ABSTRACT
Many of the Court Jews of whom we have spoken — for example, Samuel Oppenheimer, Samson Wertheimer, Leffmann Behrens and Bernd Lehmann — in their capacity as bankers and moneylenders, often participated in political councils, in secret diplomatic missions, in the negotiation of peace treaties and in military conferences. The only Court Jew whose activity in the service of his prince and country far exceeded that of all these men was Joseph Suess Oppenheimer of Heidelberg. On his advice the old ministers were dismissed, the Privy Council was deprived of its former importance and replaced by a so-called “Conference Ministry,” which meant that the Prince was surrounded by a few confidential ministers whom he could consult about very important and secret affairs of state. This “Government by the Cabinet,” which circumvented the constitutional officials, has been described as the most pronounced form of autocratic rule.
