Ladenburg

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LADENBURG

LADENBURG , family prominent in Baden and Mainz. The founder of the line was moses hirschel, the richest Jew in Ladenburg in the mid-18th century. His son mayer moved to Mainz and married into the Homburg family of *Court Jews. Another son, hayum moses hirsch (c. 1710–1781), settled in Mannheim where he became wealthy and was a leader of the community. Hayum's son, wolf hayum ladenburg (1765–1851), founded the bank bearing his name which his descendants continued to manage. He was well known for his philanthropic activities. Leopold Ladenburg, his youngest son, was a politician as well as a militant supporter of Reform Judaism. Wolf 's grandson, karl (1827–1909), managed the family firm and was elected to the Baden parliament, becoming a spokesman on economic and financial questions. Karl's daughter married E. Bassermann, a leading German politician of his day. Virtually all of Wolf Hayum's descendants were baptized.

bibliography:

B. Rosenthal, in: Israelitisches Gemeindeblatt Mannheim, 13 (1935), no. 10 (May 29, 1935), 3–5. add. bibliography: Arbeitskreis juedische Geschichte, Die juedischen LadenburgerEin Beitrag zur Stadtgeschichte (1991); ndb, vol. 13 (1982), 386f.

[Bjoern Siegel (2nd ed.)]