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Humanities and Social Sciences Library > Collections & Reading Rooms > Dorot Jewish Division  Schutzbrief
Breslau, 1790 Perpetuating the medieval conception of Jews as the serfs, or personal property, of the sovereign, the princes and municipalities of the Central European successors of the Holy Roman Empire determined into the 19th century the most fundamental conditions of Jewish life, granting or rescinding the right to settle in a given locality, or to work or marry there, depending on the payment of Schutzgeld ("protection money"). The "letter of protection" seen here was first issued to Feibisch Kaskel Dombrow on November 20,1790, continued to his widow on October 27, 1797, and transferred, along with the number 62, to Loebel Isaac Lasker on July 31, 1806. It conferred membership in Breslau's caste of Geduldeten (permanently "Tolerated" Jews), limited to 160 at any given time. Others of the 2000-odd Jews living in this very important Prussian community at the end of the 18th century might enjoy temporary status as Schutzjuden ("Protected Jews") subject to the payment of renewals, or some degree of "Privilege" as relatives or employees of Schutzjuden, but most lived without basic rights or legal standing.
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