Leader of the Vienna Jewish community
Leo Winkler (Judah), Leader of the Vienna community around 1670. He studied at the University of Padua, Italy, and became a physician.(1629). He was leader of the Jews in Vienna while Emperor Leopold I decided to expell all the Jews in Vienna. The Emperor was influenced by his Bishop’s advice, his wife’s fanatism and the money he could earn for the treasury while expelling the Jews. Leo Winkler corresponded with famous people around the world on behalf of the Vienna Jews and together with others signed a letter to ask for the intervention of Queen Christina of Sweden. He also offered with others 100,000 gulden to the Emperor Leopold to allow 1,000 Jews to continue to stay in Vienna. All those requests did not help as the poor Jews were exiled in 1669, and the rich ones in 1670. He was also among those who asked for assistance for the Venice Jewish community. In his latter days he left for Posnan (now in Poland) where his son was a physician.