Johannes Frutiger

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Johannes Frutiger (1836–1899)

Johannes Frutiger (born June 22, 1836 in Basel ; † May 21, 1899 ibid) was a Swiss merchant and banker in Jerusalem .

One of the most important personalities who worked in Jerusalem in the second half of the 19th century was the "German Jewish proselyte Jakob Frutiger". This is how the Protestant Swiss banker Johannes Frutiger is described in Jewish sources about personalities in Palestine in the 19th century. This shows that Frutiger was held in high esteem in Jewish society, so that they saw him as one of their own.

Frutiger, son of Johann Abraham Frutiger, got a job in the bookstore and in the publishing house in Fälkli in Basel, which belonged to Christian Friedrich Spittler . In 1858 he came to the Holy Land to work as a merchant in the service of the Basel pilgrim mission . In 1873, CF Spittler's trading business in Jerusalem was dissolved and Frutiger took over the banking house, which in future will be known as J. Frutiger & Cie. traded. In 1867, Frutiger married Marie Louise Martin in Göppingen . He became the most important banker in Palestine and initiated a. a. the construction of the country's first railway line from Jaffa to Jerusalem, inaugurated in 1892 , which he also financed. He also supported numerous Christian and Jewish charitable works. In particular, he participated in the construction of affordable housing for Jewish immigrants. In addition, Frutiger was involved in many German mission institutions, e.g. B. the Jerusalem Association , the Herrnhutern , the Johanniter Hospice and the Syrian Orphanage . For health reasons, he and his family returned to Basel in 1894. He died on May 21, 1899 in Basel.

literature

  • Alex Carmel : The banker Johannes F. and his contemporaries , In: Pietismus und Neuzeit 11, 1985, pp. 139–158.
  • Hans Hermann Frutiger / Jakob Eisler: Johannes Frutiger. A Swiss banker in Jerusalem 1836–1899 , Böhlau, Cologne 2008.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Alex Carmel : The banker Johannes F. and his contemporaries, In: Pietismus und Neuzeit 11, 1985, p. 139.
personal data
SURNAME Frutiger, Johannes
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swiss merchant and banker in Jerusalem
DATE OF BIRTH June 22, 1836
PLACE OF BIRTH Basel
DATE OF DEATH May 21, 1899
Place of death Basel