The Rothschilds - part 1

The younger brother, The heavy burden - The story of Martin Rothschild

Matthias Martin Rothschild was born in 1876 in the city of Bad Cannstatt, Germany, to a warm, educated Jewish family from the upper middle class. He was an outstanding student, loved to learn, and thirsted for knowledge- leading him to study law in Munich, Berlin, Leipzig, and Tübingen. At a young age, he passed the rigorous exams that qualified him as a lawyer.

For over 30 years, he ran a successful civil law practice in Bad Cannstatt. He wasn’t known for grand speeches, but he earned a reputation as a diligent, honest, and thorough attorney. Members of the Jewish community respected him not only for his professional skills, but also as a man of integrity, humility, and values.

His nephew, Walter Marx, described him as “a man who does not believe in God- but lives like a righteous Jew.”

`Babette Marx is the third from right with the black dress, next to her in the middle of the picture also in black is Martin Rothschild and behind him is Bernard Guttman, his brother-in-law and business partner.`

Martin served as secretary of the left-liberal Progressive People's Party and was also a member of the Black-Red-Gold League, which was dedicated to defending the Weimar Republic against extremists from both the right and the left.

Martin was never afraid to express his views- even when they were unpopular within the Jewish community at the time. He never married, but after his sister Babette Marx was widowed and left to manage the family business alone with four children- Greta (age 3), Alfred (5), Julius (9), and Leopold (15)- Martin Rothschild not only provided business advice, but also became a father figure to them.

His nephew, Alfred Marx, once shared a humorous family song that highlighted Rothschild’s reputation.

“In that species lives a gentleman/
Quite tough indeed / And he’s a lawyer/
His feelings are rather cold. / The name of the skinny fellow is Uncle Marty/ With a little black beard.”

Martin and his eldest nephew, Leopold, shared a special bond. After his father, Martin was the most admired male figure in Leopold’s life.

A letter Leopold received from his uncle on the occasion of his Bar Mitzvah left and continues to leave -the deepest impression on him. Leopold said that this letter turned that day into a major turning point in his life. The letter shows that Martin didn’t shy away from the effort of offering Leopold meaningful, setting thoughts about this crossroads in life.

In this way, Martin Rothschild demonstrated that it is possible to avoid social lies and conventions you don’t truly stand behind, without harming others. He lived by the belief that the honest path is both possible - and the right one.

The letter from Martin to Leopold - 1902

Martin was also a passionate bibliophile and avid collector - his home was filled with rare 18th- and 19th-century manuscripts, stamp albums, and impressive paintings.

When the Nazis came to power, Martin’s life began to change gradually. At first, he was banned from representing clients in court and was only allowed to act as a “consultant.” Later, even that was prohibited. By the end of 1938, all of his professional licenses were revoked. His property was confiscated, his personal collections were seized, and his apartment was sold under duress.

Jewish lawyer Erich Dessauer, Martin’s partner and close friend. The two had worked together for many years in the most prominent and respected law firm in Bad Cannstatt, which handled a quarter to a third of the cases submitted to the Stuttgart regional court - stayed by his side.

In 1941, the Gestapo evicted all Jewish families from their homes. Martin, like many others, was forced into compulsory housing. In January 1942, he wrote:

“Dessauer found me a small attic room in a relative’s house, where I will be moving. This arrangement, of course, is far from ideal. I’m now using every spare minute to prepare for liquidating the household. I have to throw away cherished items that remind me of days gone by — pictures, letters... but there is no other way.”

Life became stifling. The apartment was cramped, packed with various tenants - elderly people, children, and the sick. Despite everything, Martin tried to maintain some form of routine, even attempting to assist with legal matters, such as handling the forced sale of property belonging to deported Jews.

Failed Rescue Attempts
Martin Rothschild and his family remained deeply rooted in German soil. After helping — and paying substantial sums — to rescue other family members from the Nazis, they themselves did not initially consider emigrating, hoping the situation was only temporary. By the time they applied for a U.S. visa, it was too late. Even an immigration visa to Cuba, which had been approved, failed to save them in time. The political climate had shut every window of escape.
In January 1942, he wrote to his nephew Walter in the U.S.:

“The chance of seeing my loved ones again? Close to zero. From here, I myself will no longer attempt to cross the sea. I fear it will be too late. I’m attaching my passport photo — there’s no more use for it...”

The deportation to Theresienstadt
On August 13, 1942, Martin, his sister Babette, and their brother Max were transferred to a forced elderly care home in an abandoned castle. On August 22, they were deported to the Theresienstadt ghetto.
At 65 years old, Martin managed to send coded postcards to his relatives. In one of them, he wrote:

“Now we’re waiting... we have a café that’s about to open” — a veiled phrase hinting at the deception behind the “senior home” and ghetto facade. He also subtly indicated that they had received news in the ghetto about the fall of Stalingrad - a rare and extraordinary detail, as it was one of the bloodiest and most pivotal battles of WWII.

Amid hunger, cold, disease, and forced labor, Martin, who had taken on great responsibility for caring for his family- tried to project strength. But his body could not endure it. Martin Rothschild died of hunger and exhaustion in Theresienstadt after around 10 months, on July 8, 1943, at the age of 66.
His brother Max Rothschild, already over 70, died just two weeks after arriving at the extermination camp. His sister, Babette Marx, survived him by barely over a month.

Babette Marx in rare documentation of her last days

Martin may not have been a dramatic hero or resistance fighter. He was a principled, humble, and compassionate man who viewed law and justice as his mission. A man who dedicated his life to family, community, and the inner moral compass that guided him.
Points to Reflect On

Is this a shared tragic fate - even today that many true “Justice fighters” are those who end their lives in tragedy?
It’s easy to fall into resentment and vengeance - but what strength of character and purity of heart it takes to remain principled and moral in the face of such cruelty and injustice.
Martin played an important role in the lives of his brother, sister, and her children — but what about the rest of the Rothschild family?

We'll talk about them next week.

Shabbat Shalom

Uncle Martin

Failed Rescue Attempts

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