Sephardic Jews in Denmark: A Historical Overview and Genealogical Guide
Early Sephardic Settlement in Denmark (17th Century)
- 1619: King Christian IV licenses Albert Dionis (Samuel Jachia/Alvaro Diniz/Denis/Dionysius) to direct the royal mint in Glückstadt (Lykstad), Schleswig-Holstein
- Thirty “Portuguese” families moved to Glückstadt, but the economy stagnated, and they moved away
- 1640: Sephardic community established in Altona (now part of Hamburg, Germany)
- 1647: Gabriel Gomez persuades Frederick III (reigned 1648-1670) to allow Sephardic Jews to live in Denmark for trade
- 1647: Gomez organizes Danish trading expedition to the Caribbean, led by de Casseres brothers
- 1651: Second Danish trading expedition
- 1682: Sephardic community settles in Fredericia
Notable Sephardic Figures and Families
- Albert Dionis (Samuel Jachia/Alvaro Diniz/Denis/Dionysius): Royal mint director, possibly lived in Hamburg and Brazil
- Gabriel Gomez: Negotiated with Frederick III for Sephardic settlement
- de Casseres brothers: Led Caribbean trading expedition
Sephardic Influence on Danish Commerce
- Financial services
- Luxury products, including jewelry
- Involvement in Danish West Indies trade
- 1647 expedition unsuccessful due to social conflict in Barbados related to the English Civil War
Genealogical Resources for Danish Sephardic Jews
Organisations:
- Jewish Genealogical Society of Denmark
- Society of Danish Jewish History
- Danish National Archives
- Royal Library
Historical Records:
Geographical Areas of Interest:
- Glückstadt (Lykstad), Schleswig-Holstein
- Altona (now part of Hamburg, Germany)
- Fredericia
- Copenhagen
- Danish West Indies (now U.S. Virgin Islands): Saint Thomas, Saint John, and Saint Croix
Interesting Facts and Observations
- Some German Jews may have adopted Portuguese names and joined Sephardi synagogues to benefit from special privileges
- Albert Dionis may translate to Alberto Dinis, possibly connecting him to the Dinis family of Pontevedra in Galicia
- It’s unclear if any Sephardi families have been continually settled in Denmark from the 17th Century
- There was a Sephardic presence in the Danish West Indies (Danish Antilles/Danish Virgin Islands)
Further Research and Support
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