Isaak Löw Hofmann, Edler von Hofmannsthal
Encyclopedia
Isaak Löw Hofmann, Edler von Hofmannsthal (10 June 1759, at Prostiebor (now Prostiboř
), near Kladrau
, now in the district of Pilsen, Bohemia
– 12 December 1849, Vienna
) was an Austria
n merchant
.
During the famine in Ansbach
in the middle of the 18th century, Hofmann's parents had emigrated from Pretzendorf (now Himmelkron
), near Bayreuth, to Bohemia, where they lived in very poor circumstances. His early training he received at home, and from his thirteenth year he studied at Prague
as a "bachur" (Talmudic scholar) under Rabbi Abraham Plohn.
After completing his studies he entered as teacher the house of Joel Baruch, a rich merchant who farmed the tobacco
monopoly for the Austrian government. Besides giving instruction to the children, Hofmann took charge of the books of his employer. When in 1788 Baruch moved to Vienna and opened a wholesale house there, Hofmann was appointed manager of the entire business. Having received the same year a permit from the Austrian government to do business in Vienna, he chose the name "Isaak Löw Hofmann". On the death of Baruch he was made a partner in, and in 1794 became sole member of the firm which bore the name "Hofmann und Löwinger". Becoming interested in 1796 in the manufacture of silk
, he was one of the first to farm the silk monopoly from the Hungarian government (1802), a privilege which his house retained for nearly half a century. At his instigation his son Emanuel wrote a pamphlet, "Einleitung zur Seidenzucht", of which more than 16,000 copies were distributed. Hofmann was very active in business, and succeeded in making his firm one of the leading houses of Austria-Hungary.
Hofmann took great interest in the Jewish community of Vienna, being president in 1806 and representative in 1812, which latter office he held until his death. In 1822 he founded the institution for the poor ("Armenanstalt"), which is still flourishing. He received many honours, and was knighted by the Emperor of Austria in 1835.
He was the great-grandfather of Hugo von Hofmannsthal
.
Prostibor
Prostiboř is a village and municipality in Tachov District in the Plzeň Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 146 ....
), near Kladrau
Kladruby (Tachov District)
Kladruby is a town in the Czech Republic, in the region of Plzeň, near the town Stříbro.The Abbey of Kladruby is a large Benedictine monastery first cited 1115...
, now in the district of Pilsen, Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
– 12 December 1849, Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
) was an Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
.
During the famine in Ansbach
Ansbach
Ansbach, originally Onolzbach, is a town in Bavaria, Germany. It is the capital of the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Ansbach is situated southwest of Nuremberg and north of Munich, on the Fränkische Rezat, a tributary of the Main river. As of 2004, its population was 40,723.Ansbach...
in the middle of the 18th century, Hofmann's parents had emigrated from Pretzendorf (now Himmelkron
Himmelkron
Himmelkron is a municipality in the district of Kulmbach in Bavaria in Germany.-City arrangement:Himmelkron is arranged in the following boroughs:* Gössenreuth* Himmelkron* Lanzendorf...
), near Bayreuth, to Bohemia, where they lived in very poor circumstances. His early training he received at home, and from his thirteenth year he studied at Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
as a "bachur" (Talmudic scholar) under Rabbi Abraham Plohn.
After completing his studies he entered as teacher the house of Joel Baruch, a rich merchant who farmed the tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
monopoly for the Austrian government. Besides giving instruction to the children, Hofmann took charge of the books of his employer. When in 1788 Baruch moved to Vienna and opened a wholesale house there, Hofmann was appointed manager of the entire business. Having received the same year a permit from the Austrian government to do business in Vienna, he chose the name "Isaak Löw Hofmann". On the death of Baruch he was made a partner in, and in 1794 became sole member of the firm which bore the name "Hofmann und Löwinger". Becoming interested in 1796 in the manufacture of silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
, he was one of the first to farm the silk monopoly from the Hungarian government (1802), a privilege which his house retained for nearly half a century. At his instigation his son Emanuel wrote a pamphlet, "Einleitung zur Seidenzucht", of which more than 16,000 copies were distributed. Hofmann was very active in business, and succeeded in making his firm one of the leading houses of Austria-Hungary.
Hofmann took great interest in the Jewish community of Vienna, being president in 1806 and representative in 1812, which latter office he held until his death. In 1822 he founded the institution for the poor ("Armenanstalt"), which is still flourishing. He received many honours, and was knighted by the Emperor of Austria in 1835.
He was the great-grandfather of Hugo von Hofmannsthal
Hugo von Hofmannsthal
Hugo Laurenz August Hofmann von Hofmannsthal ; , was an Austrian novelist, librettist, poet, dramatist, narrator, and essayist.-Early life:...
.