The origins of the Jewish Istanbulite Camondo family probably start in 1492 Spain, from where they were expelled like all Jewish and Muslim citizens. After that their traces reappear in the ghettos of Venice and in Constantinople, Ortakoy, in 1758.
View from the top floor in the newly restored Camondo house near Galata, in Beyoglu. Photo taken by Eero Korhonen
They seemed to encounter some clashes with the Ottoman authorities and, of Austro-Hungarian nationality, fled to Cyprus only to return to Istanbul in the early 1780s. The Camondo was a family of bankers (lenders originally, “saraf”). Their institution, called after its founder Isaac Camondo & Co., started by means of lending and then diversified to control a network of retail in Galata and in Uskudar as well as a brick factory and olive oil production unit in Çorlu.
They were the bankers of the liberal Sultan Abdulaziz and later of Abdulhamit II and were allowed a very exceptional situation for foreigners: to own property. The Camondos were very active donors in the Crimean War (1853 – 1856) and philanthropists and they tried to modify the Israeli public instruction to allow Turkish and French, the languages of the official institutions and of trade, to be taught in schools (which no doubt lead to great discontent in the Jewish traditional institutions).
Camondo family Mansion on the Golden Horn, Istanbul. Photo from Turkey Travel Planner
By the end of the XIXth Century their wealth in France, (where they moved to in the mislead hopes of finding a more welcoming and evolved society) and in other countries span companies such as Paribas, Portland Cements, the Imperial Ottoman Bank, The Refineries of Egypt, The Constantinople Water Company, The Portuguese Railways, and Franco-Canadian Credit, among many others.
After seeking and finding prosperity and wealth in Western Europe, the Camondo family, like many of Ottoman Jewish ascent, disappeared. Sadly, the French Government, blinded by its anti-Semitism, failed to welcome them into society in spite of the magnificent donation of the Nissim de Camondo house and collection in Paris and in spite of the death of war pilot Nissim in Lorraine in 1917.
Nissim and sister Beatrice in 1916. Image courtesy of the Musée de Camondo, Paris
Tags: Abdulhamit II, Camondo, Constantinople, Crimean War, Galata, Golden Horn, Istanbul, Jewish Istanbul, Nissim de Camondo, Ortakoy, Ottoman, Sultan Abdulaziz, Uskudar
March 27, 2008 at 5:06 am
I am researching the lives of Beatrice de Camondo, her husband, Leon Reinach, and their children, Fanny and Bertrand. Do you know of any letters or diaries kept by them at Drancy or during the months leading up to their deportation? Where can I access photos of them?
My book (A Name, a Face, a Life) is inspired by Serge Klarsfeld’s Memorial to the French Children of the Shoah, in which one contributor providing a photo noted, “A face is more than a name.” I want to reveal the life behind the face and the name.
The book seeks to reveal the enormity of the Shoah by following the lives of randomly selected victims from France, including Helene Berr and Charlotte Salomon.
I am also interested in the Transport XX project in Belgium in which 1200 photos of the 1600 people deported on that train were displayed by the railroad tracks during 2007. Some of these people had lived in France, too.
I read and speak French “assez bien”.
Alfred Nicolosi
Salem, NJ 08079
USA
Phone: 609-217-4867
June 24, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Dear Alfred:
I was just in Paris and visited the Musee de Camondo (an extraordinarily beautiful house furnished with great elegance and taste.)
But a propos your request for information regarding the last of the Camondos, I suggest you contact the Museum directly. They had photographs of both Beatrice and her children. Beatrice was a champion rider (perhaps another clue?)and there were photographs of her riding. Best of all there was a film playing (at least 10 minutes long) showing the family all together doing various activities.
Good luck with your project.
I defy anyone visiting the house not to shed some tears when arriving finally on the top floor.
Regards. Gloria
October 14, 2008 at 11:46 pm
My wife and I were at said house just last week and were very moved. It was a tragic end to quite an interesting family. On one family tree I noted that a last remaining relative had lived into the 60s.