RE: [Cz-L] Czernowitz Jewish status seekers

Hardy ..a rare occurrence when I disagree with you! Many of my people were
small businessmen,middle class by any definition.They all spoke German at
home,did not get drafted but volunteered for the regiment and their
tombstones were bilingual. The major point is that .. Yes, there was a
status ladder,but it could be climbed, unlike in other countries. And the
Jews did it,and did it well. Cornel

-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-5423038-8441035_at_list.cornell.edu
[mailto:bounce-5423038-8441035_at_list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of HARDY BREIER
Sent: 12 March 2010 15:11
To: Paul Heger; Czernowitz-L
Subject: [Cz-L] Czernowitz Jewish status seekers

It is all a matter of social status :
  The Austrians lifted restrictions on Jews and allowed Jews
  a status that was impossible before.
    This formed classification based on wealth.

    Upper class : (considered themselves Austrians)
    Doctors ,lawyers ,professors ,military ,press ,banking, business.
   Jews got rich and influential.They lived in the upper streets .
   They got titles like"Ritter von" and were respected by all.
   They paid back by assimilation. They volunteered for the Army.
    Many found a hero's death in the battlefields of Italy and Montenegro.
    They dressed like Austrians ,walked with the fashionable walking cane,
     spoke good German (never Yiddish) and loved Franz Joseph.
      Religion : Rare visit to the Temple on High holidays.
      Tombstones : in German pointing out status and merits to the homeland.

    Middle class : (aspirants to be Austrians)
      Tradesmen- small business -laborers :
     Their German was far from good, Yiddish was spoken at home .
      They were drafted into the Army. They called Franz Joseph -
     Kyre Weidel.
       Deep family roots in the Jewish quarter.
       Living quarters in the mid- town streets .
      Tailors, shoemakers , barbers, locksmiths , carpenters
      factory employees ,groceries ,small business.

          Religion : Almost daily visits to the Shil, observant of all
religious
              holidays visit and respect parents in the Old Jewish Town.
                 Tombstones : In German but carrying the neccessary Hebrew
quotes
          like Hebrew burial date and religious rite.

        The old tradition observant:
       Quartered in the Judenstadt around the big Shils were all the Cheders
        and Yeshives were placed.
                The language : Only Yiddish.
        Food : traditional Cholent , gefilte fish .
         Peyes, Beards , Kaftans , Shtreimls on the streets.
          Nationality : unquestionable Jewish.
        Tombstones : Only in Hebrew and readable only by the initiated few.

      All climbing up the status ladder.

       Then came the Nazis and changed the scheme.
Hardy

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Received on 2010-03-12 17:23:30