Senat
Item
Country
DE
Name of institution (English)
Hamburg State Archive
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
deu
Contact information: postal address
Kattunbleiche 19, 22041 Hamburg
Contact information: phone number
0049 (0)40 428313200
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
office-staatsarchiv@hamburg.de
Reference number
111-1
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Senate
Title (official language of the state)
Senat
Language of title
deu
Creator / accumulator
Senat
Date(s)
1100/1999
Language(s)
deu
Extent
1274.1 linear metres (116,000 files)
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Good
Scope and content
The Senat fonds is arranged into seven series divided according to geographical/institutional (Deutsches Reich, Dänemark und Holstein, Ämter Ritzebüttel und Bergedorf, Landgebiet) and typological/thematic (Hamburgs Beziehungen zu fremden Staaten, Hamburger Angelegenheiten, Protokolle) criteria. Each series potentially contains data about Jewish inhabitants. That is particularly the case for the inventory about the "Common conditions of Israelites" (Bürgerliche Verhältnisse der Israeliten) and "Excertitium Religionis der Juden" (Religionsausübung der Juden, religious practice of the Jews). The two groups are not clearly separated; for example, "Excertitium Religionis" also contains information about Jewish rights of residence, which are traditionally a matter of "Common conditions". The "Bürgerliche Verhältnisse der Israeliten" contains a few records regarding Sephardim, such as documentation on wills of the family Fonseca in 1744-45 (111-1_94700) or a request in 1748 of the Portuguese Jewish community for regulations on wills and inheritances (111-1_94700).
The "Excertitium Religionis" includes a series of documentation specifically related to the Portuguese Jewish community (Portugiesische Judengemeinde). The following are the contents of this series:
87612, 87613, and 87614: records related to the presence of Portuguese Jews in Hamburg and their relation with local authorities from the 17th and 18th centuries. For instance, it includes the agreements for the settlement of Portuguese Jews in Hamburg in 1612 (87612) and 1617 (87613).
87619: complaint of the Portuguese Jews about the Jew Fonseca, who does not want to contribute to the Jewish school. 1756-1759.
87620 and 87626: disputes between the Portuguese Jews of Hamburg and Altona. 1757, 1772.
87621, 87622, and 87623: records on disputes between some Portuguese Jews (including Salomon Israel Brandon, Jonathan Israel Brandon, and Joseph Luria de Lemos) and the Elders of the Portuguese Jewry. 1757-1783, 1758.
87624: disputes of the Portuguese Jews concerning the election of a precentor. 1767.
87625: original settlement established by the Portuguese Jews to settle the confusion that had arisen among them and to introduce better order for the future, also confirmed by the Senat by a resolution on August 8, 1771.
87627: documents on a dispute opposing Samuel Palatje and Joseph de Fonseca against Moses Labad and others, as elders of the Portuguese Jewish community in Hamburg. 1772.
87628: Oath taken by clerks for keeping registers of births. 1855.
87629 and 87630: requisitions from Glückstadt concerning the local Jewish community and synagogue. 1775, 1782.
87631: enquiry about the correctness of a certificate issued by the elders of the Portuguese Jewish community of Hamburg, stating that Elias Moses del Banco, who had registered in Copenhagen to obtain citizenship, belonged to that community. 1784.
87632: request from the Portuguese Jewish elders to the butchers of New Schrangen not to allow Simon Samuel to slaughter in the Küterhaus, because he had been forbidden to do so by the chief rabbi after he had been guilty of making mistakes contrary to Jewish law. 1790-1791.
87633: agreement of the Portuguese Jewish community concerning the election of tax collectors according to the ascamot, 1788-1789.
Overall, this fonds contains all matters discussed by the senate and council, which included not only regional matters but also smaller quarrels, for example within the Jewish community.
The "Excertitium Religionis" includes a series of documentation specifically related to the Portuguese Jewish community (Portugiesische Judengemeinde). The following are the contents of this series:
87612, 87613, and 87614: records related to the presence of Portuguese Jews in Hamburg and their relation with local authorities from the 17th and 18th centuries. For instance, it includes the agreements for the settlement of Portuguese Jews in Hamburg in 1612 (87612) and 1617 (87613).
87619: complaint of the Portuguese Jews about the Jew Fonseca, who does not want to contribute to the Jewish school. 1756-1759.
87620 and 87626: disputes between the Portuguese Jews of Hamburg and Altona. 1757, 1772.
87621, 87622, and 87623: records on disputes between some Portuguese Jews (including Salomon Israel Brandon, Jonathan Israel Brandon, and Joseph Luria de Lemos) and the Elders of the Portuguese Jewry. 1757-1783, 1758.
87624: disputes of the Portuguese Jews concerning the election of a precentor. 1767.
87625: original settlement established by the Portuguese Jews to settle the confusion that had arisen among them and to introduce better order for the future, also confirmed by the Senat by a resolution on August 8, 1771.
87627: documents on a dispute opposing Samuel Palatje and Joseph de Fonseca against Moses Labad and others, as elders of the Portuguese Jewish community in Hamburg. 1772.
87628: Oath taken by clerks for keeping registers of births. 1855.
87629 and 87630: requisitions from Glückstadt concerning the local Jewish community and synagogue. 1775, 1782.
87631: enquiry about the correctness of a certificate issued by the elders of the Portuguese Jewish community of Hamburg, stating that Elias Moses del Banco, who had registered in Copenhagen to obtain citizenship, belonged to that community. 1784.
87632: request from the Portuguese Jewish elders to the butchers of New Schrangen not to allow Simon Samuel to slaughter in the Küterhaus, because he had been forbidden to do so by the chief rabbi after he had been guilty of making mistakes contrary to Jewish law. 1790-1791.
87633: agreement of the Portuguese Jewish community concerning the election of tax collectors according to the ascamot, 1788-1789.
Overall, this fonds contains all matters discussed by the senate and council, which included not only regional matters but also smaller quarrels, for example within the Jewish community.
Archival history
In the 19th century, the German states started to set up archives systematically. They were used to keep records of the government or the ruling dynasty. Archives such as these were slowly being established all over Germany. Each of the numerous German states that comprised the German Conferedation of 1815 divided its territory into "archivsprengel" (archival districts). These were clearly defined areas that were assigned a specific state archive. Every institution in these areas was legally required to hand over all records of historical interest to the state archive.
The history of the Hamburg State Archive dates back to 1710 when it became an independent administrative institution managed by a member of the Senat. As a matter of fact, for a long time, the archive was directly subordinate to the Senat. Since 2006, it has functioned as an office of the Ministry of Culture and Media.
In 1842, a great fire destroyed a district of Hamburg, and the municipal archives were severely damaged. The Senat fonds was particularly damaged. The surviving documentation was removed to rooms in today's Town Hall. Although this new location soon became too small for the increasing number of materials, it was only in 1972 that the archive was transferred to a new building on ABC-Strasse. Since 1997, the Hamburg State Archive has been located in a building at Kattunbleiche designed by the architect Jan Störmer. At present, the archive contains over 30,000 metres of documents related to the city administration of Hamburg, as well as from major private institutions and individuals in the city.
The history of the Hamburg State Archive dates back to 1710 when it became an independent administrative institution managed by a member of the Senat. As a matter of fact, for a long time, the archive was directly subordinate to the Senat. Since 2006, it has functioned as an office of the Ministry of Culture and Media.
In 1842, a great fire destroyed a district of Hamburg, and the municipal archives were severely damaged. The Senat fonds was particularly damaged. The surviving documentation was removed to rooms in today's Town Hall. Although this new location soon became too small for the increasing number of materials, it was only in 1972 that the archive was transferred to a new building on ABC-Strasse. Since 1997, the Hamburg State Archive has been located in a building at Kattunbleiche designed by the architect Jan Störmer. At present, the archive contains over 30,000 metres of documents related to the city administration of Hamburg, as well as from major private institutions and individuals in the city.
Sources:
Administrative / Biographical history
Hamburg has had a Senat since 1216, which until 1860 had the euphonious name "hochedler und hochweiser Rat". The 50 to 60 councillors elected each other for life and until 1712 came without exception from the merchant class. It was not until this time that lawyers were also admitted to the council. It had been customary for centuries for the Senat to be made up of Hamburg's families. In former times, the term "Geschlechter" was used to describe long-established patrician families who exercised economic and political power and "struck in the same direction".
The Senat did not only invest in regional matters but also in smaller individual cases. Smaller conflicts in particular were brought to the judgment of the council, for instance, internal disputes and complaints of the Jewish community.
The Senat did not only invest in regional matters but also in smaller individual cases. Smaller conflicts in particular were brought to the judgment of the council, for instance, internal disputes and complaints of the Jewish community.
Sources:
Access points: locations
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
Initially, the fonds was divided into Classes (Cl.) and then more deeply into Litterae (Lit.), Numeri (Nr.), Volumina (Vol.), Fascicula (Fasc.), and Involucra (Inv.), resulting in shelfmarks of considerable complexity. Since 2009, this organisation has been reconverted. At present, the fonds is divided into seven series, each divided into various subseries. In each subseries, records are tendentially arranged in chronological order.
Access, restrictions
Partially restricted.
Finding aids
The inventory consists of 90 volumes, the main volumes are about Cl. VII Lit. Lb. Nr. 18 and Cl. VII Lit Hf Nr. 5. The indices of the senate minutes can help to find a mentioned person.
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Carla Vieira, 2022
Bibliography
Linked resources
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