Isaac Ben Moshe Aschaffenburg, Goldschmied

His holy Hebrew name Yitschak ben Moshe Halevi ( ‎‏יצחק בן משה הלוי ) as well as his Yiddish name (‎‏אייזק אושנבוריג‏‎) appear on his tomstone. The Hebrew name of his second wife is Blum bat Yosef (בלום בת יוסף). He is first mentioned in Mainz with his father on 13-7-1515 (Marzi 2018, p. 71). On 9-8-1519, Isaac, the son of “Mosse Goltschmidt” was given a Schutzbrief to live Aschaffenburg as a Judenbürger with his wife and children (Marzi 2018, p. 72). Thus, Isaak did not follow his father to Frankfurt, but moved to Aschaffenburg. In 1542/43, when he sued Philipp von Dorfelden, he is still mentioned as living there. However, in 1551, when the court ruled against Philipp von Dorfelden, he was living in Frankfurt. Among other things, he seems to have been a draper, whose business reached Antwerp. Non-Jewish sources call him "Isaak Aschenburg Levi" in 1548, and "Isaac zum Ainhorn" in 1549 (Linnemeier and Kosche 1998, pp. 312-313).

According to Dietz (1988: 144) Mosche had a son Isaak, who lived at the Einhorn near the Buchsbaum, but does not provide any evidence. However, Ettlinger (1947ff) mentions his father’s name and that he was a Levite. Both Isaak and his bride Blome were rich in their own rights. According to Dietz they were married in 1533, but Ettlinger thinks that the marriage occurred closer to 1542. In 1556 Isaak’s capital was estimated at 12,700 guilders. Dietz (1988: 144) does not mention his source for Isaak's capital.

Thanks to a letter which Moyse Petershagen wrote to his brother Simon zum Einhorn in 1562, we know that Moyse also was a son of Isaak (Linnemeier and Kosche 1998, p. 314).

References: Alexander Dietz [1988 (1907)], The Jewish Community of Frankfurt: A Genealogical Study 1349-1849 (Camelford, UK: Vanderher Publications). Schlomo Ettlinger (1947ff), Ele Toldot. Bernd-Wilhelm Linnemeier and Rosemarie Kosche (1998), "Jüdische Privatkorrespondenz des Mittleren 16. Jahrhunderts aus den Nordöstlichen Westfalen." Aschkenas 8: 275-324. Werner Marzi (2018), Die Judenpolitik der Mainzer Erzbischöfe und Kurfürsten (Oppenheim: Nünnerich-Asmus Verlag & Media).