The Rothschilds © 2020 – Dr. Don G. Pickney The name means "Red Shield" in German. The family's ascent to international prominence began with the birth of Mayer Amschel Bauer in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. He was the son of Amschel Bauer, and changed his name from Bauer to Mayer Amschel Rothschild (after the red shield hung over the door of his goldsmith business), a money changer of gold and silver coins who began his fortune trading with the Prince of Hesse. Born in the "Judengasse", the ghetto of Frankfurt, Mayer developed a finance house and spread his family’s empire by installing each of his five sons in the five main European financial centres to conduct business of banking. The Rothschild coat of arms contains a clenched fist with five arrows symbolizing the five dynasties established by the five sons of Mayer Rothschild, in a reference to Psalm 127: "Like arrows in the hands of a warrior, so are the children of one's youth." The family motto appears below the shield: Concordia, Integritas, Industria (Unity, Integrity, Industry). Paul Bede Johnson (born 2 November 1928) is an English journalist, noted historian, speechwriter, and author. He was awarded in 2006 the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush. The 92 year old Johnson was most recently given the honorary title “Commander of the Order of the British Empire” in 2016. Johnson, the most authoritative writer of the Rothschilds, writes: "The Rothschilds are elusive. There is no book about them that is both revealing and accurate. Libraries of nonsense have been written about them. A woman who planned to write a book entitled Lies about the Rothschilds abandoned it, saying: ‘It was relatively easy to spot the lies, but it proved impossible to find out the truth of this elusive dynasty.’" Johnson writes that, unlike the court Jews of earlier centuries, who had financed and managed European noble houses, but often lost their wealth through violence or expropriation, the new kind of international bank created by the Rothschilds was impervious to local attacks. Their assets were held in financial instruments, circulating through the world as stocks, bonds and debts. Changes made by the Rothschilds allowed them to insulate their property from local violence: "Henceforth their real wealth was beyond the reach of the mob, in truth beyond the reach of greedy monarchs." Johnson argued, “Their fortune was generated to the greatest extent by Nathan Mayer Rothschild in London; however, more recent research indicates that greater and equal profits also were realized over the years by the more spread-out Rothschild dynasties, including James Mayer de Rothschild in Paris, Carl Mayer von Rothschild in Naples and Amschel Mayer Rothschild in Frankfurt.” Another essential part of Mayer Rothschild's strategy for future success was to keep control of their banks in family hands, allowing them to maintain full secrecy about the size of their fortunes. In about 1906, the Jewish Encyclopedia noted: "The practice initiated by the Rothschilds of having several brothers of the firm establish branches in the different financial centers, was followed by other immensely wealthy Jewish financiers, like the Bischoffsheims, Pereires, Seligmans, Lazard Brothers, and others, and these financiers by their shrewdness and financial skill obtained credit not just with their Jewish confrères, but with the banking fraternity in general. By this means Jewish financiers obtained an increasing share of international finance during the middle and last quarter of the nineteenth century. The head of the entire group, however is the Rothschild family dynasty." It also states: "Of more recent years, non-Jewish financiers have learned the same cosmopolitan method, and, on the whole, the control is now rather less than more in Jewish hands than formerly." Mayer Rothschild successfully kept the fortune in the family with carefully arranged marriages, often between first or second cousins (similar to royal intermarriage). By the late 19th century, however, almost all Rothschilds had started to marry outside the family, notably however into the aristocracy or intermarrying into other financial dynasties. His sons were: • Mayer Amschel Rothschild (1773–1855): Frankfurt, • Salomon Mayer Rothschild (1774–1855): Vienna • Nathan Mayer Rothschild (1777–1836): London • Calmann Mayer Rothschild (1788–1855): Naples • Jakob Mayer Rothschild (1792–1868): Paris The German family name "Rothschild" is pronounced approximately RAWT-shilt in German, and ROTH(S)-chyld in English. Today, in the Twenty-first Century, it is impossible to calculate the immense wealth, and the grip that the Rothschilds holds on every part of modern civilization as they remain in the background, cleverly hidden by their agents throughout the global community. Paul Bead Johnson (the historian and winner of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, bestowed by President George W. Bush) insists, “there is no part of any of humanity that is not in some manner affected by the grip of finance and power employed in secret realms of every industrialized nation.” The Addendum on the next two page illustrates the Royalty-like lifestyle of the Rothschild family over the past few centuries. Addendum A Rothschild house, Waddesdon Manor in Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire, donated to charity by the family in 1957. A house formerly belonging to the Viennese branch of the family (Schillersdorf Palace). Schloss Hinterleiten, one of the many palaces built by the Austrian Rothschild dynasty. Donated to charity by the family in 1905. Beatrice de Rothschild's villa on the Côte d'Azur, France Palace of Baron Albert von Rothschild, (photo 1884) Château de Montvillargenne. A Rothschild family house in Picardy, France. Deal ties Rockefeller, Rothschild dynasties By Emily Jane Fox @CNNMoney May 30, 2012: 1:49 PM ET John D. Rockefeller Jr., left, and John D. Rockefeller, who dealt with the Rothschilds more than a century before Wednesday's deal. NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Two of the most storied families in the business world -- the Rothschilds and the Rockefellers -- are coming together in an investment partnership. The Rothschilds' London-listed RIT Capital Partners said Wednesday that it will acquire a 37% stake in Rockefeller's wealth advisory and asset management group from Société Générale Private Banking for an undisclosed sum. The deal gives the Rothschild trust, whose net assets total £1.9 billion, a toehold in the United States. RIT said the partnership stems from a personal relationship between David Rockefeller, 96, and Jacob Rothschild, 76, that spans five decades. But the thread that sews these dynasties together dates back much further. In the 1890s, after fierce competition between them, the Rothschilds and John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil attempted to form a global oil marketing alliance that was eventually thwarted by Russia's government, according to Penn State University's College of Earth and Mineral Studies. Since John D. Rockefeller, several family members have risen to prominence in finance and politics. They include Nelson Rockefeller, who was governor of New York and vice president of the United States, and John D. Rockefeller IV, currently the senior U.S. senator from West Virginia. The Rothschild dynasty was established in Frankfurt by Mayer Amschel Rothschild in the late 18th century. The family's wealth, once estimated as one of the largest private fortunes in the world, allowed it to help finance Britain's war against Napoleon and a loan for the British government to purchase the Suez Canal. (What business leaders can learn from the Renaissance) "The connection between our two families remains very strong," David Rockefeller said in a statement. "I am delighted to welcome Jacob and RIT as shareholders and partners in the ongoing development of our investment management and wealth advisory businesses." Global Advisory Global scale Global coverage with local insight We integrate the local insight of our experts on-the-ground in over 40 countries to build up a truly global perspective. We are more closely connected with our core markets than any other global financial adviser. Local experience and connections, sector insight and experience are shared to give each transaction team a comprehensive perspective. Leaders in cross-border transactions We are one of the world leaders in complex transactions that span different markets, where we can bring innovative solutions to the table and help navigate local regulatory and cultural differences. With a presence on the ground in 40 countries across the world. Our scale, reach and knowledge enables us to develop relationships and deliver effective solutions to support our clients wherever an opportunity lies. Corporate Governance Group leadership Our name Rothschild & Co encapsulates the idea of true partnership between the leadership and teams in the group. This is reflected in the way the group is governed. The Managing Partner Rothschild & Co Gestion is the Managing Partner (Gérant) of Rothschild & Co, responsible for the overall management of the Company. This includes, among other things, establishing the strategic direction of the business, supervising the accounting and financial information, and directing the internal control framework for Rothschild & Co and the Group entities on a consolidated basis. The Managing Partner relies on the Management Board (Conseil de Gérance) to fulfil its role. Managing CEO Alexandre de Rothschild Executive Chairman Offices Africa Australia and New Zealand Belgium Central and Eastern Europe China and North Asia France Germany, Austria and Switzerland India Israel Italy Japan Latin America Middle East The Netherlands Nordic North America Portugal Russia and the CIS South East Asia Spain United Kingdom and Ireland rench banker David de Rothschild at a meeting of the World Jewish Congress in Berlin, Sept. 2014. (Photo/Wikimedia) The (real) Rothschild origin story The basic outline of the Rothschild story, retold in several best-selling books, a 1934 movie, and a hit Broadway musical, are pretty well known: Mayer Amschel Rothschild, born in 1744, was a dealer in coins and a money lender in the Frankfurt ghetto, whose house was near a red shield – hence roth schild.