Napoleon and the Jews

Culture and Politics

By Ben Weider

No stranger to controversy, Ben Weider has been a tireless campaigner for what he believes to be the "truth" in Napoleonic studies, even when his research contradicts the accepted orthodoxy. Weider's Assassination at St. Helena Revisited presented evidence and argued that Napoleon was murdered during his second exile. Recently, at the 28th Consortium on Revolutionary Europe 1750-1850 on 7 March, 1998 at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Weider presented the following paper on Napoleon's relationship with the Jews.

Prevailing opinions on the subject note Napoleon's edicts proclaiming emancipation of the Jews in the areas of Europe that he conquered, but doubt the credibility of a manifesto reputedly issued in Palestine during the final, unsuccessful stages of his campaign in Egypt. Weider contends that this document is authentic, and important to understanding why the Jews embraced Napoleon Bonaparte.

Weider asserts that Napoleon's popularity with Jews was genuine, despite attempts by some scholars to downplay the Emperor's interest in them as simply self-serving.

Weider maintains that such an obvious, cynical attitude would not produce the kind of support as manifested in a Jewish blessing from the period that he found while searching for other documents in a rare and antiquarian book shop in France.

Of the many lasting contributions that Napoleon made to improve the quality of life of the French people, one of the most important and lasting was the Civil Code.

This body of laws came at a time in history when discrimination was rampant; through them Napoleon decided to offer Liberty, Equality and Fraternity to Jews, Protestants and Free Masons. He also opened the churches that were closed for years.

The Civil Code of 1804 [also known as the Code Napoleon] granted religious freedom. At that time, there were about 480,000 Calvinists and 200,000 Lutherans living in France. In 1804, Napoleon arranged for the public regulation of the Protestant communities and then decided that the State would assume the responsibility for the salaries of their pastors.

Napoleon prepared a Proclamation
making Palestine an
independent Jewish state.

Perhaps Napoleon's involvement with the Jews can first be traced to a incident from 9 February, 1797. Napoleon and his forces had occupied Ancona [during the first Italian campaign] when a strange sight greeted them — the young general was amazed when he saw people wearing a yellow bonnet and arm bands on which was the "Star of David". He asked some of his officers the purpose of these outfits.

Of course, he was informed that they were Jews, and also that such identification was necessary so that they could return to the ghetto in the evening. Napoleon felt highly offended and he immediately gave an order, in the name of France, that they should remove the yellow bonnet and arm bands, and he authorized the closing of the ghetto. He allowed the Jews of Ancona to live wherever they wanted, and to practice their religion openly. Later he also closed the "Jewish Ghetto" in Rome.

Yet another incident of interest occurred on 12 June, 1798, when the French occupied Malta on their way to Egypt, where Bonaparte learned that the Templar Knights did not allow the Jews to practice their religion in a synagogue. He immediately gave them permission to build a synagogue.

Another amazing incident, not generally known, took place in Palestine. While French troops besieged the city of Acre, Napoleon prepared a Proclamation making Palestine an independent Jewish state. He felt confident that he could occupy Acre and, in the following days, foresaw that he would enter Jerusalem, where he planned to issue his proclamation. Printed and dated 20 April, 1799 Napoleon's unsuccessful attempt to capture Acre prevented it from being issued. The Jews had to wait about 150 years before their state was proclaimed [Israel came into existence in 1948].

Napoleon's motives for being a benefactor of the Jews remain somewhat mysterious; on one hand, his patronage just doesn't make sense because he had nothing political to gain from it. Possibly, the answer exists in a private conversation which Napoleon had with Dr. Barry O'Meara, which took place on the Island of St. Helena [during the Emperor's second and final exile]. On 10 November, 1816, Dr. O'Meara (who was Napoleon's personal physician at the time) asked the Emperor point blank as to why he was encouraging and supporting the Jews.

The Emperor Napoleon replied, "My primary desire was to liberate the Jews and make them full citizens. I wanted to confer upon them all the legal rights of equality, liberty and fraternity as was enjoyed by the Catholics and Protestants. It is my wish that the Jews be treated like brothers as if we were all part of Judaism.

"As an added benefit, I thought that this would bring to France many riches because the Jews are numerous and they would come in large numbers to our country where they would enjoy more privileges than in any other nation. Without the events of 1814, most of the Jews of Europe would have come to France where equality, fraternity and liberty awaited them and where they can serve the country like everyone else."

Napoleon was the only ruler
that gave Jews equality
when most other nations
kept them in bondage.

During the different periods of Napoleon's career, his sympathy for the Jews was clearly noted. He did everything he could to assure that the Jews were treated on an equal basis as Catholics and Protestants.

The French Revolution in 1789 changed all the various restrictions that Jews had to face in France. On 27 September, 1791 France adopted a decree which accorded the Jews of France full citizenship.

However, the Legislative Assembly did not take any specific measures to apply this new freedom that was granted to the Jews. The National Convention closed the synagogues and banned the use of the Hebrew language [the Catholic church was banned as well at the time]. Under the Directory, the synagogues were opened again, and Jews became involved in business and political life. But, in general, the Jews were barely tolerated. Before Napoleon took over the leadership of the French government, the political situation of the Jews was precarious, unstable, and subject to negative laws. Depending upon the region, Jews were sometimes treated in a liberal manner and sometimes in a tyrannical manner.

Equality

Napoleon was the only ruler that gave Jews equality when most other nations kept them in bondage. He also abolished the special taxes on Jews in Germany and gave them, for the very first time, civic and political equality. When strong opposition in France manifested itself, Napoleon stood firm in his support of Jewish equality.

Certainly, when Napoleon came to power, he did not liberate the Jews for personal political gain, because there were not much more than 40,000 in all of France, and they were living in various provinces. The province where Jews were most persecuted was Alsace, where half of the Jewish population of France was living. In Paris, there were approximately 1,000 Jews. They were excluded from doing business, forbidden to hold government positions and banned from the purchase of property.

The principle leader of the new law, dated 8 April, 1802, which dealt with the organization of various religions, was Jean-Etienne Portalis, the Minister of Religion. He said: "Jews should participate as equals, like all other religions as permitted by our laws."

Although there was tremendous opposition by the anti-Semites, one of the leading Jewish citizens, Isaac Cerf-Berr, presented to Minister Portalis a specific plan that would ensure Jewish integration into the population.

The plan was brought to Napoleon at his camp in Boulogne in 1805. He approved it and instructed Portalis to implement it as quickly as possible.

It was in 1806, after the Austerlitz campaign, that Napoleon aggressively supported total liberty for the Jews. Notwithstanding this, the French newspaper, the Mercure de France, published a violently anti-Semitic article stating that the Jews could have freedom in France provided they all converted and became Catholic. Great opposition to Napoleon's plan to make equal citizens out of the Jews living in France, was led by Molé, Beugnot, Segur, and Regnier.

Notwithstanding this heavy opposition, including anti-Semitism generated by numerous newspapers, Napoleon was quoted as saying: "This is not the way to solve the Jewish question. I will never accept any proposals that will obligate the Jewish people to leave France, because to me the Jews are the same as any other citizen in our country. It takes weakness to chase them out of the country, but it takes strength to assimilate them."

Decree

The decree issued on 30 May, 1806 requested that a special assembly of Jewish leaders and Rabbis from all of the different French departments, would meet in Paris and discuss all outstanding matters including answering questions dealing with accusations against the Jews made by the anti-Semites.

It was on 23 July, 1806, when all of these representatives met in Paris during which time Napoleon stated: "My desire is to make Jews equal citizens in France, have a conciliation between their religion and their responsibilities in becoming French, and to answer all the accusations made against them. I want all people living in France to be equal citizens and benefit from our laws."

Judaism became the official
third religion of France.

One hundred and eleven representatives of the Jewish community, representing all the various departments of France and Northern Italy, met at the City Hall. Napoleon had requested answers to accusations made against the Jews so he could understand their position clearly. The reunion of so many Jews from the different parts of France represented the renewal of the famous "Sanhedrin" which ruled Israel from 170 to 106 BC.

The Sanhedrin continued to be an important force in Israel until 72 AD when the Roman General Titus destroyed Jerusalem. The Sanhedrin replaced the monarchy in Israel in those days and it was their authority that administered the country.

They interpreted the law, and sat as judges in major cases. This was the first time since the Sanhedrin was disbanded in Israel that it was reconvened, by the great "liberator" Napoleon.

Tsar Alexander of Russia protested violently against the liberation of the Jews and encouraged the Orthodox Church in Moscow to also protest aggressively. He called Napoleon the "Anti Christ and the enemy of God" because he liberated the Jews. Austria also protested. In Prussia, the Lutheran Church was extremely hostile towards Napoleon's decision and reaction in Italy was also not favorable but not as aggressive. Napoleon was concerned about these protests, which also included some leading personalities in France.

Therefore, in 1806, after the campaign of Prussia, and shortly after the victory at Jena, he made a speech in the city of Posen on 29 November, 1806, where he gave the results of the deliberations of the Sanhedrin, which pleased him very much.

The Sanhedrin was convened again on 31 January, 1807 for two months, in order to fine-tune the law that would make the Jewish religion equal. The special decree of 1806 liberated the Jews from their isolation. Judaism became the official third religion of France and the method Napoleon implemented to have Rabbis serve the nation is still in effect today and is the basis of the government's relation to the Jewish population.

The uncle of Napoleon, Cardinal Fesch, also got involved. He told Napoleon, "Sire, so you wish the end of the world to come with your actions to give the Jews equality as Catholics."

Even Marshal Kellermann supported by Molé mobilized opposition to Napoleon's laws about the Jews and recommended strongly that the Jews be prohibited from dealing in commerce. The Emperor replied formally and strongly: "We must prevail in encouraging the Jews who are only a very small minority amongst us. In the departments of the East, we find a great number of Jews that are very honest and industrious."

Because of the tremendous amount of criticism that Napoleon was receiving from such famous personalities as Chateaubriand, Cardinal Fesch, Marshal Kellermann, Tsar Alexander and numerous others, Napoleon felt obligated to introduce a "Restrictive Decree".

Restrictive Decree

On 17 March, 1808, this decree limited the freedom given to the Jews. His plan was to reduce criticism to a manageable level and then gradually, over time, remove the restrictions one-by-one.

On 11 April, 1808, Napoleon received into a special audience, Mr. Furtado and Maurice Levy of Nancy, who wanted to express the emotions of their co-religionists about the restrictive decree. After hearing them out, he immediately ordered 13 departments, including those of Le Midi, The Southwest and Les Vosges to eliminate the decree. In June of that same month, Livourne and the lower Pyrenees were also ordered to remove the "Restrictive Decree."

Therefore, within three months of this restrictive decree, more than half of the departments involved were able to reinstate the liberty extended to their Jewish citizens. The last hold-out was Alsace. This province eventually removed the restrictions. Therefore, in 1811, all restrictions were removed and nothing from a political or civil activity distinguished the Jews from non-Jews in France.

Here is a true anecdote that proves how Napoleon was sympathetic to his Grognards. A young member of the Army served with exceptional bravery. He was from Alsace. The Emperor decided to decorate him with a medal in front of his troops. The Emperor said: "David Bloom, you are a brave soldier. Your place with the Old Guard is inevitable." Then he took off his own silver medal, which he wore proudly, and pinned it on David Bloom's uniform.

David Bloom responded by saying: "Sire, I am from Alsace and I find it difficult to accept this decoration as long as my family is being dishonored by French laws that limit their equality and freedom." Napoleon was visibly upset and was reported to have said: "They have lied to me again, and I will correct these unfair restrictions immediately."

Due to the close collaboration between the administration officials and the local Rabbis and leaders, the Jews were able to leave the ghettos where they were confined and to participate freely in the life of France.

Jews were able to enroll in the universities, participate in whatever professions they wanted and were able to work for various government agencies. Nothing was prohibited any more.

The Imperial Almanac of 1811 reported that the Jewish religion was now one of three religions accepted by the French government. The efforts of Napoleon to liberate the Jews was effective, not only in France, but in all the other countries where France ruled. The new Civil Code, which Napoleon created, assured liberty, fraternity, and equality of all peoples regardless of their religion or station in life.

In 1811, thanks to Napoleon's efforts, Portugal allowed Jews complete freedom and permitted them to open their synagogues that were closed for over 200 years.

After Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo, the Holy Alliance was created at the Congress of Vienna. At that time the laws permitting equality, liberty and fraternity were retracted and were not applied again until 1830 when the principles fixed by the French Revolution and the First Empire, were re-instated.

Prussia retracted the liberal laws in 1815 after the Battle of Waterloo. Some other European nations assimilated the Jews between 1824 and 1867, notably, Holland in 1830, Sweden in 1834 and Switzerland in 1838. It is remarkable that in England, it was only in 1858, after Lord Lionel Rothchild was elected five times, was he permitted to take his seat in parliament. It is also interesting to know that the laws that were passed in France in 1808 are still in existence even to this day.

More Napoleon and the Jews

About the Author:

Ben Weider is the President of the International Napoleonic Society, and a member of the executive Council of the Napoleonic Society of France. The recipient of numerous awards and honors, he is also an accomplished author. Two of his books, The Murder of Napoleon and La Sagesse de Napoléon (The Wisdom of Napoleon) sold more than 500,000 copies in Russia.

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