Jacob Marcus
Encyclopedia
Jacob Marcus was a German-Swedish businessman and one of the pioneers in the history of Sweden's Jewish
population, which began to take root around the turn of the 18th-19th centuries.
Jacob Marcus's considerable impact on the history of Norrköping and his significance to immigration and advancement have been pointed out in several publications. He had that city's first synagogue
built, which opened in 1796 for the increasing community centered on its congregation.
That and his general benefit to Sweden, as a merchant especially privileged by King Gustav III
, and his position as an East Gothland
property owner and community leader, have been recorded in published biographical articles.
Jews.
A number of famous Swedes have descended from Marcus and his wife Fredrika Isaksdotter (1760-1826, originally Freideh Isaac), such as historian Hugo Valentin
, TV producer Gunilla Marcus-Luboff, Judge Stig Marcus, the Bonnier
publishing dynasty, opera star Isa Quensel, industralist Stefan Anderson
, photographer Mattias Klum
, pop entertainer Magnus Uggla
, TV journalist Jens von Reis, writer-impresario Jacob Truedson Demitz
, banking attorney Biörn Riese and drama director Annabelle Rice. Usually, already the early descendants of Marcus and Isaksdotter married into Swedish families which were not Jewish. American botanist-author Siri von Reis
in New York and daughter Serena Altschul
also descend from Marcus.
In 1900 a comprehensive account of the entire Marcus family and its descendants was published in Sweden as a large printed circular chart, and an extensive family roster was updated until 1942 by Curt Marcus. Beginning around that time, Jewish descent (no matter how diluted) was kept in very low profile, especially during World War II
and even in neutral Sweden.
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
population, which began to take root around the turn of the 18th-19th centuries.
Jacob Marcus's considerable impact on the history of Norrköping and his significance to immigration and advancement have been pointed out in several publications. He had that city's first synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
built, which opened in 1796 for the increasing community centered on its congregation.
That and his general benefit to Sweden, as a merchant especially privileged by King Gustav III
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
, and his position as an East Gothland
Östergötland
Östergötland, English exonym: East Gothland, is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden in the south of Sweden. It borders Småland, Västergötland, Närke, Södermanland, and the Baltic Sea. In older English literature, one might also encounter the Latinized version, Ostrogothia...
property owner and community leader, have been recorded in published biographical articles.
Known descendants
Two of Marcus's daughters, Lowisa (1787-1842) and Hedda (1796-1834) married two brothers of the successful von Reis family of GothenburgGothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
Jews.
A number of famous Swedes have descended from Marcus and his wife Fredrika Isaksdotter (1760-1826, originally Freideh Isaac), such as historian Hugo Valentin
Hugo Valentin
Hugo Valentin was a Swedish historian and scholar. He was a professor of history at Gothenburg University. He is known, to scholars of Antisemitism, for his significant work which was translated into English from Swedish and published in 1937....
, TV producer Gunilla Marcus-Luboff, Judge Stig Marcus, the Bonnier
Bonnier family
The Bonnier family is a wealthy Swedish family of Ashkenazi Jewish origin, active in the publishing business since the late-18th century. The family controls the Swedish company Bonnier AB, with an annual revenue in 2008 of US$ 4.13 billion ....
publishing dynasty, opera star Isa Quensel, industralist Stefan Anderson
Stefan Anderson
Knut Stefan Anderson was a Swedish industrialist, journalist and master craftsman watchmaker decorated with badges of chivalric orders by the Kings of Sweden, Denmark and Norway and the President of Finland.He published articles and a whole series of trade papers, often using the pseudonym...
, photographer Mattias Klum
Mattias Klum
Mattias Klum is a Swedish freelance photographer and film producer in natural history and cultural subjects. He is the son of Swedish academic educator Arne Klum and Ingegärd Klum, née Stefanson. Klum has worked full-time as a freelance photographer since 1986, and as a cinematographer and...
, pop entertainer Magnus Uggla
Magnus Uggla
Per Allan Magnus Claësson Uggla is a Swedish artist, composer, actor, and occasional radio host known for his satirical lyrics. He is a member of the Swedish nobility and a descendant of several European rulers, among which John III of Sweden and Gustav Vasa...
, TV journalist Jens von Reis, writer-impresario Jacob Truedson Demitz
Jacob Truedson Demitz
Jacob Truedson Demitz is a Swedish-American writer and entertainment director known for his 1996 book about Scandinavian kings and, as Lars Jacob, for hundreds of cabaret shows in the United States and Europe from 1972 to 2004...
, banking attorney Biörn Riese and drama director Annabelle Rice. Usually, already the early descendants of Marcus and Isaksdotter married into Swedish families which were not Jewish. American botanist-author Siri von Reis
Siri von Reis
Siri Sylvia Patricia von Reis is an American botanist, author and poet. She has worked as an investigator at the New York Botanical Garden and is the mother of reporter/correspondent Serena Altschul.-Bibliography:...
in New York and daughter Serena Altschul
Serena Altschul
Serena Altschul is an American broadcast journalist, well known for her work at MTV News. She is the daughter of author Siri von Reis and Arthur Altschul, a former partner at Goldman Sachs.-Career:...
also descend from Marcus.
In 1900 a comprehensive account of the entire Marcus family and its descendants was published in Sweden as a large printed circular chart, and an extensive family roster was updated until 1942 by Curt Marcus. Beginning around that time, Jewish descent (no matter how diluted) was kept in very low profile, especially during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and even in neutral Sweden.