Familianten

Familiantengesetze were provisions for limiting the number of Jews in Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia, which had the right to form families. 1726 you were the Emperor Charles VI. introduced and were officially until 1859.

Purpose of introducing the Familiantengesetze was to keep the number of Jews as low as possible in the crown lands of the Habsburg monarchy. The specified number of families was 8,451 in Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia 5,106 119 In the tolerance patent of Joseph II of 1791, the laws were expressly confirmed, the number was slightly increased: in Bohemia and in Moravia to 8,600 to 5,400. The provisions, recognized that a Jew could only marry and start a family, if it was owned by a family number. This number could be passed to the eldest son after the death of Familianten after he had reached the age of 24 years. Younger sons - but not daughters - could inherit the number after the death of an older brother. The family numbers have been recorded by the county authorities carefully in Familiantenbuch, with a special Competent book was intended for candidates who wish to obtain a number. If a Familiant only had daughters, went out his Familia Tens Telle, ie that number. In addition, Jews were allowed to live only in the places where they had been before 1726 housing law, and also the right of residence was limited to certain Streets or " Jewish houses ". Failure to comply with this provision could be punished by flogging and expulsion.

As part of the Josephine reforms certain facilities were introduced. Now against payment of large sums of money even second or third sons were allowed to marry. Who would want to marry, had to prove that he possessed 300 guilders ( in Prague 500). From 1786 a certificate was required, which acknowledged that the visit of a German or German-Jewish school, and from 1812 onwards had to marry her candidates to pass an examination in the catechism Bene Zion ( "Sons of Zion " ), compiled by the educators Herz Homberg ( 1749-1841 ) had been. A law of Emperor Francis I from 1797 allowed marriage licenses also for men who had done military service or working in agriculture were. Municipal employees were generally marry as Supernumerary, but could not pass on to their sons this permit.

The Familiantengesetze forced many Jews to secret marriages ( Yiddish Bodenchassenes, ie Chassene ( wedding) in the attic; Czech pod pokličkou ). Children of such marriages were considered for the authorities as illegitimate and had to carry the family name of the mother. It was also numerous Jews of those provisions is not possible to settle permanently, so that they had to move on begging. The system led to tensions within the Jewish communities and the entire Jewish community, which had been relatively homogeneous prior to the introduction of these laws despite social differences. There were trials by non-Jewish authorities, denunciations and bribery cases. Expired family numbers were often not passed on to official candidates from their own community, but resold outside vendors. Many younger sons of Moravian families decided to emigrate. See History of the Jews in Slovakia.

In the course of the Jewish Enlightenment Familiantengesetze were indeed sometimes referred to as a " pharaonic laws," without, however, a protest movement would have developed with the rules. Although the Familiantengesetze with the March Revolution of 1848/49 were ineffective, but in 1859 they were officially abolished.

In the literature, the Familiantengesetze among other things in the story have no authorization by Leopold Kompert found entrance.