Head of the Vienna banking firm of Koenigswarter
Von Koenigswarter was born into the wealthy Koenigswarter family involved in banking and philanthropy. The founder of the family was Jonas Hirsch Koenigswarter (d. 1805). He was born in Moravia and lived in Germany, where he opened a successful bank. His third son Moritz (1780-1829), went to Vienna where he established a bank. He also received special rights from the government and was active in Jewish life. He died at age of 49. Jonas Freiherr, his nephew, was the son of Marcus, founder of the Frankfurt branch of the family bank, and second son of Jonas Hirsch. He moved to Vienna, married his cousin Josephine (Moritz’s daughter), and succeeded his father in law and uncle’s bank. Jonas Freiherr established the Koenigswarter and Todasco bank and became head of the Austrian National Bank (1850). He helped the Rothschild family establish the largest Austrian bank, Creditanstalt (1855) and assisted them in building the railway system. Freiherr had many projects in the Jewish community and was elected president in 1868, a position he held until his death. He was ennobled by the emperor and promoted to the Upper House (1870).
Jonas Freiherr took on the name von Koenigswarter. The eldest of two sons was Moritz Baron von Koenigswarter (1837-1893). He was one of the most important figures in the financial world of Vienna during the second half of the 19th century. He continued expanding his father’s business including the railroad system. He was active in politics and was nominated as a liberal to the Austrian upper Legislative House. (1879). With his involvement in Jewish matters he represented the united Jewish community in negotiations to secure the community’s external relations by law in the upper legislative house. (1890). He founded different Jewish institutions, among them the aid for Jewish blind and the Theologische Lehranstalt.
The second son was Hermann Freiherr von Koenigswarter (d.1915). He converted to Christianity. With the wealth he inherited he maintained racing stables, and donated a million gulden to charity. This was due, primarily, to a clause in his father’s will which said that every male descendant of his who converts should donate a million gulden to charity.