Abraham Mendelssohn Bartholdy
Abraham Mendelssohn Bartholdy | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Berlin, Holy Roman Empire |
| Died | November 19, 1835 (aged 58) Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia |
| Occupation(s) | Banker, philanthropist |
| Known for | Father of Fanny, Felix, Rebecka, and Paul Mendelssohn; partner in Mendelssohn & Co. bank |
Abraham Ernst Mendelssohn Bartholdy (originally named Abraham Mendelssohn; 10 December 1776 – 19 November 1835) was a German Jewish banker and philanthropist, known as the father of Fanny, Felix, Rebecka, and Paul Mendelssohn.
Early life
Abraham was born and passed away in Berlin, the son of the philosopher Moses Mendelssohn. By the time of Moses's death in 1786, the family had already secured a prosperous and established position. In line with Moses's aspirations for Jewish integration into German society, Abraham was provided with a progressive education. He played a key role in founding the Jewish liberal organization Gesellschaft der Freunde in 1792 as well as the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin in 1793. Lea Salomon, who would become his wife and was the granddaughter of Daniel Itzig, joined the Akademie in 1796; it is probable that their acquaintance began earlier.
In 1797, Abraham pursued banking studies in Paris under the guidance of his brother Joseph, who had co-established the banking firm Mendelssohn and Friedlaender alongside Moses Friedlaender. However, he did not find life in France to his liking. In 1804, he married Lea in Hamburg where he also managed a branch of the family bank. Around this period, through Lea’s connection to musician Georg Poelchau, Abraham obtained manuscripts by C. P. E. Bach which he subsequently passed on to his aunt Sara Levy; these were eventually donated to the Singakademie.
That same year, Abraham became a partner in Joseph’s banking enterprise, a collaboration that lasted until 1822. This private bank, which evolved into Mendelssohn & Co., operated from Jägerstraße in Berlin starting in 1815 until its forced closure under Nazi persecution in 1938.
Life in Berlin
The French occupation of Hamburg in 1811 led Abraham to relocate back to Berlin with his family. His children Felix (born 1809) and Fanny (born 1805) displayed exceptional musical abilities; Abraham supported Felix’s pursuit of a professional career in music but regarded Fanny’s talents more as a leisure activity. He facilitated Felix’s studies with Carl Friedrich Zelter and later with pianist Ignaz Moscheles, fostering enduring relationships including Moscheles mentoring Felix during his visit to England in 1829 and hosting Abraham during his stay in London.
The Mendelssohn household often served as a venue for concerts featuring Felix’s early works performed by his siblings. Abraham and Lea also had two younger children: Rebecka (born 1811), who married mathematician Peter Gustav Lejeune Dirichlet, and Paul (born 1812), who became a banker. In 1825, Abraham secured a seat on the Berlin town council.
Abraham and Lea were laid to rest alongside three of their children at Trinity Church Cemetery No. 1 located in Berlin.
Attitude to Judaism
Abraham held a firm position regarding his Jewish heritage, believing that Judaism’s era had concluded and advocating for full assimilation into German culture. He and Lea made the deliberate choice not to circumcise their sons Felix and Paul after their births in 1809 and 1812 respectively, despite opposition from relatives. Following guidance from Lea’s brother Jakob—who had adopted the surname Bartholdy—Abraham also changed his own surname. He later encouraged Felix to use only Bartholdy professionally to distance himself from the renown associated with Moses Mendelssohn, famously stating that "there can no more be a Christian Mendelssohn than a Jewish Confucius." Nevertheless, Felix chose to retain both names, although public usage often shortened it to 'Mendelssohn'. Initially, Abraham’s children did not receive religious instruction; they were baptized in 1816. Abraham and Lea themselves were baptized on 4 October 1822 at the Calvinist French Reformed Church in Frankfurt am Main, away from their Berlin social circle. Felix later married the daughter of that church’s former minister.