Joseph Abraham Steblicki
Encyclopedia
Joseph Abraham Steblicki (c. 1726 – May 16, 1807) was a teacher and treasurer who became notable for converting to Judaism.
Steblicki was born in Nikolai, Upper Silesia
which was at the time part of Germany
in about 1726. He was the son of a butcher, and was raised a Catholic
. He received a good education in Jesuit colleges, and became teacher and later city treasurer in his native town, and finally a member of the city council. Retiring from active life in 1780, he occupied himself with religious studies, and then began his conversion to Judaism
. He began to observe the Sabbath and the dietary laws; then he circumcised himself; and on the Day of Atonement
in 1785 he attended services in the Jewish synagogue dressed in a white attire, like other worshipers.
When the authorities were informed of Steblicki's conversion, proceedings against him were immediately instituted which, according to the law of Leopold I
, of 1709, then still in force, should have led to a sentence of death. But the king, Frederick II
, ordered the proceedings to be suspended (Dec. 12), and left to the revenue authorities the questions as to whether Steblicki, as a Jew without right of residence ("unvergleiteter Jude"), should be tolerated, and whether he should be required to pay the special Jewish taxes. On July 28, 1786, the authorities decided that he should not be charged, on the ground that he must be mentally unbalanced.
Steblicki lived more than twenty years after his conversion in harmony with his wife and his son, and was highly respected by the small Jewish community of Nikolai. He died there on May 16, 1807. His life was made the subject of legendary exaggerations in David Samosez's Ger Zedek (Breslau, 1816) and in M. A. Hertzberg's Der Neuc Jude (Gleiwitz, 1845).
Steblicki was born in Nikolai, Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
which was at the time part of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in about 1726. He was the son of a butcher, and was raised a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
. He received a good education in Jesuit colleges, and became teacher and later city treasurer in his native town, and finally a member of the city council. Retiring from active life in 1780, he occupied himself with religious studies, and then began his conversion to Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
. He began to observe the Sabbath and the dietary laws; then he circumcised himself; and on the Day of Atonement
Day of Atonement
Day of Atonement may refer to:*Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement* Day of Atonement , a national day established in 1995 by the Nation of Islam...
in 1785 he attended services in the Jewish synagogue dressed in a white attire, like other worshipers.
When the authorities were informed of Steblicki's conversion, proceedings against him were immediately instituted which, according to the law of Leopold I
Leopold I
Leopold I may refer to:*Leopold I, Margrave of Austria , first Margrave of Austria*Leopold I, Duke of Austria , co-Duke of Austria and Styria with Frederick I...
, of 1709, then still in force, should have led to a sentence of death. But the king, Frederick II
Frederick II of Prussia
Frederick II was a King in Prussia and a King of Prussia from the Hohenzollern dynasty. In his role as a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire, he was also Elector of Brandenburg. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...
, ordered the proceedings to be suspended (Dec. 12), and left to the revenue authorities the questions as to whether Steblicki, as a Jew without right of residence ("unvergleiteter Jude"), should be tolerated, and whether he should be required to pay the special Jewish taxes. On July 28, 1786, the authorities decided that he should not be charged, on the ground that he must be mentally unbalanced.
Steblicki lived more than twenty years after his conversion in harmony with his wife and his son, and was highly respected by the small Jewish community of Nikolai. He died there on May 16, 1807. His life was made the subject of legendary exaggerations in David Samosez's Ger Zedek (Breslau, 1816) and in M. A. Hertzberg's Der Neuc Jude (Gleiwitz, 1845).