovery in a roof truss in Schnaittach offers us fascinating insights into everyday life in rural Jewish communities on the cusp of the modern era. A new publication by the Jüdischen Museum Franken in Fürth, a partner of BaFID, is dedicated to the estate of Mayer Bretzfeld (1747–1823), the last Chief Rabbi of Bavaria.
More than just official documents
Whilst state archives generally focus only on law and administration, these private letters offer an unfiltered glimpse into the “lower echelons” of Jewish life. They shed light on topics that are often absent from mainstream historical accounts:
- Family life: insights into parenting, worries and everyday life.
- Matchmaking: Mayer Bretzfeld worked as a matchmaker amongst Franconian Jews, together with his son-in-law.
- Human emotions: Even premarital flirtations and the challenges of illiteracy come to life in the correspondence.
A rabbi in times of upheaval
Mayer Bretzfeld, born in Pretzfeld in 1747, initially served in Adelsdorf and Höchstadt before becoming the regional rabbi for the united communities of Ottensoos, Schnaittach, Forth and Hüttenbach in 1801. His tenure was shaped by the upheavals of the Napoleonic era.
With the abolition of autonomous Jewish jurisdiction in 1808, the role of the rabbi changed fundamentally: away from that of a community judge towards a more pastoral and ritualistic role. As this also meant the loss of fees, additional sources of income such as matchmaking became essential – a circumstance that significantly shaped the correspondence.
“The stuff the Diaspora was made of”
Co-editor Carsten Wilke emphasises the enormous importance of the culture of letter-writing for the cohesion of the Franconian Jewish community, which was scattered across many villages. Families linked by marriage maintained a network through letters and mutual visits during religious festivals, which helped to stabilise the rural diaspora.
Scholarly depth and accessibility
In addition to the meticulously edited letters, the publication includes four academic articles that shed light on the cultural-historical and religious context.
Daniela F. Eisenstein/Carsten L. Wilke (Hg.): Mayer Bretzfeld (1747–1823) – der letzte bayerische Landesrabbiner. Ergon Verlag 2025 (= Franconia Judaica; Bd. 11).
A longer review by Dr. Nathanael Riemer appeared in: David. Jüdische Kulturzeitschrift (2026), Nr. 148, S. 68-69.