Samuel Oppenheimer
Samuel Oppenheimer | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Germany |
| Died | May 3, 1703 (aged 72) Vienna, Holy Roman Empire |
| Occupation(s) | Financier, court diplomat, factor, military supplier |
| Known for | Financial support for the Great Turkish War; court Jew of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I |
Samuel Oppenheimer (21 June 1630 – 3 May 1703) was a prominent Ashkenazi Jewish financier, court diplomat, factor, and military supplier serving the Holy Roman Emperor. Highly esteemed by Emperor Leopold I, he provided significant financial support for the Great Turkish War. Prince Eugene of Savoy entrusted him with valuable Hebrew manuscripts obtained from Turkey, which became the foundation of the David Oppenheim Library, currently housed within the Bodleian Library at Oxford.
Although Jews were expelled from Vienna in 1670, Oppenheimer and his associates received imperial permission to reside there, including authorization to construct a residence in Vienna’s city center. Following a recommendation from Margrave Ludwig of Baden, he was appointed "Oberfaktor" and court Jew after advancing 100,000 gulden to fund military efforts. Additionally, he facilitated Prince Eugene's provision of medical services to the troops. Around the year 1700, a riot—potentially instigated by court factions to compel repayment of state debts—led to the plundering of his properties; one participant was executed while others faced imprisonment.
Oppenheimer actively countered anti-Semitic literature such as Eisenmenger's Entdecktes Judenthum by securing an imperial decree that prohibited its distribution. He also carried out delicate political assignments on behalf of the emperor.
Following his passing, the government repudiated debts owed to his successor Emanuel, declaring the family's business insolvent and precipitating a financial crisis that undermined state credit. Emanuel sought assistance from creditors across Europe but encountered accusations linked to alleged misconduct early in his career. Emanuel died in 1721, and the family estate was liquidated by auction in 1763. Although not a scholar himself, Oppenheimer was a key patron who financed synagogues, yeshivot, ransomed Jews captured during conflicts with the Turks, and supported R. Judah he-Hasid's 1700 journey to Eretz Israel. Nicknamed Judenkaiser, he was known for a complex character blending dignity with reserve. Two decades posthumously, more than 100 Viennese residents continued to live under privileges granted through him.
Oppenheimer was interred at Vienna's Rossauer Cemetery, recognized as the city's oldest Jewish burial ground. His gravestone was partially recovered and restored following World War II during excavations conducted in 2008.
One of his sons, Simon Wolf Oppenheimer, established a banking firm in Hanover; this enterprise was later managed by his son Jakob Wolf Oppenheimer. Significantly, Mayer Amschel Rothschild trained there between 1757 and 1763 before founding the renowned Rothschild banking dynasty. Among Oppenheimer’s descendants is the composer Felix Mendelssohn.