CHAPTER IX
Severe restrictions on Jews--The Jews as traders--Their vigorous methods--They exploit the peasants of the countryside as wine-shopkeepers and moneylenders--The Jews as tenants of estates sublet at rack rents--The original proprietor cannot see that he has any share of responsibility for the grinding down of the peasants--An anti-Jewish riot in the Lipscani--A family of Paris Jews make a large fortune in a fashionable shop in a few years--A Jewish wedding which is a double one.
Jews are not considered citizens even when natives of the country and doing military service. They cannot be officers in the army, nor are they allowed to rise even to the rank of corporal. No Jew can take a bursary at a university. In Roumanian primary schools (which are free to Roumanian children) Jews must pay, and indeed are only received when there happens to be room for them.
Jews are not allowed to practise law or to hold any Government office without being specially admitted to citizenship, a privilege very difficult to obtain; and they cannot become teachers in State schools except for foreign languages. They are not allowed to buy any property in cities or towns.
In many towns Jews have schools of their own, as well as a hospital and a bathing establishment. There were, roughly speaking, nearly one million Jews in Roumania, where members of the race have been settled for the last three hundred years. They came principally from Russia and Galicia. In olden times, when the country was still under Turkish rule, a Jewish king was once appointed, who, however, only reigned over the country for the space of three days.
Jews form an important section of the population, as most of the retail trade is carried on by them.
The young men of the upper classes in Roumania must all have professions. They study medicine, engineering, law, or go into the army, but soil their hands with trade they will not. That is why all the trade of Roumania is in the hands of the Jews. They are shopkeepers or moneylenders, but it will be noticed that no Jew or Jewess ever undertakes menial service.
In the Strada Lipscani and the neighbouring streets almost all the shopkeepers are Jews, and when business is slack they are always to be found at their shop doors pressing the passers-by to enter and inspect the goods.
Woe to any unsophisticated peasant who ventures to go alone to that neighbourhood to buy some article of clothing; he risks being torn in pieces. I witnessed an occurrence one day which highly amused me. A man of the poorer class was sauntering along looking at the different suits of clothes exposed to view, evidently with the intention of buying one. Suddenly he was seized upon by two opposing shopkeepers, each of whom began at once to drag the poor man in the direction of his particular shop, at the same time extolling his wares in a loud voice. At first the man laughed, taking it as a joke, but he was soon convinced that his captors meant serious business. He was pulled to one shop, then to the other, again and again, until I began to expect every moment that the sleeves would be torn out of his coat. However, in the end the stronger of the two shopkeepers gained the victory, and landed his prize safely in his shop. Very probably he did not let him out again till he had spent most, if not all, of the money he had in his pocket.
Jews are not liked in Roumania, although the Roumanians are ready enough to resort to them when they are in money difficulties. They demand an exorbitant interest on any money lent, the rate not being regulated in Roumania as it is, for instance, in France; and this circumstance probably helps to intensify the feeling of dislike that many have for the Jews.
The Jew has it all his own way in the country districts, and is hated accordingly. He runs the cabaret or wine-shop, but is quite willing to lend money at the same time. When the peasant has had bad crops, or been too lazy to work, he has recourse to the Jew, to whom he must give good security for the money he borrows. The result is in most cases that one head of his stock after another falls into the clutches of the moneylender, their owner finding it impossible to redeem them, and he may count himself lucky if he gets out of the Jew’s hands still having a roof over his head. The Roumanians are an improvident race, and the fault lies on their side as much as on that of the Jews, although they will never confess it. All their railings are against the exorbitant interest demanded from them. It is not to be denied that the Jew oppresses them when he gets the chance; but then why give him the chance?
Those people too of the better class who possess some land but do not wish to trouble about the working of it, generally let it to a Jew, as he offers a better price than anyone else. He in his turn sublets it, and naturally demands the highest price he can get. Then the Roumanian laments about how the poor peasantry are ground down by the Jews; but, as I remarked once to a gentleman, “Why then let your land out to a Jew?” “Well, you see, he pays a better price,” was the naïve reply. So it seemed to me there was no difference whatever between the two. The Roumanian was not unwilling to profit by the Jew, who in his turn got it out of the people under him.
On the whole, Jews are fairly well treated in Roumania. Sometimes the always-present underlying irritation against them finds vent in a sudden raid on their shops by an angry mob.
Such a raid occurred some years ago, and I was an eye-witness of many of the incidents. Most damage was caused in the Lipscani, where the shop windows were smashed and the goods strewn about the street. But, in spite of all this damage, I did not hear of any authenticated case in which a Jew suffered bodily harm. Of course they had to lie low for a time, but little by little they ventured to reopen their shops and have them repaired, and all went on as before.
The Roumanian authorities received all claims for damages, and reimbursed the claimants; but a few of the better-class firms refused to put in any claim--they were magnanimous enough to bear the loss. Probably they thought to themselves that they could put on an extra franc or two on all goods in the future and so indemnify themselves. The Jew is wily enough to take care of his own interests.
A Jew once came from Paris to help in a shop kept by Jews. After some time he sent for his brother, who also entered the business, which presently succeeded so well that the establishment was enlarged. A brother-in-law and his wife then arrived, till finally the whole family installed themselves in the Lipscani, and took over the business themselves from the original proprietors. All articles of clothing, of the toilet, everything, in fact, was brought from Paris, which was, of course, a great attraction for the Roumanians. The shop finally became the most fashionable establishment in Bucarest, and succeeded so well that the whole family at length returned to Paris, having amassed a considerable fortune. The shop passed into the hands of a Swiss company, whether Jews or not I cannot say, but the business lost to some extent its high-class character.
There are two Jewish synagogues in Bucarest, the one more recently built being a very fine building indeed. I went there once to a Jewish wedding, and found it most interesting. On such an occasion there always stands at the entrance to the synagogue a group of gentlemen, one of whom at once offers his arm and leads you to a seat. The time before the arrival of the bride is well employed in admiring the costumes of the ladies, which show that no expense has been spared, and also noting the preparations for the ceremony, which seem strange to our unaccustomed eyes.
At the upper end of the synagogue is a raised platform with a canopy over it. On the platform is a table on which there is a carafe of wine and one small goblet, and near the table sits the expectant bridegroom, with his hat on, awaiting the bride. The bridesmaids and near relatives have seats also quite near the platform. At length, when everyone’s eyes are anxiously turned towards the door to catch the first glimpse of the bride, a distant sound of singing is heard. The sound draws nearer, and then one sees that it is the Rabbi, who comes slowly up the synagogue chanting and looking curiously at the people present, who are assuredly not all Jews. The Rabbi on this particular occasion squints, the effect being most comical as he casts his eyes now to the right and now to the left. A few minutes later the bride arrives and comes slowly up the aisle, all in bridal white, unaccompanied, save by her mother, who follows some paces behind.
The bride and groom now take their stand under the canopy, and the service begins. There is a good deal of chanting, and finally the moment arrives when the wine is offered. The bridegroom drinks first, and then presents the goblet to the bride. The goblet is then smashed, as it must not be used again under any circumstances. At the end of the service congratulations are offered, and the wedding-party proceeds to the house of the bride in order to partake of the wedding-feast.
The marriage at which I was present was a double one, two sisters being married at the same time. The younger of the two was pretty, and had been engaged for some months (a rare occurrence, as Jewish engagements are of short duration), but the parents would not hear of the wedding taking place till a husband could be found for the elder girl. The younger to marry first was a thing not to be thought of. Finally, a suitable _parti_ was found, and the two sisters were married on the same day.