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same manner as Friedrich, <strong>the</strong> Duke of Brunswick, member of<br />
<strong>the</strong> llluminati 189 was one of <strong>the</strong> main sponsors of <strong>the</strong> Vienna<br />
Asiatic Brethren Lodge until his death in 1792. 190<br />
The Rothschilds utilized <strong>the</strong> services of Sigmund<br />
Geisenheimer, <strong>the</strong>ir head clerk, 191 who in turn was aided by<br />
Itzig of Berlin, <strong>the</strong> llluminati of <strong>the</strong> Toleranz Lodge 192 and <strong>the</strong><br />
Parisian Grand Orient Lodge. 193 Geisenheimer was a member<br />
of <strong>the</strong> Mayence Masonic llluminati Lodge, 194 and was <strong>the</strong><br />
founder of <strong>the</strong> Frankfurt Judenloge 195 for which attempt he<br />
was excommunicated by <strong>the</strong> Chief Rabbi of Frankfurt, Tzvi<br />
Hirsch Horowitz. 196 At a later date <strong>the</strong> Rothschilds joined <strong>the</strong><br />
Lodge. Solomon Mayer (or Meir) Rothschild (1774-1855) was<br />
a member for a short while before moving <strong>to</strong> Vienna. 197<br />
While <strong>the</strong> Frankists established <strong>the</strong>mselves in 1786 in <strong>the</strong><br />
Frankfurt suburb of Offenbach, and were patronized by<br />
unidentified philanthropists 198 of <strong>the</strong> Frankfurt community, <strong>the</strong><br />
author is at a loss <strong>to</strong> find any documents relating <strong>the</strong><br />
Rothschilds with <strong>the</strong> Frankists. At <strong>the</strong> time of Jacob Frank's<br />
death in 1791, Amschel Mayer Rothschild, <strong>the</strong> oldest of <strong>the</strong><br />
five Rothschild children, was eighteen and James, <strong>the</strong><br />
youngest, had not as yet been born.<br />
During <strong>the</strong> Frankfurt Lodge's formative years, <strong>the</strong> three<br />
most active members of <strong>the</strong> Frankfurt Judenloge, were<br />
Geisenheimer, Michael Hess (1782-1860) and Justus Hiller. 199<br />
Michael Hess was hired by Mayer Amschel Rothschild<br />
(1744-1812) as a tu<strong>to</strong>r for his children. 200 Hess also tried <strong>to</strong><br />
close a Jewish religious school in 1816.<br />
Sigmund Geisenheimer "distinguished" himself as a founder<br />
of Philanthropin, <strong>the</strong> first school of Reform Judaism. The<br />
Frankfurt Judenloge was <strong>the</strong> headquarters of leaders of <strong>the</strong><br />
early Reform movement, including Michael Hess himself,<br />
Michael Creizenbach, <strong>the</strong> his<strong>to</strong>rian Marcus Jost, and Jacob<br />
Auerbach, who aided Lillienthal in his aborted campaign<br />
against Russian Jewry.<br />
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