MODEL, MARX:
Court Jew to Margrave William Frederick of Brandenburg-Ansbach (1703-1723) From 1691 Model and his family were exempt from the payment of duties on the goods which they imported, and in the same year were given the privilege of printing the Talmud. The margrave protected him by several decrees, and ordered the authorities to take the necessary measures to collect debts due to him "so that Model may surely be able to help us."
Model sometimes used his influence in favor of his coreligionists, but he was very domineering, especially as an elder of the community of Fürth. He threatened them with imprisonment and heavy fines if they should refuse to carry out his orders.
Like all court Jews, Model had to suffer much from the hatred and jealousy of his rivals. Elhanan Fränkel (see Hanau, Ẓebi Hirsch) was one of his most dangerous and embittered enemies. Fränkel tried several times, especially in 1711, to turn the margrave against Model and to have the latter imprisoned on the charge of dishonesty; but the court Jew and his family kept their place at court, while Fränkel became involved in a serious charge and was ruined.
About 1716 Model was denounced for having participated in defrauding the public revenues. Although he was not convicted, his reputation became so much damaged by the long investigation that he and some of the family retired from court, and others emigrated into the county of Pfalz-Neuburg.
- Haenle, Gesch. der Juden im Ehemaligen Fürstentum Ansbach, passim.
