Karl Friedrich Cerf
Karl Friedrich Cerf (February 27, 1771, Unter-Eisenheim-on-the-Main, Landkreis Würzburg, Germany - November 6, 1845, Berlin) was a German .
Cerf was born Jewish but embraced Christianity when very young. He had to support his father's family when only 17 years old. After having been engaged for many years in the horse trade at Dessau, he rose to the post of chief military agent, and in this capacity took part in the campaign of 1813-15, under Count Peter Wittgenstein, general of the Imperial Russian army. The courage and fidelity displayed by Cerf won for him the favor of Emperor Alexander I, who conferred on him a gold medal.
Cerf then settled at Berlin, and in 1822 obtained from Friedrich Wilhelm III a perpetual grant for the erection of the Königsstädtisches Theater. The theater opened on August 4, 1824 in the street Alexanderstraße. It was devoted to French comedy and Italian opera. Cerf managed it until his death.
His son was also a Berlin theater owner and manager, inheriting the theater concession from his father. On October 12, 1852 he opened the . In 1855 he also opened the .[1]
References[]
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Isidore Singer and Isaac Broydé (1901–1906). "Cerf, Karl Friedrich". In Singer, Isidore; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
Bibliography[]
- Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, iv. 89
- , Geschichte der Evangelischen Juden-Mission, p. 249
External links[]
- The Königsstädtisches Theater at the German Wikipedia
- The Neues Königstädtisches Theater with a photo
- Karl Friedrich Cerf on Messianic Judaism Wiki
- German theatre managers and producers
- People from Würzburg (district)
- Converts to Christianity from Judaism
- 18th-century German Jews
- 1771 births
- 1845 deaths
- German business biography stubs
- Theatrical people stubs