Günzburg Family

Yechiel Porto (Yakov HaLevi) == Fruma Zeligman >> Elieser Abraham Ulmo Günzburg (ca. 1477 – ca. 1544) == Simche de Porto >> Simon ben Elieser Günzburg (1506 – ca. 1582) == Hindle / Hendlen / Hindle / Handle / Rachel Linz (ca. 1510 – 1593) >> Channa / Hanna / Bunlin Günzburg (ca. 1535 – 1594) == Elias Eliyahu Halevi Öttingen >> R’Mordechai Model Levy-Öttingen == Rifke Sore >> Avraham Model de Vienne Halevi-Öttingen ( – 1637) == Vögele / Vogele Teomim >> HaRav Naftali Hirsch HaLevi Ettinge, Medico of Przemsyl == N. N. >> Ha Rosh Abraham Ahron Halevi Lichtenstadt == Dina Epstein >> Salomon Levi Öttingen / Ettinge-Levy ( – 1697) == Schifra Spira Wedeles >> Bele Öttingen-Levy == Isaac Schimon Bondi (1689 – 1754) >> Simon Isaak Bondi (ca. 1711 – 1733) == Magdelene Frankel-Teomim (1713 – 1778) >>Jonas Bondi (1732 – 1765) == Bella Schifra >> Chayle Bondi == Koppel Kolb (Loeb) of Bamberg (1747 – 1835) >> Moises Loeb / Moritz Reis (1782 – 1855) == Émilie Bickartt (1784 ) >> Jonas Reis (1809 – 1877) == Marian Samuel (1825 – 1900) >> REIS FAMILY

This family is said, by many sources, to start with Yechiel Porto who was born around 1455 in Porto, in Vento, Italy. Some say that the family originated in Portugal hence Porto and others say that it was originally from Lublin in Poland and then came to Italy via Germany, settling in Porto in the vicinity of Verona, etc. It then migrated to Günzburg on the Danube before ending up in Frankfurt. Perhaps a somewhat improbable journey.

Yechiel was also known by several other names: Jechiel aus Oporto; Jechiel ben Schmuel; Yehiel Porto, etc. His father was likely named Schmuel (Samuel). Yechiel died after 1506 in Ulm, Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Not much is known of his personal life.

The son of Yechiel and Fruma Porto was Elieser Abraham Ulmo Günzburg who was born in Porto in about 1477 and died at Ulm in about 1544. He appears to have married his cousin Simche, whose father was another son of Yechiel Porto’s namely: Samuel Ginz ha Levi Porto. [See his grave below].

The son of Eliezer Abraham Ulmo Günzburg and Simche de Porto (whose father’s grave is shown above) was Simon ben Eliezer who was born in Günzburg in 1506 and died in Burgau, Germany, in 1585.

In many ways he is considered the progenitor of the Ulmo-Günzburg family, which established itself in Pfersee (near Augsburg, Bavaria) and then Burgau. He was also known as Seligman Ulma Günzburg, or Shimon ben Elieser Ulmo-Günzburg, or Seligman ben Elieser Ginzburg, or Rabbi Simon Schimeon ben Elieser Ulmo-Günzburg zur Gemse, etc. He migrated to Frankfurt from Günzburg on the Danube in 1566.

Simon ben Elieser Günzburg had a large family: he was the father of 8 sons and 8 daughters. The Reis family is descended from one of the daughters whose name appears in various forms such as: Hanna / Channa / Boona / Bunlin, etc. She was born ca. 1535 and died in 1599. This daughter married Ha Goan Elias Eliyahu Halevi Öttingen / Ettingen

Below, illustrations from the prayer book of the Ulma-Günzburg family, completed in 1589.

Simon ben Elieser was elected representative of the Jews in the Duchy of Bavaria which would probably have brought him in contact with Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor. Simon b. Elieser was a highly influential leader in his community, as well as in the whole country, an exceptional figure who was widely famous and admired in the Jewish world and whose wealth was almost proverbial. He looked after the interests of the Jewish communities in Swabia for more than forty years.

Simon ben Elieser Günzburg was involved in a significant legal dispute with Eliezer Treves (d. 1586) of Frankfurt am Main, which became a cause célèbre among rabbis of the time.

The entry in the Burgau cemetery’s memory book for Simon states:

“May the Eternal One remember the soul of the noble leader Rabbi Simon, son of Eliaser Ulmo Günzburg, who for more than 40 years has devoted himself to the community. He managed to alleviate i.e. annul the heavy burdens and taxes, and he purchased a plot for the cemetery “zum Friedhof” [transl. “to the cemetery”] in Burgau, which he had surrounded with a fence, to the honour of G-d and to the honour of the pious who are resting there. Through his intercession many prisoners (hostages) could be freed and in a fatherly way he cared for the poor in the province of Swabia. Through this merit may his soul be bound up in the bond of eternal life, together with all the pious of our people in Eden. – Amen!”

The memory book also lists the children of Simon b Elieser and Hindle his wife and includes Channa who died in 1599 and who is probably the Hanna who married Elias Eliyahu Halevi Öttingen.

THE BASEL TALMUD

Much of what follows is based on the article: Der Basler Talmuddruck 1578-1580: zur Genealogie des Herausgebers Simon Günzburg zur Gemse in Frankfurt und seines Geldgebers Simon Günzburg Sohn des Elieser in Günzburg (Über den vorsichtigen Umgang mit historischer und genealogischer Sekundärliteratur). Stein, Peter. (2002) – In: Familienforschung Schweiz. Jahrbuch (2002) p. 119-138.

Stein notes that one of the great legacies of the Günzburg family was the translating, printing, and publishing of the Basel Talmud. There are many references to the printing and publishing of the Basel Talmud, and we will not refer here to that history except where it sheds more light on the Günzburg family and their relations.

In the middle of the 1570’s, the entire Babylonian Talmud was painstakingly translated into the German of its time, containing about 30 million letters on 3678 pages.

The man responsible for this monumental undertaking was Simon son of Jakob Günzburg zur Gemse of Frankfurt. He has also been referred to as:  Simon Moses ben Jakob Nathan Günzburg zur Gemse (hereinafter called Simon Zur Gemse).

In order to make the Talmud project financially feasible, Simon zur Gemse turned to his wealthy uncle, Simon son of Elieser Günzburg zu Giünzburg (hereinafter called Simon b. Elieser). Because they shared the first same name, they have been frequently confused with one another as well as with another Simon – Simon Levi Gunzburg.

Simon zur Gemse was married to Rachle (Rahel) Ulm, who died in 1582. The Ullmo family was a branch of the Gunzburg family.

Both uncle Simon and nephew Simon were involved in the publication of the Basel Talmud but in different capacities; the elder Simon being a major financial investor in the project which included advancing 8,000 fl. to his nephew and in 1580, Simon ben Elieser’s wife, gave another 5,000 fl. The provenance of the ownership of the Basel Talmud Codex appears to have included Simon b. Elieser Gunzburg.

The project was probably initiated by Elias Treves but whose early death in 1566 led to its abandonment until Simon Zur Gemse decided to take it on. As his printer, Simon settled on Ambosius Froben of Basel. His choice was certainly not by chance as Ambrosius was the son or nephew and business successor of the printers who were to have worked on Treves’ Talmud; had he lived.

The definitive contract between Günzburg and Froben was signed on April 2, 1578. It stipulated that 1,100 copies of the Talmud should be printed over the next three years. Deliveries were to be made at the Frankfurt Book Fair in the Spring and Autumn. However, the two men were frequently at odds with one another. Günzburg complained about poor delivery, pale sheets, incomplete text, and disorder in the sheets delivered, etc. and so lawsuits flew back and forth which lasted for years and were continued after Simon’s death in 1582 by the guardian of his children Isak Gunzburg zur Golden Rose. The dispute was finally settled in 1589.

The printing of the Talmud in Basel was highly controversial. Among other things, the Emperor Rudolf II called for the printing to be stopped as early as October 1578, and the topic was also discussed before the Federal Diet. Despite this, the Basel Council supported Froben and Günzburg so their work could continue, although not without constant interference by Catholic authorities who insisted on changes.

For example, in the Mishnah tractate Edujot there is the passage: “The punishment of the wicked in hell lasts twelve months“. The censor, in accordance with Catholic teaching, changed the passage to: “But the real wicked and the idolaters suffer their punishment in hell forever and ever“. The printing of the tractate Avodah Zarah was completely forbidden. However, it was printed later in Krakow in 1580 in order to be able to attach it to the Basel Talmud edition and thus to complete it.

In addition to the censorship changes, improvements were also made by the Basel version of the Talmud, including several hundred corrections of incorrect Bible quotations. Improvements were also made to the layout and an index was printed. Once printed, Simon zur Gemse Günzburg made several long journeys to Poland to try to sell the volumes produced.

GRAVESTONES

Fragments of a gravestone have been discovered that provide confirmation that Simon Moses zur Gemse was the son of Simon ben Elieser Gunzburg’s youngest brother – Jakob; at least according to Michael Brocke’s The Old Jewish Cemetery in Frankfurt am Main, Sigmaringen 1996.

Simon zur Gemse died on April 7, 1581. The gravestone indicates that Simon was a Sofer, a scribe of religious texts, namely the Torah, the Mezuzot (inscriptions on doorposts) and the Tefilin (phylacteries), and also a scribe of the Talmud. The words on the gravestone that help to confirm the relationships discussed here are.

Simon’s father’s gravestone, i.e. that of Jaakow ben Elieser Ulma Günzburg, indicates that he died on 22 August 1606.

More details on the gravestone can be found here.

As noted, Simon ben Elieser married his cousin Simche, whose father was Samuel Ginz ha Levi Porto who died at Worms on October 17, 1541 (Date: Day 2, 26 Tishri 5302) and whose grave is shown below:

THE LINZ FAMILY GRAVES

Simon ben Elieser Günzburg married Hindle / Hendlen / Hindle / Handle / Rachel Linz. Her father was Rabbi Isaac Linz, A.B.D. Frankfurt Hebrew: הקצין מהר”ר אייזיק ליניך, אב”ד פפד”מ and who was also known as: “Ajek Linnich”, “Eisik Lennich”, “Isaak”, “Jizchak ben Eljakim”, “Aisek Linnich”, “Yitzchak ben Eliakim” (Eisik Lennich), etc.

He died at Frankfurt on Wednesday, February 26, 1556. (No. ffb-0874 , Ho 207, ET 26.II.1556). The epitaph on his gravestone reads:

The Epidat website claims that Isaac Linz lived first “under the dance house”, then in the white rose, then (as the first resident) in the Pfanne. Isaac was praised for his keenness and wealth of knowledge.

Aisek Linnich’s wife Zürlen’s gravestone is shown below and it lies only about 2.50m from his. The inscription begins Mrs. Zürlen Günzburg, but we know that Simon [Schimon] Günzburg was Zürlen’s son in law so this is confusing but authorities claim the use of the name here is as a means of identifying her as Simon’s mother in law. This is repeated later on in the inscription as: Mrs. Zürlen, daughter of Mr. Schimon.

SIMON LEVI GUNZBURG

Some earlier researchers assigned the family of Simon Günzburg b. Elieser to the tribe of the Kohanim (descendants of the brother of Moses: Aaron, i.e. the priests) while others have listed it as a Levite, neither of which is true. As a result of this mistake, Simon Levi, son of Jehuda Levi Ulmo Günzburg of Frankfurt is referred to as the nephew of Simon Günzburg b. Elieser whereas in fact Simon zur Gemse is.

There may well have been a Levite branch of the family which would help in explaining the existence of Simon Levi Günzburg. If so, we would have to distinguish between Simon zur Gemse and Simon Levi Günzburg. However, we do not know where Simon Levi Günzburg fits into the family described here. Even so, to do him some justice, we note a few of his publications below:

Simon Levi Günzburg’s [Shimon ben Yehuda Halevi Günzburg] activities included:

• In 1589, he brought a Yiddish translation of the Sefer Minhagim / Sefer Haminhagim to press either in Venice or Mantua.
• It was a translation of a work by Isaac Tyrnau. This 1589 edition was not illustrated.
• Günzburg’s text was a Yiddish translation, making it accessible to women and laymen not schooled in Hebrew
• In 1593 an illustrated edition of Günzburg’s Yiddish Sefer Minhagim was printed by Giovanni di Gara in Venice and became extremely popular and influential.
• It is considered one of the earliest illustrated printed books of Jewish customs.
• It also became a model for later editions, with over 50 editions produced between the 16th and 19th centuries.
• Many post-1593 printed minhagim books derived their illustrations from this Venice 1593 edition.
• Unfortunately, the text of Günzburg’s work has received little scholarly attention to date
• Simon Halevi Günzburg’s initial involvement in publishing the Sefer Minhagim in 1589 was a significant first step in the dissemination of Jewish customs and traditions in a widely accessible format.

Simon Levi’s Sefer Mare ha-Musa / Sefer Minhagim explains in Yiddish about 525 ‘quotations’, i.e. more or less well known Hebrew and Aramaic proverbs and sayings from the Talmud or related sources.

The Hebrew title of the book, which was printed in several editions, was often translated as “Mirror of Ethics”, but more literally means “View of Tradition”. There was even a Latin translation: “Speculum Vitae Humanae” which is not to be confused with many other works by the same name.

In German, the work was known as “Der Zuchtspiegel”, and was published well after his death in Frankfurt in 1680 and printed by Moshe Menachem bar Jehuda Loeb of Krakow and Prague.

One example from the collection is the proverb: “Istra bilgeena kish kish karya” which is Aramaic and says: ‘it does not take much, to make much ado about nothing’. In this case: ‘it only takes an Istra (a coin) to make much “kish kish” noise in a bottle’. Proverbially it means: a person who although lacking wisdom tries to make up for it with much idle talk.

איין העלר אין איינם לערין זעקיל פיל מין קלעפרן טוטאלז מענכר דער טויזנט גילדן אין זעקיל האט. פארנן פיקס אונ הינטין ניקס. מאכט מענכר איין גרוס גישרייא אונ ניקס דער הינדר, מן ווייט זו זאגין פון קאלטין ווינט

Songs and riddles have always been part of Ashkenazi culture, especially on holidays or celebrations like weddings, and in the preface to his Tsukhtshpigl (“Corrective Mirror”, ca. 1610) Seligman Ulmo Günzburg states, that people can derive great honour from katoves [humorous entertainment] at weddings, circumcisions and other celebrations.

Below, the title page of Sēfer Marʿē mûsār û-vi-lešôn aškenaz … : kōl ham-mešālîm we-ham-melîkôt … / Zeligmann Ulma Gintzburg [Seligman Ulma Guenzburg]

One of Simon ben Elieser’s descendants was Samuel Shmuel Zanwil ben Simon Günzburg, who was born around 1550 in Frankfurt, Germany, and died on January 19, 1630, in Worms, Germany.