Salomon Heine was born on October 19, 1767 in Hanover. But Heinrich Heine's uncle later became one of the most important men in Hamburg's history. After the fire in 1842 he financed the reconstruction.
by Daniel Kaiser
After the "Great Fire" of 1842, Salomon Heine secured the future of Hamburg. At that time, Heine was the richest man in the Hanseatic city - a great donor and patron. He also financed his nephew, the poet Heinrich Heine.
The "Rothschild of Hamburg":From dishwasher to millionaire
His fellow citizens also called Salomon Heine the "Rothschild of Hamburg". He was so incredibly rich. As a young man he came from Hanover in 1784, still completely penniless. "That was also part of his life story, which he liked to tell. From dishwasher to millionaire - every dinner guest had to listen to him later. But he preferred not to tell that he had a solid family background of successful business people," said Susanne Wiborg on the occasion of the 250th birthday of the benefactor in 2017. Wiborg did research on Salomon Heine and wrote a book about him in the "Hamburg Heads" series. In it she describes, among other things, Heine's unprecedented rise. During the French era, when Napoleon tried to isolate England with the Continental System, he made his fortune.
"Nothing is lost as long as we still have the Elbe"
Heine became a benefactor and founder. He also had the Jewish Hospital built in St. Pauli, the first building of which has housed the local office since 2000. According to Wiborg, Heine gave with full hands:"Never in the history of Hamburg - neither before nor afterwards - has a single man done more for this city."
Salomon Heine's hour of glory came after the fire in 1842. Half the city lay in rubble and ashes. The Senate went into panic mode. Chaos also on the stock exchange. The merchants were just about to ask for a moratorium on payment. That would have been the business death sentence. "And then Salomon Heine - short, fat and 75 years old - climbed into a bank and said very loudly that his house, which was the largest bank in Hamburg, offered money at the same conditions. At that moment, the crisis was over . And then he called:'What's lost? Has the Elbe burned down? Nothing is lost as long as we still have the Elbe'", said Wiborg.
Heine gives interest-free loans for Hamburg's reconstruction
Heine pumped half a million into the city coffers. Without security and interest-free, for reconstruction. Susanne Wiborg is certain that Hamburg survived this crisis thanks to Salomon Heine.
And how did the people of Hamburg thank him? As a Jew, Heine was not even allowed to buy a house in the city. There was no talk of civil rights - let alone an honorary citizenship. The great recognition only came after his death, says Wiborg:"Then everyone on every street, when the coffin was carried to Ottensen, thousands of Jews and Christians joined the procession and took it on foot to the cemetery - a demonstration , which has never existed before in the history of Hamburg."
Heinrich Heine:Let the old man pay!
Even the great poet Heinrich Heine would probably have perished without his rich uncle. Salomon financed Heinrich and kept giving him new jobs, says Susanne Wiborg:"He even set up a cloth shop for him in a prime city location. Heinrich just didn't feel like it at all. He saw himself as a European poet and not as a Hamburg grocer. When he went bankrupt because he only ate cakes at Jungfernstieg, Salomon didn't throw him out, but financed his law studies for him. Which Heinrich took for granted. He always said:'I'm the great poet, the old man should pay!' "
Book tips on the life and work of Salomon Heine
"Hamburg heads:Salomon Heine"
by Susanne and Jan Peter Wiborg
Published by the ZEIT-Foundation Ebelin and Gerd Bucerius
Ellert &Richter Verlag
184 pages
€14.90
ISBN:978- 3-8319-0466-2
"Salomon Heine in Hamburg:Business and public spirit"
by Beate Borowka-Clausberg (editor)
Wallstein Verlag
254 pages
€19.90
ISBN:978-3-8353-1199-2
"Salomon Heine. Banker, patron and philanthropist"
by Sylvia Steckmest
CEP Europäische Verlagsanstalt / Die Hanse
343 pages
€28.00
ISBN:978-3-86393-077-6