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With holograph notes by Joseph Süß Oppenheimer on both sides and his signature on the verso. Stamped and signed by De Pretlack on the recto. One leaf (ca. 205 × 88 mm). Autograph notes and signature of the Jud Süß, one of the most iconic figures in the history of anti-Semitism (Mintzker, 2017). This rare promissory note, dated October 27, 1733, records an agreement for a loan of sixty Louis d or, to be repaid on January 20, 1734. The document is signed by Joseph Süß Oppenheimer and most likely Johann Rudolf Victor Freiherr von Pretlack (1668 1737), a Hessian noble and military figure. Oppenheimer s handwritten annotations detail the repayment location in Frankfurt and mention Löb Stengler[?], presumably regarding the loan s settlement. Joseph Süß Oppenheimer (ca. 1698 1738), born in Heidelberg to a Jewish merchant and tax collector, rose to prominence as one of the most influential Hoffaktoren (Court Jews) in German history. Oppenheimer worked for major Jewish commercial houses across Europe, gaining experience in finance, trade, and state administration. By 1732, he had become the trusted agent of Karl Alexander, then governor of Serbia and later Duke of Württemberg. As Court Jew, Oppenheimer played a key role in restructuring the finances of the Württemberg duchy, introducing new taxes, monopolies, and minting policies to stabilize its economy and fund its army. His financial expertise and rapid accumulation of power, however, fostered resentment among the nobility and general public, particularly due to his Jewish heritage and his allocation of lucrative contracts to fellow Jews. After Duke Karl Alexander s sudden death in 1737, Oppenheimer was arrested and subjected to a politically motivated trial. Accused of bribery, treason, and other charges, he was convicted and hanged in Stuttgart on February 4, 1738. His execution, now recognized as judicial murder, became a symbol of 18th-century antisemitism. His body was displayed in a cage for six years as a public warning. Oppenheimer s life story has been revisited and fictionalized, most notably by Wilhelm Hauff in 1826 and Lion Feuchtwanger in his 1925 novel Jud Süß. However, his legacy has been tainted by the 1940 Nazi propaganda film Jud Süß, which perpetuated antisemitic stereotypes. This promissory note predates Oppenheimer s service to Karl Alexander, offering a rare glimpse into his early financial dealings. Most of Oppenheimer s surviving papers, confiscated during his trial, relate to his official duties and are held at the Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg (Hauptstaatsarchiv Stuttgart, A 48). Other handwritten notes are found in the archive of his attorney, Michael Andreas Mögling, at the Universitätsbibliothek Tübingen. Autographs by Oppenheimer are extremely rare, with no records in institutional holdings, auction results, or other market sources. Bibl.: Deutsch, G., Kroner, Th.: Joseph Süss Oppenheimer. In: Jewish Encyclopedia (JE). Mann, V. B.: Images of Jud Süss Oppenheimer, an Early Modern Jew. In: Merback, M.: Beyond the Yellow Badge. Anti-Judaism and Antisemitism in Medieval and Early Modern Visual Culture. Leiden: Brill, 2008 pp. 257 274. Mintzker, Y.: The Many Deaths of Jew Süss. The Notorious Trial and Execution of an Eighteenth-Century Court Jew. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2017. . With holograph notes by Joseph Süß Oppenheimer on both sides and his signature on the verso. Stamped and signed by De Pretlack on the recto. Seller Inventory # 1705
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