We cannot pretend at this distance of time to be capable of giving a faithful and lifelike description of Anselm Mayer von Rothschild, the head of the Frankfort firm. We prefer, therefore, to reproduce the words of a writer who was for many years on the most intimate terms with him, and whose account may consequently be regarded as privileged and deserving credit:—
“Anselm Mayer is the oldest of the European Nabobs, with thoroughly eastern features and all the old Jewish customs and practices. He wears his hat down on the back of his head, which is covered with snow-white hair, and his coat, usually unbuttoned, hangs negligently down from his shoulders. He has an open and frank countenance, on which rests an air of assumed vivacity, whenever he thinks he is observed. His hands are usually in his trouser pockets playing with money. He invariably goes on foot, and to every beggar who accosts him he gives a coin of more or less value. His beneficence is very great—indeed, the poor Jewish families in Frankfort are mostly dependent on his bounty. It was he who contributed the greater part of the funds for the erection of the new Jewish hospital. When the weather is unusually severe, or when, for instance, a poor family is burnt out, he is particularly liberal in his charity. Should a hard frost or a prolonged drought set in, a large crowd is sure to be seen collected before the doors of his town residence in the Fahrgasse. His house in the above-named street is an ill-looking building from the outside, and no stranger, as he passed, would guess that it was the abode of one of the richest merchants in the world. Anselm Mayer sits in his office in the midst of his clerks like a Padischah; below him are his secretaries, and around him may be seen a crowd of brokers, for ever coming and going. With a few words he dismisses each, for like a true business genius he knows at once what answer to give to every question, and what decision to arrive at on any business that may be laid before him for consideration. No one in the universe, when Anselm Mayer's ' yes' or ' no' has once been pronounced, would venture to renew the discussion. To speak to him privately on a matter of business is well nigh impossible; everything in his office is done openly as in a law court. He observes and keeps the office hours as scrupulously as any of his clerks, and has indeed less opportunities for recreation than they have, seeing that even in the theatre he is likely to be disturbed and called away by the arrival of one of his couriers. For the same reason he is often forced to rise from bed in the night, to peruse the news and despatches just brought by an express, so that he can, in case of need, forward them on without delay to his brothers in Paris, Vienna, or London. To facilitate this business he has had an office erected adjoining his bedroom. He has many orders and titles, but usually he wears only the Hessian ribbon. The diplomatists resident in Frankfort, and those who may make a transitory visit there, vie in doing the great financier honour, and the most splendid banquets are given on each side. At these entertainments Anselm Mayer sits in true penance, as he never touches any viands or dishes that have not been cleansed or prepared in the Jewish fashion. This strict and unaffected observance of the religious injunctions of his faith is greatly to his honour; he is indeed regarded as the most religious Jew in Frankfort.”
All writers agree in describing Anselm Mayer as a man of great shrewdness of judgment, with a thorough knowledge of mankind. By a sort of intuition he was able to form a pretty correct opinion of the character and motives of the men with whom he came in contact. No matter what cloak they might use to conceal their real object, he saw through their hypocrisy almost before they had said a word. He seldom erred in his judgment, and was remarkably quick in detecting the vanity or self- conceit of those who addressed him. True and able men were always appreciated by him at their just value: he would always deal with them at par. A man who showed himself quiet but efficient in the discharge of his duties was sure to be noticed and favoured. In his conversation Anselm Mayer was somewhat confidential, though he always allowed a certain reserve to be visible which effectually prevented the display of any want of respect towards himself. He was a man of some humour, and is remembered for the many sly and witty sayings which figured in his conversation, and with which he was in the habit of administering keen rebukes, or speaking unpalatable truths, calculated, if uttered in a stronger and plainer form, to have given offence. The many anecdotes related of him all display more or less the humour and shrewdness for which he was remarkable, and are often conspicuous for their brevity. He knew also how to clothe his sallies in befitting language. When Thorwaldsen passed through Germany he was received with enthusiastic welcomes everywhere, and innumerable banquets were given in his honour. At one of these gatherings Rothschild was introduced to the sculptor, and made the neat remark: “You look so handsome, Chevalier, that one is forced to believe you created yourself.” Thorwaldsen afterwards acknowledged that he had never been paid a more novel or more flattering compliment.
Fond of wit and humour as he was, Anselm Mayer could recognize and reward wit in others, even if the sally was directed against himself. On one occasion a man wrote to him, simply saying, “Herr Baron, send me a thousand guldens—and forget me.” The brevity and essentially witty character of the demand at once struck Anselm Mayer, who, in forwarding the sum demanded, replied: “I send you one thousand guldens—and have forgotten you.”
When Baron Anselm Mayer went in 1832 to spend a few months of the summer at Ems, he took up his quarters in a private house on the Romer- berg. At the same house there was also staying
Baron von E , a dashing Prussian Uhlan officer,
with whom Baron Anselm soon became exceedingly friendly. One evening they went for a stroll in the direction of the Four Towers, and in the midst of a spirited conversation Rothschild came to a sudden halt. Taking advantage of this, an ill-clad man stole noiselessly up behind the famous banker and cleverly opened his pocket. Baron von E, who had noticed the suspicious movement, naturally concluded that theft was the man's object; but to his surprise he noticed that the man quietly slipped a letter into the pocket and disappeared. Scarcely had Baron Rothschild resumed his walk ere the inconvenience arising from the recent contribution made itself felt. He put his hand into his pocket to discover the reason, and at once exclaimed, “Ah, I know now.” It was evident that the mere touch had explained the mystery. The walk was continued along the road to Coblentz, and when they at last turned to retrace their steps dusk was already setting in. Suddenly from behind a tree a ragged fellow sprang forward and placed himself directly in Baron Anselm's path. The Baron's companion was about to strike the fellow, when he noticed the latter had neither pistol nor stiletto in his hand, but simply a begging-letter, which he sought in this violent fashion to force on Anselm Mayer. The latter betrayed not the slightest surprise or alarm, and it was evident he was by no means unaccustomed to this novel way of delivering begging-letters.
One very warm summer's day, when Baron Anselm was entertaining some friends at dinner, a window directly opposite his seat happened to be unclosed. Through the aperture thus left there presently came flying, during the dessert, a packet, so well aimed that it fell right upon the Baron's plate. The guests were not unnaturally astonished, but Anselm Mayer quietly felt in his pocket, took out a gold piece and put it in the cover of the still unopened letter, which he returned with the same celerity and by the same way it had come. This novel and unique mode of bestowing charity was highly appreciated by his guests. Rothschild, however, was not satisfied; he could not feel easy until he knew what had become of the letter and its contents. Apologizing, therefore, to the company, he asked permission to rise a moment. He then advanced to the open window, leant out and returned, evidently satisfied and happy, saying, half audibly, “placirt.” It is interesting to notice how solicitous the wealthy financier was, from force of habit, to know whether even such a trifle as that which he had just given away, had been well bestowed.
Baron Anselm Mayer was proud and aristocratic in his manners only to the extent that the consciousness of his personal importance and.influence was allowed to be visible; but still without any arrogance. He related, not unwillingly, the small beginnings and struggles of his firm, his walks to the office, the Friday evenings spent in the old house in the Judengasse, where white bread and roasted nuts were his fare. He referred with sovereign contempt to the conceit and arrogance of certain upstarts. He did not mix himself up with politics, and invariably spoke with considerate forbearance of the different Governments, though his partiality for Austria was always unmistakably manifest. He bestowed enormous sums in almsgiving, and, when they remembered the many calls upon his purse, and the immense amount actually distributed by him every year among the poor and the suffering, many persons, whose petitions soliciting aid for themselves or for others failed to meet with the response anticipated, have come to think more favourably of the seeming coldness they had experienced. It is impossible to estimate or describe the wonderful good effected by means of Baron Anselm's beneficence. But how great it was and how profoundly appreciated, is evidenced by the thousands of applications for relief which were annually submitted to his consideration. When he died the poor lost one of their most liberal, and at the same time most unostentatious benefactors.
He had been brought up in the midst of a family struggling hard to earn a living; his youth was passed in continued and incessant toil, so it is but natural that he was not able to boast of a very high or classical education. In later years he tried, not without success, to improve his knowledge of languages and history, and to strengthen his bodily powers, but, ever conscious of his shortcomings, he would turn away offended if any sycophant flattered him on his horsemanship or any other accomplishment. French and English he spoke very indifferently: indeed, it was only the interests of his business and perhaps a little vanity that led him ever to converse in these languages, which he spoke even worse than he did his native German. Towards ladies he always displayed a very engaging address, a lively gallantry, which he retained to the last. His love of art showed itself most strongly in his taste for coins and old metal-work; but still on paintings he was often heard to say a shrewd word of criticism. Above all things, however, he loved his garden; it was his delight to revel among his beautiful flowers, of which he never grew weary.
His position as a resident in Frankfort differed in no way from that of any other member of the Jewish community. Great as were his wealth and influence, they did not enable him to share the civil and political rights enjoyed by every Christian living in the city. For a brief period the Jews were permittted by the Prince Primate in 1812 to rank on an equal footing with their Christian neighbours, but in 1815 they were deprived of these privileges, which were not restored to them till 1853 and 1864. Whilst at one time the founder of the house of Rothschild was a member of the Elective Assembly, his son, equally with the poorest Jew in Frankfort, was debarred from taking any active part in the management of civic affairs, for he lacked the first qualification—the freedom of the city, without which none could hold office. Although siding with the strictly orthodox party of the Talmudic Judaism, Anselm Mayer did not allow any difference of opinion to disturb his sympathies with his co-religionists, and he is known to have frequently contributed largely to the erection of synagogues where the teaching would be wholly opposed to that which he favoured. At his death he left a fortune estimated as amounting to from fifty to sixty million guldens, which he willed to one of his nephews. To the Jewish community he bequeathed a handsome legacy of 1,200,000 guldens, and several others proportionately large for the benefit of the poor, who, he was fond of saying as he walked through the streets, were his “courtiers.” He also left strict orders in his will for the maintenance and preservation of the old house in the Judengasse. Strict Jew as was the head of the Frankfort house, opposed as he was to every innovation in the doctrine and ritual of the synagogues, and exact as he was in his observance of the Sabbath, he nevertheless did not hesitate to trade and make money on feast days. Thus, on one occasion when he was in Aix-la-Chapelle taking part in the Congress there, a sum of money amounting to 160,000 thalers fell due to him on a Saturday. At the proper hour he presented himself at the office and demanded his money. On his attention being called to the day, he pointedly answered: “It is not every day one has to receive 160,000 thalers.” He then carefully counted and pocketed the money.
The extent of the business transacted by the parent firm in Frankfort was something immense. It not only embraced the majority of the German states and principalities, but included in its clientele a large proportion of the nobility and aristocracy, especially those of South Germany, whose pecuniary resources were so embarrassed as to render the assistance of a financial house necessary and unavoidable. The number of accounts of the Frankfort house probably far exceeded that of any one of the other houses in London, Paris, or Vienna. To prove how liberal the Rothschilds were to the German princes, and to show what profitable customers the latter must have been, we give a list of those who were forced to apply to the firm for aid. Against the name of each we place the total amount of the loans, as far as can be ascertained, which he obtained:— Guldens.
Isenburg-Birstein 1,100,000
Lowenstein-Wertheim 1,250,000
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg . . . 300,000
Waldburg-Zeil 172,000
Graf Sandor v. Szlavnicza .... 670,000
Bitter von Riese 250,000
Isenburg-Wachtersbach 294,000
Guldens.
Solms-Lich 300,000
Lowenstein-Rosenberg 350,000
Prince Victor zu Isenburg 140,000
Count Viczay 700,000
„ Szapary 300,000
„ Leiningen-Westerberg.... 80,000
„ . von Niczky 340,000
„ von Hunyady 500,000
„ von Szechenyi 1,800,000
„ Henkel v. Donnersmark . . . 1,125,000
„ von Froberg 100,000
Prince von Galantha Esterhazy . . . 6,400,000
Freiherr von Greifenklau 130,000
Prince Schwarzenberg 5,000,000
„ Waldburg-Wolfegg 800,000
„ Waldsee 350,000
Count K. von Wartemberg .... 2,070,000
Total Guldens 16,021,000
This list is far from complete; still, even as it is, it gives some idea of the large business done by the firm with its private clients.
In conclusion, we may say a few words respecting the sovereignty of Baron Anselm Mayer over the Frankfort Bourse, and of the complete subordination of that institution to his will. Before the advent of the Rothschilds, Frankfort could claim no precedence over the other great trading cities of Germany; it had a large commerce, and large operations were carried on in foreign bills, but still its quotations were not so important or so influential as to cause them to be closely watched and studied. All this, however, is now altered: the movements of the Frankfort Exchange have through the magnitude of the transactions carried out by the house of Rothschild acquired an importance which makes itself felt on the markets of other leading financial centres. Paris, Frankfort, Vienna, and London are in such close communication and connection through the houses established there by the Rothschilds, that no great movement can take place in one of them without creating a marked impression in the rest. In Frankfort the control and sway possessed by the parent house were more marked and manifest, perhaps, than was the case with its branches elsewhere. Loud and frequent complaints were made by other banking and financial firms of the prejudicial effects on business caused by the entire dependence of the Frankfort Bourse on the will of Anselm Mayer, who could at his pleasure raise or depress prices to the discomfiture of all who might happen to oppose him. The public prints were for ever complaining of and animadverting upon the pressure of the great firm on the energies and spirits of the Bourse. Their complaints were always worded in the same unvaried strain, so that they became quite monotonous in their repetition. For instance, the remark that“money was more abundant, and might become still more so, were it not for the knowledge that the Rothschilds are so completely masters of the situation, and have the market under complete control,” was a stock expression with the Frankfort editors. This pressure could not fail to prove injurious to many smaller houses, but complaints availed not; business was free to all, and speculation unhindered. The Rothschilds were at liberty to conduct their operations on whatever lines they pleased, without asking permission of any. The same freedom of action belonged to all, whether great or small. Might on the Stock Exchange means right, and if weaker speculators were made to pay heavily for the opposition, however slight, they offered to the rule of the colossal firm, they had but themselves to blame for their folly and loss. Foreign loana became the perquisites, if we may so call them, of the Rothschilds, who were ever on the alert to secure them before a rival had any chance to step in. On one occasion another firm was bold enough to undertake a Belgian loan, on its own sole responsibility behind Rothschild's back, but was quickly made to repent of its temerity, as Rothschild put his forces in motion and bore down upon, it with such resistless force that the rival house was soon glad to give in its submission and tender an apology for its presumption. But, on the other hand, it is totally undeniable that, at different times, in circumstances of great financial pressure and during commercial crises, Rothschild rendered immense services by means of his unbounded wealth and credit to many houses, who, but for the support thus liberally provided, would have been forced to suspend payment. Not that we wish it to be supposed that Rothschild made such sacrifices from purely unselfish motives, for, however unfavourable they might appear, he usually managed to turn the circumstances of the case to profitable account. For instance, in 1832, a well-known banking establishment in Paris had accepted without adequate security a large number of bills drawn by a bank in North America, whose credit at that time was decidedly low. The suspension at an early date of the bank in Paris, was discussed and anticipated. Rothschild himself had a great many of these doubtful acceptances in his portfolio. What did he do? He voluntarily placed the sum of forty million thalers at the disposal of the bank, whose failure was averted, if only for a moment, as the public, seeing the apparent confidence of Baron Anselm in its solvability, not unnaturally concluded he had good reasons for his liberality and that the rumours to the contrary were ill founded. The Paris house was saved, whilst the transaction proved very remunerative to Rothschild himself, as he had remitted this sum not in specie, or bills on other firms, but in bills, which he had bought dirt cheap, upon the bank itself.
“In this way/' wrote a German journalist of Baron Anselm Mayer,” he has made himself king of finance, and his kingdom is no poetical creation but a reality. His vassals are the other banking firms and financial institutions, whom he can destroy, if he so pleases, when he no longer needs them, or support and strengthen as long as they are useful and necessary for his purposes."
Since the death of Anselm Mayer, the business of the Frankfort firm has been managed by his nephews, Baron William and Baron C. von Rothschild, who have faithfully observed the traditional policy of the family in all their financial operations. The wealth of the two brothers continues steadily to augment, thanks to the prudence and caution which mark all their undertakings. Baron Carl is a great patron of the arts, and has a collection of pictures and sculptures such as is possessed by only very few. Baron William is a most strict Jew, and rigidly observes the fasts and feasts of the Jewish calendar.1
1 The death of Baron Carl, which took place quite recently, leaves his brother the sole head of the Frankfort house. Baron Carl's magnificent collection of art treasures will become the property of Lord Rothschild.