How "Courtly" was the Embourgeoisement of German Jews? A Study on the Role of Court Music and Court Theatres in German-Jewish History

The social advancement of German Jews in the 19th century has often been described by historians as a process of embourgeoisement. Many studies have been devoted to the role of bourgeois institutions for the acculturation of German Jewry. In contrast, the impact of the courts on German Jews in the 19th century has been rather neglected. The article addresses the role of the court theatres with regard to the entry of Jews into the music profession. It is argued that the courts played a pivotal role in this process by hiring Jewish musicians as early as in the 18th century and throughout the 19th century. Special focus is placed on the case of the Darmstadt court theatre. Additional examples suggest that this pattern can also be found outside Germany.