Author Description

Analyzes economic and sociological aspects of cattle-dealing in Switzerland. Many of the cattle dealers were Jews. Pp. 101-124 give details regarding restrictions on the activities and rights of residence of Jewish dealers in the various cantons. In some areas they were required to leave by nightfall; the canton of Zürich excluded them altogether. In most of the cantons these restrictions were lifted when Jews were granted emancipation in the mid-19th century. In 1862 the cantonal government of the Aargau fell because it had adopted emancipation; in a subsequent referendum, emancipation was defeated by an overwhelming majority. Pp. 125-148 analyze literary works, administrative reports, and political tracts showing stereotypes of Jewish cattle dealers, and Jews in general, as avaricious and dishonest.