Romisch-Kaiserliche Majestat...Interventional-Anzeige

This memorandum addressed to Emperor Joseph II concerning a legal dispute between the City of Frankfurt and the resident Jews, is a valuable source-book that contains much primary information concerning the history of Frankfurt Jewry. Relations between the City and its Jews were established through the “Stattigkeiten” Regulations which despite having rather overbearing civil restricitions did nonetheless guarantee protection of Jews from unwarranted attack. In the spirit of his beliefs in enlightened absolutism, soon after in 1782, Joseph II issued The Act of Tolerance, the first incremental move towards providing for the Jews civil emancipation