{"id":3228,"date":"2024-11-03T19:48:08","date_gmt":"2024-11-04T03:48:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reiswolfesamuel.org\/?page_id=3228"},"modified":"2025-05-16T17:54:45","modified_gmt":"2025-05-17T01:54:45","slug":"gunzburg-family","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/reiswolfesamuel.org\/?page_id=3228","title":{"rendered":"G\u00fcnzburg Family"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Yechiel Porto (Yakov HaLevi)<\/a> == Fruma Zeligman >> Elieser Abraham Ulmo G\u00fcnzburg (ca. 1477 – ca. 1544) == Simche de Porto >> Simon ben Elieser G\u00fcnzburg (1506 – ca. 1582) == Hindle \/ Hendlen \/ Hindle \/ Handle \/ Rachel Linz (ca. 1510 – 1593) >> Channa \/ Hanna \/ Bunlin G\u00fcnzburg (ca. 1535 – 1594) == Elias Eliyahu Halevi \u00d6ttingen<\/a> >> R\u2019Mordechai Model Levy-\u00d6ttingen == Rifke Sore >> Avraham Model de Vienne Halevi-\u00d6ttingen ( \u2013 1637) == V\u00f6gele \/ Vogele Teomim<\/a> >> HaRav Naftali Hirsch HaLevi Ettinge, Medico of Przemsyl == N. N. >> Ha Rosh Abraham Ahron Halevi Lichtenstadt == Dina Epstein >> Salomon Levi \u00d6ttingen \/ Ettinge-Levy ( \u2013 1697) == Schifra Spira Wedeles <\/a>>> Bele \u00d6ttingen-Levy == Isaac Schimon Bondi <\/a>(1689 \u2013 1754) >> Simon Isaak Bondi (ca. 1711 \u2013 1733) == Magdelene Frankel-Teomim (1713 \u2013 1778) >>Jonas Bondi (1732 \u2013 1765) == Bella Schifra >> Chayle Bondi == Koppel Kolb (Loeb) of Bamberg (1747 \u2013 1835) >> Moises Loeb \/ Moritz Reis <\/a>(1782 \u2013 1855) == \u00c9milie Bickartt (1784 ) >> Jonas Reis (1809 \u2013 1877) == Marian Samuel <\/a>(1825 \u2013 1900) >> REIS FAMILY<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We start this family off with Simon ben Eliezer who was born in G\u00fcnzburg in 1506 and died in Burgau, Germany, in 1585. However, this family evolved from out of the Porto family whose page HERE<\/a> will give the reader more background to this Gunzburg family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simon was a rich merchant, and traveled around in Germany and Poland in the interests of his business. He was also a great Talmudist, and had some knowledge of secular sciences. His residence was first at G\u00fcnzburg, where, he built a synagogue and established a cemetery; and then he settled at Burgau, a neighboring town. There also he worked for the welfare of the community, for which reason his name is commemorated in a special prayer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In many ways he is considered the progenitor of the Ulmo-G\u00fcnzburg family, which established itself in Pfersee (near Augsburg, Bavaria) and then Burgau. He was also known as Seligman Ulma G\u00fcnzburg, or Shimon ben Elieser Ulmo-G\u00fcnzburg, or Seligman ben Elieser Ginzburg, or Rabbi Simon Schimeon ben Elieser Ulmo-G\u00fcnzburg zur Gemse, etc. He migrated to Frankfurt from G\u00fcnzburg on the Danube in 1566. There is an entry on Wikipedia<\/a> about the G\u00fcnzburg family.

Simon ben Elieser G\u00fcnzburg 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 \u00d6ttingen \/ Ettingen<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below, illustrations from the prayer book of the Ulma-G\u00fcnzburg family, completed in 1589.<\/p>\n\n\n

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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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simon ben Elieser G\u00fcnzburg was involved in a significant legal dispute with Eliezer Treves<\/a> (d. 1586) of Frankfurt am Main, which became a cause c\u00e9l\u00e8bre among rabbis of the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The entry in the Burgau cemetery’s memory book for Simon states:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMay the Eternal One remember the soul of the noble leader Rabbi Simon, son of Eliaser Ulmo G\u00fcnzburg, 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 \u201czum Friedhof\u201d [transl. \u201cto the cemetery\u201d] 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. \u2013 Amen!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 \u00d6ttingen. <\/p>\n\n\n

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THE BASEL TALMUD<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Much of what follows is based on the article: Der Basler Talmuddruck 1578-1580: zur Genealogie des Herausgebers Simon G\u00fcnzburg zur Gemse in Frankfurt und seines Geldgebers Simon G\u00fcnzburg Sohn des Elieser in G\u00fcnzburg (\u00dcber den vorsichtigen Umgang mit historischer und genealogischer Sekund\u00e4rliteratur). <\/em>Stein, Peter. (2002) – In: Familienforschung Schweiz. Jahrbuch (2002) p. 119-138.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stein notes that one of the great legacies of the G\u00fcnzburg 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 <\/em>refer here to that history except where it sheds more light on the G\u00fcnzburg family and their relations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the middle of the 1570\u2019s, the entire Babylonian Talmud was painstakingly translated into the German of its time, containing about 30 million letters on 3678 pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The man responsible for this monumental undertaking was Simon son of Jakob G\u00fcnzburg zur Gemse of Frankfurt. He has also been referred to as:  Simon Moses<\/em> ben Jakob Nathan G\u00fcnzburg zur Gemse (hereinafter called Simon Zur Gemse).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to make the Talmud project financially feasible, Simon zur Gemse turned to his wealthy uncle, Simon son of Elieser G\u00fcnzburg zu Gi\u00fcnzburg (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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project was probably initiated by Elias Treves<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The definitive contract between G\u00fcnzburg 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. G\u00fcnzburg 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\u2019s death in 1582 by the guardian of his children Isak Gunzburg zur Golden Rose. The dispute was finally settled in 1589.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 G\u00fcnzburg so their work could continue, although not without constant interference by Catholic authorities who insisted on changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, in the Mishnah tractate Edujot <\/em>there is the passage: “The punishment of the wicked in hell lasts twelve months<\/em>“. 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<\/em>“. The printing of the tractate Avodah Zarah<\/em> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 G\u00fcnzburg made several long journeys to Poland to try to sell the volumes produced. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRAVESTONES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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 \u2013 Jakob; at least according to Michael Brocke\u2019s The Old Jewish Cemetery in Frankfurt am Main<\/em>, Sigmaringen 1996.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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skilled scribe… (the people? in love?)
the honored master, Mr. Shimon Moshe,<\/em> son of our teacher
the master, Mr. Yakov Nathan<\/em>, his memory for blessing, who passed away
night 7 (Sabbath), 9th Kislev 342 after the small payment
10 May his soul be bound in the covenant of life, Amen
<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Simon\u2019s father\u2019s gravestone, i.e. that of Jaakow ben Elieser Ulma G\u00fcnzburg, indicates that he died on 22 August 1606.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lament, like a virgin, girded with sackcloth, lonely,
help – for the good he abstained from the kernels and husks.
Yes, make room: a call went out into the garden to the pious one,
the master, the Lord, son of our teacher, the master,
Mr. Eliezer, who died in Alsbach, “in good” Av 366
the small number.
Let his soul be bound in the bundle of life
with the rest of the righteous in the Garden of Eden. Amen.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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More details on the gravestone can be found here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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:
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The leader, Mr. (Shmuel, son of the Lord Yaakov Halevi(?) G\u00fcnzburg of the leaders of the Levite community, his memory is a blessing I weep and lament over the cloud of glory; who rose early in the morning for prayer and always learned the Torah (with) his heart and was active (with) his hands in public affairs, the leader of the community for 60 years like a fresh olive tree, my father, crown of our head, the pious, the aged, Mr. Shmuel, son of the Lord Yaakov Halevi, his memory is a blessing, who died in a good name and was buried day 2, 26th Tishri, year 5 thousand and 302 after the Creation of the world. May his soul be bound in the bundle of life with all the righteous in the Garden of Eden. Amen. [Also buried at his feet was his grandson Rabbi Alexander Halevi, may his memory be a blessing, the honored Lord].<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Fogel G\u00fcnzburg, birthdate: estimated around 1530. Death: November 24, 1593 at Frankfurt. Immediate Family: Daughter of Simon (Schimeon) G\u00fcnzburg, zur Gemse and Rachel G\u00fcnzburg. She was the sister of Hanna Bunlin G\u00fcnzburg who was the direct ancestor of Moritz Reis. Thus, Fogel was his Nth great aunt.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

THE LINZ FAMILY GRAVES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simon ben Elieser G\u00fcnzburg married Hindle \/ Hendlen \/ Hindle \/ Handle \/ Rachel Linz. Her father was Rabbi Isaac Linz, A.B.D. Frankfurt Hebrew: \u05d4\u05e7\u05e6\u05d9\u05df \u05de\u05d4\u05e8”\u05e8 \u05d0\u05d9\u05d9\u05d6\u05d9\u05e7 \u05dc\u05d9\u05e0\u05d9\u05da, \u05d0\u05d1”\u05d3 \u05e4\u05e4\u05d3”\u05de and who was also known as: “Ajek Linnich”, “Eisik Lennich”, “Isaak”, “Jizchak ben Eljakim”, “Aisek Linnich”, “Yitzchak ben Eliakim” (Eisik Lennich), etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He died at Frankfurt on Wednesday, February 26, 1556. (No. ffb-0874 , Ho 207, ET 26.II.1556<\/a>). The epitaph on his gravestone reads:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u200e\u200f\u05d0\u05e9\u05d0 \u05e2\u05d9\u05e0\u05d9\u200f\u200e
\u200e\u200f\u05d0\u05dc \u05e9\u05de\u05d9\u05dd \u05dc\u05d4\u05e1\u200f\u200e
\u200e\u200f\u05e4\u05d9\u05d3 \u05d0\u05d9\u05e9 \u05e9\u05e2\u05e9\u05d5\u05e2\u05f3 \u05d5\u200f\u200e
\u200e\u200f\u05d3\u05ea \u05d9\u05de\u05d9\u05dd \u05e2\u05dc \u05d4\u05f4\u05d7\u200f\u200e 5
\u200e\u200f\u05d5\u05d1\u05e7\u05d9 \u05de\u05d4\u05e8\u05f4\u05e8 \u05d9\u05e6\u05d7\u05e7\u200f\u200e
\u200e\u200f\u05d1\u05e8 \u05d0\u05dc\u05d9\u05e7\u05d9\u05dd \u05e0\u05e7\u05d1\u05e8\u200f\u200e
\u200e\u200f\u05d1\u05e9\u05d5\u05e9\u05df \u05e4\u05d5\u05e8\u05d9\u05dd \u05d3\u05f3\u200f\u200e
\u200e\u200f\u05e9\u05e0\u05ea \u05e9\u05d8\u05f4\u05d6 \u05ea\u05e0\u05e6\u05d1\u05f4\u05d4\u200f\u200e
\u200e\u200f\u05d0\u05f3 \u05e1\u05f3\u200f\u200e 10<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u200f\u200eOur teacher, the master, Mr. Eisik Lennich, his memory is a blessing.
I raise my eyes
to heaven to
mourn a man of pleasure and
5 \u2026 about the astute
and educated, our teacher, the master, Mr. Yitzhak, son of Eliakim, buried
on Shushan Purim of Year 316. His soul is bound in the bundle of life Amen Sela<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aisek Linnich’s wife Z\u00fcrlen’s gravestone is shown below and it lies only about 2.50m from his. The inscription begins Mrs. Z\u00fcrlen G\u00fcnzburg<\/em>, but we know that Simon [Schimon] G\u00fcnzburg was Z\u00fcrlen’s son in law so this is confusing but authorities claim<\/a> 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. Z\u00fcrlen, daughter of Mr. Schimon<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u05de\u05e8\u05ea \u05e6\u05d5\u05d9\u05e8\u05dc\u05df \u05d2\u05d5\u05d9\u05e0\u05e6\u05d1\u05d5\u05e8\u05d2\u200f\u200e
\u200e\u200f\u05d0\u05d1\u05df\u200f\u200e
\u05d4\u05d6\u05d0\u05ea \u05d4\u05e6\u05d1\u05ea\u05d9 \u05c3 \u05db\u05d9\u200f\u200e
\u05e4\u05d4 \u05e7\u05d1\u05e8 \u05d7\u05e6\u05d1\u05ea\u05d9 \u05c3 \u05db\u05d9\u200f\u200e
\u200e\u200f\u05d1\u05d0\u05d4 \u05d0\u05dc \u05d1\u05d9\u05ea \u05de\u05dc\u05d5\u05e0\u05d4 \u05d0\u05e9\u05d4\u200f\u200e
\u05db\u05e9\u05e8\u05d4 \u05d5\u05d4\u05d2\u05d5\u05e0\u05d4 \u05c3 \u05d4\u05e8\u05d1\u05e0\u05d9\u05ea\u200f\u200e
\u200e\u200f\u05de\u05e8\u05f3 \u05e6\u05d5\u05d9\u05e8\u05dc\u05df \u05d1\u05ea \u05e8\u05f3 \u05e9\u05de\u05e2\u05d5\u05df\u200f
\u05e0\u05e4\u05d8\u05e8\u05ea \u05d9\u05d5\u05f3 \u05d5\u05f3 \u05e2\u05e8\u05d1 \u05e4\u05e1\u05d7\u200f\u200e
\u200f\u05d5\u05e0\u05e7\u05d1\u05e8\u05ea \u05d9\u05d5\u05f3 \u05e9\u05e0\u05d9 \u05e9\u05dc \u05e4\u05e1\u05d7
\u05e9\u05e0\u05ea \u05e6\u05d9\u05e8\u05dc\u05f4\u05d4 \u05ea\u05e0\u05e6\u05d1\u05f4\u05d4 \u05d0\u05f4\u05e1\u200f
\u200f\u05de\u05e8\u05ea \u05e6\u05d5\u05d9\u05e8\u05dc\u05df \u05d2\u05d5\u05d9\u05e0\u05e6\u05d1\u05d5\u05e8\u05d2\u200e \u200e <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Frau Z\u00fcrlen G\u00fcnzburg.
Diesen
Stein stellte ich auf, da
ich hier ein Grab aushaute,
5 es kam zu ihrem Herbergshaus eine Frau,
tugendhaft und w\u00fcrdig, die Rabbinersgattin
Frau Z\u00fcrlen, Tochter des Herrn Schimon,
verschieden Tag 6, R\u00fcsttag des Pessachfestes
und begraben (am) zweiten Tag des Pessachfestes
des Jahres 335. Ihre Seele sei eingebunden in das B\u00fcndel des Lebens. Amen Sela<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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SIMON LEVI <\/em>GUNZBURG <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some earlier researchers assigned the family of Simon G\u00fcnzburg 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, <\/a>son of Jehuda Levi Ulmo G\u00fcnzburg of Frankfurt is referred to as the nephew of Simon G\u00fcnzburg b. Elieser whereas in fact Simon zur Gemse is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There may well have been a Levite branch of the family which would help in explaining the existence of Simon Levi G\u00fcnzburg. If so, we would have to distinguish between Simon zur Gemse and Simon Levi G\u00fcnzburg. However, we do not know where Simon Levi G\u00fcnzburg fits into the family described here. Even so, to do him some justice, we note a few of his publications below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simon Levi G\u00fcnzburg’s [Shimon ben Yehuda Halevi G\u00fcnzburg] activities included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n