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The Blumenfeld Family

2026-09-06T19:45:33Z

Djando: /* Epilogue */

[[File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Wwe_poster.jpg|right|300px]]
==Circus Owners, Equestrians, Animal Trainers, Artists==

''By Dominique Jando''

The huge Blumenfeld family holds an important place in German and European circus history. One of the three major German-Jewish circus dynasties before World War II—along with the [[Circus Strassburger|Strassburgers]] and the [[The Lorch Family|Lorches]]—the Blumenfelds were driven to bankruptcy and then brutally decimated by the Nazis. Before that tragedy, they had been a highly respected family of talented acrobats, aerialists, equestrians, and circus owners. Although some members of the family resurfaced after World War II, the Blumenfelds were never able to reclaim the position they had once held in the circus world.

The Blumenfelds are allied with several other prominent Jewish families, such as the Goldkettes ([[The Brönett Family|Brönett]]), the Strassburgers, the Lorches, and the [[The Könyot Family|Könyots]]. They always married within their faith and, at times, like the Rothschilds, within their family—with perhaps the notable exceptions of Erich Blumenfeld, the youngest son of Simon Blumenfeld, who married Fanny Houcke, from the Franco-Swedish [[The Houcke Dynasty|Houcke]] family, and his brother Alex, whose wife, Eugenie, came from an old Italian circus family, the Cardinales.

Since Hirsch Blumenfeld (1788-1867), founder of the dynasty, created his circus in the mid-nineteenth century, many of his descendants have operated several different circuses under the Blumenfeld name. Hirsch had a large family that developed many branches, and it can be sometimes difficult to determine which branch a given Blumenfeld belonged to. The Blumenfeld circus owners, however, shared one defining trait: they were equestrians who served the equestrian circus tradition with distinction, even as the circus-menagerie was becoming the norm in Germany by the beginning of the twentieth century.

===Cerf Blumenfeld===

[[File:Cerf_Blumenfeld_Ad.png|thumb|left|300px|Cerf Blumenfeld'sCircus National Ad (c.1856)]]Hirsch Blumenfeld was born Hirsch Levy in 1788 in Isenburg, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, one of the many German states. His parents were Levy Wolf (1770-1828), a Jewish cantor, and his wife Rosa (Rösgen), née Cahn (?-1840). The Blumenfeld patronym came later: Under Jewish naming tradition, a son took his father’s given name as a patronym, so Hirsch, as Levy’s son, became Hirsch Levy. Hirsch didn't embrace his father's calling: He became instead a traveling entertainer, an occupation that had attracted many of his coreligionists over the centuries.

Hirsch Levy married Henrietta (Jetta) Jonas (1789-1853), a native of Neuwied, in the Rhineland Palatinate, south of Bonn. Hirsch and Jetta raised a large family of eight children: Emanuel (1811-1885), Meyer (1815-1894), Sophia (1816-?), David (1818-1893), Joseph (1820-1820), Mina (1821-?), Moritz (1825-1895), and Simon (1828-1911)—starting a tradition of exceptionally large families among their descendants.

Later, in 1846, a regulation was introduced in Prussia, where the family had settled, demanding that Jewish families adopt a steady patronymic. Family lore tells us that, when Hirsch declared the name ''Bumenfeld'' to the Prussian authorities, he chose his new patronymic because he saw a field full of flowers (or ''blumen Feld'' in German) through the clerk's window: Hence the Blumenfeld family was born. ''Si non è vero, è bien trovato!'' (Even if not true, it's a good story).

Hirsch Blumenfeld eventually moved from traveling entertainer to traveling circus owner. For reasons unknown, he professionally adopted Cerf (Stag), the French translation of Hirsch, as his first name, and he became known to the circus world as Cerf Blumenfeld. The year of his first circus creation was probably in 1845: On April 9 of that year, a Bonn chronicle announced the opening of "the Equestrian Circus of Mr. Cerf from Combahn with 17 horses" (Combahn is a village on the Rhine, south of Bonn, where the Blumenfelds had settled). This is the earliest known reference to a Blumenfeld circus. From the outset, it was a true equestrian circus, establishing a tradition the family would continue to uphold.

After Jetta’s death in 1853, Hirsch remarried to Sara von Geldern (1817–1896), with whom he had two more sons, Emil (1855–1895) and Aron Alexander (1861–1942). The marriage brought the family to a considerable size: Hirsch now had seven surviving sons, many of whom would go on to found large families of their own, thus giving rise to the numerous branches of the Blumenfeld dynasty.

Cerf Blumenfeld's large family provided the backbone of his programs, which appear to have been of good quality, and the circus grew steadily. The first written review of the show came from the town of Hanau, in Hesse: "An aesthetic treat, as it has been missed here for many years, is now provided by the equestrian company of Mr. Blumenfeld. [...] Stylish costumes and beautiful horses are also a treat for the spectator's eyes." By then, the company had 32 performers and 24 horses.

Cerf Blumenfeld passed awy on August 16, 1867, in Eberstadt, near Darmstadt in Hesse, where his circus may have been performing at the time. It is unclear whether some of his sons took over their father’s circus after his death or had already left to establish circuses of their own. It is known that in 1866, one year before Cerf's death, there was a ''Cirque Equestre'' managed by the Blumenfeld Brothers, which could have been either their father's circus, or a new one.

===The Many Blumenfeld Circuses===

[[File:Meyer_Blumenfeld.png|thumb|right|300px|Meyer Blumenfeld (c.1850)]]Be that as it may, the family eventually dispersed, and several circuses bearing the Blumenfeld name appeared across Germany with varying degrees of success. Some became major German traveling circuses of their times—including Emanuel Blumenfeld’s circus, which survived him under the management of his widow and then his sons; it was to become the Circus Blumenfeld of reference and will be treated later. Nevertheless, many others ''Circus Blumenfeld'' are worth mentioning.

''Zirkus Blumenfeld & Söhne'', created by Meyer Blumenfeld, Emanuel's younger brother, was active between 1884 and 1892, and was a major German circus. Meyer had married twice. His first wife was Setta Hartog (1814-1852), the sister of Jetta Hartog, Emanuel's wife: both brothers married the same day, on January 24, 1839. Meyer and Setta had five children, Leopold (1841-1901), Minna (b. 1843), Josef (b.1845), Nathan (1846-1852), and Sofia; then, after Setta's death, Meyer married Gundula Sara Jonas (b.1812), who gave him another son, Jansly (Samson) (1853-1935). In turn, Jansly and Leopold created two major traveling circuses.

In 1884, Jansly Blumenfeld, who had married his cousin Wilhelmina (1861-1910), daughter of his uncle David, operated ''Circus Jansly & Leo'' with his brother Leopold. It became ''Circus Jansly'' the following year, when Leopold left to establish his own circus. Successfully active from 1885 to 1901, Circus Jansly suffered a devastating train accident and a stable fire in 1900, which killed many of its horses. After a run of forty-six years, the circus could not survive these catastrophes and closed in Berlin in 1901.

Leopold Blumenfeld created his circus in 1885, and it survived his 1901 death—initially under the management of his widow, Bertha Blumenfeld. Bertha was Leopold's third wife. He had married first Lisette Gutschmidt, followed in 1868 by Caroline Hirsch (1850–1883), and after Caroline's death, Bertha Halmschlag (1854-1913). Leopold had one son with Lisette Gutschmidt, Hartwig (1867-1927), and six more children with Caroline Hirsch: Lisette (Setta, 1871-1943), Emil (1874-1952), Adolf (1876-1933), Max (1879-1916), Wilhelm (Willy, 1881-1955), and Gerhard (Georg, 1878-?).

[[File:Leopold_Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Leopold Blumenfeld (c.1850)]]Because Leopold had no children with Bertha, her claim to the circus became uncertain. Caroline’s children—Adolf, Emil, and Lisette—reclaimed it, and it eventually came under the sole management of Lisette (Setta) Blumenfeld. At the time, Setta was married to the circus performer August Gerausch, known as Varinelli, with whom she had four children: Leo Ludwig (1890-1964), Amanda (1905-1942), Arthur (1911-1919), and Alfons. Later, probably in the early 1920s, she formed a couple with her cousin Louis Blumenfeld (1866-1943), a son of Emanuel Blumenfeld; together they had a daughter, also named Lisette.

Setta Blumenfeld's circus had a long and rich career. It traveled under the title ''Großer Zirkus Blumenfeld'', and sometimes as ''Circus Louis Blumenfeld'', although Louis never held part ownership of the circus. The circus eventually passed under the management of Setta's elder son, Leo Gerausch, who closed it in 1926, while Germany was still under the Weimar Republic, because of the financial difficulties caused by a dire economic period. Leopold's other sons, Hartwig, Willy, and Gerhard also exploited smaller circuses in the 1920s, and Cerf Blumenfeld's third son, David, toured a circus for some time.

Another son of Cerf Blumenfeld, Moritz, also became an important circus owner. Moritz had married Sara Haymann (1833-1901) with whom he had no less than thirteen children: Ludwig (1854-1928), Helene (1855-1933), Diena (b.1859), Rosina (1860-1931), Amanda (1864-1935), Karl (1866-1940), Hermann (1868-1916), Adele (1871-1906), Rudolf (1875-1942), Virginia, Bertha, Kätchen, and Ernestine. This was to form a solid backbone for his circus company! He created his circus in 1865, and was successful enough to retire comfortably in 1886, at age sixty-one. Two years before, he had handed the management of his circus to his son Ludwig, who exploited it for only three years before auctioning it in 1887. He too retired comfortably, at age thirty-four!

All these Blumenfeld circuses presented a wide range of high-quality equestrian acts, particularly original liberty displays, which became the hallmark of the Blumenfeld name and were often featured in the winter programs of Europe's resident circuses. The larger Blumenfeld circuses also offered rich and varied productions that included popular equestrian pantomimes such as the inescapable ''Mazeppa'', alongside other large-scale spectacles.

Large families such as that of Moritz Blumenfeld produced outstanding acrobatic and aerial performers, whose acts were held in high demand. Contemporary photographs reveal another characteristic of the dynasty: The Blumenfelds were invariably elegant, both in and out of the ring. In every sense, they embodied the aristocracy of the circus world.

==Zirkus E. Blumenfeld==

[[File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld_-_full_image.jpg|thumb|300px|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1840)]]Emanuel Blumenfeld created the most successful and longest lasting of all the Blumenfeld circuses. As the eldest of Cerf's children, he may well have been his father's successor, since his own ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld'' appeared in August 1867, around the date of his father's death. Born March 1, 1811, in Bremke, a small village near Göttingen, in southern Lower Saxony, he was twenty-eight when he married Jette (Hitzelchen) Hartog (1817-c.1850) on January 24, 1839, in a dual ceremony with his brother Meyer, who married Jette's sister Setta.

Like his brother Moritz, Emanuel would eventually preside over an exceptionally large family. His first wife, Jetta, bore him five children: Moritz (b. 1844), Leopold (b. 1845), Meyer (1847-1892), Wolf (1849-1906), and Wilhelmine (Minna, b. 1850). When Jetta died unexpectedly around 1850, perhaps soon after Minna's birth, Emanuel was left with five very young children and no one to mother them. He found a second wife in Jeanette Stein (1831-1896), who was twenty years his junior.

Jeanette gave Emanuel ten more children: Olympia (b.1852), Henriette (1853-1914, who married [[The Könyot Dynasty|Leopold Könyot]]), Max (b.1855), Jonas (1855-1859), Simon (1857-1918, who married [[The Strassburger Family|Rosa Strassburger]]), Alexander (Simson, 1859-1921), Adolf David (1863-1913), Louis (1866-1943, who married his cousin Setta Blumenfeld-Gerausch), Hermann (1868-1933, who married his niece Betty Blumenfeld, daughter of his brother Simon), and Amanda. In 1881, a journalist described Jeanette Blumenfeld as "a truly Jewish woman with iron strength and a heart of gold, [who] kept her sons and daughters, her daughter-in-law and grandchildren in strict discipline."

Emanuel established his circus’s base in the province of Westphalia, in Prussia, and during its early years ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld'' toured the Kingdom of Prussia exclusively. The Franco-Prussian War of 1870 brought a major disruption: Emanuel’s elder sons Moritz, Leopold, and Meyer, enrolled in the army. Their military service may have encouraged a greater sense of independence, and they eventually left the family circus. Emanuel died on May 23, 1885 in Tilsit, where the circus was performing. Jeanette, whose strength of character suggests that she had likely been involved in managing the circus alongside her husband despite her many duties as a mother, took over its direction.

[[File:Blumenfeld_Gurhau_Poster.jpg|thumb|left|450px|The Gurhau Winter Quarters (c.1891)]]Jeanette came from a circus family, and she had brought her family's circus into her marriage: Consequently, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld had grown in importance, but with such a large family, Jeanette had the support she needed to run it. Simon, Alexander, and Louis oversaw day-to-day operations; Adolf became general manager; and Hermann, as advance man, organized the tours. Under her management, the circus continued to grow, and its stables—always a distinctive Blumenfeld asset—doubled in size. The circus also changed its name to ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld Wwe'' (Circus E. Blumenfeld Widow). In 1891, the family moved to much-needed larger winter quarters in the town of Gurhau, in Lower Silesia (today Góra, in Poland), where they had found a large ensemble of abandoned military stables.

Jeanette Blumenfeld died in Gurhau on April 30, 1896, at age sixty-one. Her death might have led to the breakup of the enterprise and a new proliferation of Blumenfeld circuses, but Emanuel and Jeanette had foreseen that possibility: They wrote a will in 1872 that established a clear succession, both for the circus business and for the family’s responsibilities. It not only defined the siblings' positions and tasks in the running of the circus—which, it specified, couldn't be dismantled or split between them—but also, their commitment to their family and to their Jewish faith. Jeanette's strong hand is apparent in such a strictly ordered will, and its provisions were duly followed by her descendants.

===Enter The Magdeburg Generation===

[[File:Simon_Blumenfeld_Family.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Simon and Rosa's Blumenfeld's family (c.1900)]]Under Jeanette's ownership, the circus had been managed by Simon, Alexander, Adolf, and Hermann, and the four brothers remained at the helm of the enterprise (Louis was soon to leave the family). Not as prolific progenitors as their father, Alexander, Adolf and Hermann didn't produce many descendants, but Simon did, and his progeny, which would become known as the "Magdeburg branch," would constitute the next Blumenfeld generation of circus directors.

Rosa Strassburger gave Simon eleven children: Betty (1880-1932), who married her uncle Hermann; Emanuel, known as Alex (1885-1942); Alfons (1887-1942), who married his cousin [[The Konyöt Family|Olympia Konyöt]]; Arthur (1889-1910), who married his cousin Victoria, daughter of Jansly Blumenfeld; Alfred (1891-1945); Eugen (1893-1937); Alice (1895-1942); Jeanette (Netty, 1897-1969); Willy (1898-1942); Fritz (Friedrich, 1899-1945), and Erich (1901-1943), who married [[The Houcke Dynasty|Fanny Houcke]]).

The Blumenfelds had an excellent reputation among their audiences and among the artists who worked for them. They were known as a warm, welcoming family, always ready to help, and always respectful of their fellow performers—for they were indeed performers themselves: In a 1898 program, one could see Hermann and Betty riding in ''haute-école'', Louis and Setta performing a pas-de-deux on horseback, and Alexandre presenting the liberty acts. Coming up, the next generation was trained in all circus disciplines to perform alongside their elders as acrobats, equestrians, and animal trainers, and eventually replace them.

[[File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Poster.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (1906)]]By 1897, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld, which had been one of the earliest German circuses to perform under a big top instead of a wooden ''construction'' or as visitors in a circus building (of which there were indeed many at the time), had become too big to continue using horse-power transportation, and it switched to travel by rail. In their advertising, the Blumenfelds boosted no less than 180 horses, 28 wagons, and even their own traveling electric plant, which was quite high-tech at the turn of the twentieth century! As they reminded their potential audiences in the press, theirs was not a cheap tenting operation: It was a modern, elegant, and comfortable first-class traveling circus.

Their shows often ended with spectacular equestrian pantomimes (known as "hippodramas") in which they could display their magnificent horses. As the [[The Knie Dynasty|Knies]] and some others would do much later, the Blumenfelds invited the public to watch their training sessions. At a time when horses still held an important place in everyday life and the public at large was fascinated by great horsemanship, this was excellent publicity indeed—especially for a circus where horsemanship was still served with outstanding talent.

In 1911, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld celebrated its 100th anniversary. Emanuel's circus had been created in 1867, after the death of Cerf Blumenfeld and, although it may have been considered the continuation of Cerf's circus, the date of its creation was around 1840. None of these anniversaries worked, so the date chosen for this advertising stunt was the year of Emanuel's birth, 1811. Be that as it may, it worked, and this pseudo-centennial was duly celebrated with special events, banquets with city representatives in attendance, and other festivities—a good indication that the Blumenfelds were seen as important circus owners.

[[File:Barnum_and_Bailey_-_Germany.png|thumb|right|300px|Barnum & Bailey Poster for its German Tour (1900)]]Meanwhile, [[Wilhelm Hagenbeck]], the son of German wild animal importer [[The Hagenbeck Dynasty|Carl Hagenbeck]] (1844-1913), the most important animal dealer of his time (he provided animals to zoos and circuses worldwide), had started a traveling circus in 1887 that included an important menagerie of exotic and wild animals—some of which were presented performing in the show—as well of exhibitions of exotic tribes from the "mysterious" lands of Africa, Asia, and even America (with tribes of Native Americans).

Ten years later, in 1897, the giant American [[Barnum and Bailey Circus]] began an extended European tour that lasted until 1905. Its enormous menagerie impressed European audiences at a time when colonial expansion had intensified public fascination with everything exotic, particularly animals. It encouraged German circuses and traveling menagerie owners such as [[Carl Krone]] to follow Hagenbeck's example and develop into the circus-menagerie enterprises that would characterize the German circus industry until World War II.

The Blumenfelds were no exception to this trend. In 1912, the brothers added a menagerie to their previously equestrian circus and began to present animal acts other than horses. They acquired four elephants and a collection of exotic and wild animals that included a hippopotamus, but they refrained from presenting cage acts in their programs until 1936. Their important stables were still full, and their renowned equestrian acts remained their circus's main attraction.

Then, on June 28, 1914, a Serb nationalist assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. This led Austria-Hungary to declare war to Serbia one month later, on July 28. Russia then entered the conflict to support Serbia, which led to a domino effect in the complicated system of European alliances: France and England joined the war on Russia's side, followed by Italy, and Germany did the same on Austria-Hungary's side with Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire. This situation had disastrous repercussions, and the circus industry experienced them the hard way.

The Blumenfelds had a special relation with the Military: They considered their duty, as German citizens, to serve in the army, and several of Simon's sons enlisted wholeheartedly. Many circus workers did the same, or were drafted, and foreign artists from enemy countries had to leave Germany or had been interned. Then, the Army, which still relied largely on horse-powered transport, requisitioned the Blumenfelds’ horses, as well as their tents. Under these conditions, and with rail travel strictly regulated to give priority to army transports, touring had become impossible, and the Blumenfelds closed their traveling circus. They had, however, a safe retreat.

===The Great War and The Magdeburg Circus===

Magdeburg was the capital of Saxony. Located in what today is Saxony-Anhalt, it was an important city that had hosted several circus buildings over the years. Nothing exceptional there, since major German cities had circus buildings, but Magdeburg location was relatively central in the German Empire, which could make it a good base for a traveling circus. In 1896, an entrepreneur named Hahn built a new circus in the city. Already, in 1886, Hahn had acquired [[August Krembser]]'s circus building in Berlin, which he rented out to major circus companies such as [[Gotthold Schumann]]'s—before Schumann opened his own circus building in the Prussian capital. A master-carpenter, he had already erected a wooden "construction" in Madgeburg in 1892.

[[File:Magdeburg_Circus.jpg|left|thumb|400px|The Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)]]Hahn was not a circus man, but a businessman and landlord who rented out his facilities to circus companies and other tenants. His new Magdeburg circus, located on Kaizer Wilhelm Platz (today's Universitätsplatz) and Köningstraße 62/63 (today's Walther-Rathenau-Straße), a major thoroughfare, was a large building: With a surface area of nearly 4,000 m2 (approximately 154 x 266 feet), it included not only the circus itself, which could be fitted with a removable stage for concerts and theatrical productions and boasted a capacity of 2,800, but also a restaurant, wardrobe shops, a saddlery, a prop workshop, stables for 110 horses, and a small variety theater. It opened on September 30, 1896, with [[Circus Renz]] as a tenant.

The Blumenfelds performed there in 1904, 1911, and 1913. Since 1907, the building had been used principally as a movie theater, and by 1913, it was in disrepair. After Hahn's death, it had passed to his daughter, who was eager to sell. The Blumenfelds had long wanted to move their winter quarters from Gurhau to a more central location, and Magdeburg suited their needs. During their visit in 1913, they offered to buy and restore the property, and Ms. Hahn accepted; then they secured a thirty-year lease with the city, which owned the land, and they could finally move their operations to Magdeburg in 1914. After adding a large foyer to the circus, they were ready to use it for their winter seasons.

Thus, in March 1914, after World War I had broken out and the Blumenfelds had effectively lost their traveling enterprise, they went to their new home in Magdeburg. Since the European theater of war was soon confined to a line of fortified trenches stretching from the English Channel to Switzerland, Germany’s interior remained unaffected. The Blumenfelds were able to rent out the building, though for purposes other than circus performances; they even re-converted it into a movie theater.

During that time of circus inactivity, the directors of the third generation disappeared or retired. Adolf had died in Dresden in 1913, Alexander and Hermann called it quits (they would pass away in 1921 and 1933 respectively), and finally, Simon, the father of the "Magdeburg Line," died in Magdeburg on July 22, 1918, shortly before war's end. The war over, the Gurhau winter quarters were sold, and with the Magdeburg building used for unrelated activities, it could have been the end of the ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld''.

===The Postwar Period===

With seven brothers pretending to be Simon’s successors, not to mention Simon’s four daughters and the children of his brothers, reviving the Zirkus E. Blumenfeld could have led to unforeseen problems. Therefore, in the summer of 1919, Simon’s sons Alex, Alfons, and Arthur purchased the former ''Zircus E. Blumenfeld Wwe.'' company from the family. Then, they announced the creation of a new touring company called ''Zirkus Gebr. Blumenfeld''. They also let it known that they remained co-owners of the Magdeburg circus and set 1920 as the date for the debut of their traveling circus. It wasn’t an easy task: They had to rebuild their entire touring operation from scratch!

[[File:Geb._Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1920)]]They purchased a large two-pole circus tent, 44 meters in diameter (approximately 144 feet) and with a capacity of 2,000 people. This made their circus a major enterprise—although it would soon pale in comparison to giants like [[Circus Krone|Krone]], [[Circus Sarrasani|Sarrasani]], [[Circus Gleich|Gleich]], and even the circus of their Strassburger cousins. Alex, Alfons, and Arthur Blumenfeld could rely on their large family for support: Their brothers, Fritz and Alfred, took care of the administrative aspects of the circus, and Eugen supervised the always important concessions department. Other family members were also available to help and perform in the show.

The new Blumenfeld Circus made its debut in Dessau, not far from Magdeburg, on April 3, 1920. The show featured many family members: Alfons presented liberty acts with Amanda Lorch. Willy appeared in a high-school presentation with his sister-in-law and cousin Victoria (Arthur’s wife), and also doubled as the clown Kucki. Arthur, riding a horse, presented two trained bulls. Of course, there were also many hired performers in the show, including a team of acrobats and a motorcycle stunt act. In November, the Blumenfeld brothers returned for the winter season to their circus in Magdeburg, which at long last reverted to hosting circus shows.

The years immediately following the war were marked by the Spanish flu pandemic, which claimed the lives of about fifty million people worldwide, and Europe was not spared. Yet, after a long and devastating war that killed around twenty million people, European audiences were eager for escapist entertainment. Pandemic or not, the interwar years proved to be exceptionally favorable for circuses and variety shows. The Blumenfelds, like other circus owners, benefited from this sudden enthusiasm. However, the interwar years also brought major economic problems.

During the war, Germany had experienced severe inflation, with prices doubling almost instantly. To address this problem, the Kaiser’s government abandoned its gold-backed currency, expecting that Germany would win the war. That was not the outcome however, and the postwar Weimar government had to pay considerable reparations to the Allies in gold-backed currency. This led to an economic domino effect resulting in hyperinflation: The Mark collapsed, and by 1922, prices had risen by 700%!

[[File:Zirkus_Blumenfeld_in_Magdeburg.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Zirkus Blumenfeld in Magdeburg (1914)]]However, after years of successful touring and well-managed enterprises, the Magdeburg Blumenfelds had become relatively wealthy. Like most European traveling circus families, they didn’t keep all their money in the bank. They followed the traditional practice of converting their wealth into gold or diamonds, which they kept hidden in their mobile homes. But if the depreciation of the Mark didn’t affect their accumulated wealth, then the money they earned in Germany was worthless. For many German circuses, the solution was to travel abroad to replenish their coffers. Sarrasani went to South America, Krone and Gleich traveled throughout Europe...

Similarly, the Blumenfelds looked beyond Germany. They visited the Baltic States and rented out some of their animal and equestrian acts abroad. In 1925-1926, they even toured their animal acts in Russia's circus buildings. Since circuses, like all performing arts, were nationalized by the new Soviet government in 1919, Russia’s ten resident circuses—including two in Moscow—needed artists to fill their programs. With a shortage of Russian performers (the new State Circus and Variety College hadn’t yet produced many of them), the Soviet Committee for the Arts turned to Germany, one of the few countries with which Russia still maintained good relations. The Blumenfelds seized this opportunity.

After a rewarding tour in Russia, the Blumenfelds purchased new wagons and tents. Their menagerie now consisted of forty-five horses, two elephants, four camels, three llamas, and two bulls. However, the political situation in Germany was changing. In the mid-1920s, the NSDAP (Nazi Party), which had until then been a small right-wing movement, began to compete in elections, aiming to undermine the German democratic government of the Weimar Republic. They also began to gain power through grassroots campaigning, propaganda, and political violence. This led to a rise in antisemitism. The Nazis blamed Jews and communists for many of Germany’s postwar problems, and they called for a strong Germany free of Jews, starting with boycotting Jewish businesses.

[[File:Magdeburg_Zirkus.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Interior of the Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)]]“Gau Anhalt-North Saxony” was established by the Nazis in 1926 in order to streamline their party organization. Two years later, it was renamed “Gau Magdeburg-Anhalt”, making Magdeburg a major center for Nazi activities. The Nazi-led boycott of Jewish businesses, often carried out through intimidation, hit the Blumenfelds during a time when Germany was also facing a severe financial crisis. The Nazis exploited this situation to intensify antisemitism. The resulting hardships became evident during the 1927 tour. After trying various measures such as offering ticket discounts and other promotional activities, the Blumenfelds announced that, “Due to the unfavorable financial situation, the circus has decided to discontinue its activities.”

To be sure, they were not the only circus to quit the business: Between 1926 and 1930, no less than seven German circuses went bankrupt. However, the Blumenfelds were a powerful circus family with a permanent base in a major German city. They had always been respected citizens there, but unfortunately, Magdeburg became increasingly hostile under Nazi influence, and their circus building, like their touring show, became unprofitable. To recoup their losses, they tried to sell the building to the municipality.

It seems that there were various forces involved to undermine any potential deal. The plan failed, and the Blumenfelds were forced into bankruptcy in 1927. The building wasn’t sold until ten years later, and even then, the proceeds went directly into the bankruptcy estate. Meanwhile, the bankruptcy trustees continued to rent the building out for purposes other than circus. The bankruptcy was finalized in 1940, but the once respected ''Zirkus Geb. Blumenfeld jun.'' had already ceased to exist. As for the Magdeburg circus building, it never resumed its circus activities and was eventually destroyed in the January 16, 1945 of the Allied bombing of the city.

===The Nazi Era===

The large Magdeburg Blumenfeld family, including Alfons, Alex and Arthur, began to look for engagements in other circuses. Alex found jobs as an animal trainer and artistic director in Scandinavian circuses, Alfons became the deputy manager and artistic director of [[Circus Medrano-Swoboda]], Austria's leading circus, where he also performed as a high-school rider with his daughter Ruth and presented liberty acts; Alfred Blumenfeld went to work as manager of [[Circus Dominik Althoff]], then presented liberty horses on tour with his brother Arthur at [[Circus Adolf Fischer]], another German circus, of which Eugen Blumenfeld had become the artistic director.

Erich Blumenfeld went to France, where he married Fanny Houcke and became a member of the Houcke family (which would soon relocate in neutral Sweden). Fritz Blumenfeld worked in the administration of several circuses and became the private secretary of [[Julius Gleich]], then of Dominik Althoff, and in 1939-40, of the Dutch circus impresario [[Franz Mikkenie]], who will help the Strassburgers to survive the Nazis in The Netherlands. Willy continued to be the clown Kucki in the circus of their cousins Strassburger before they were forced to sell it to [[Paula Busch]]; he would later commit suicide in Auschwitz.

Hitler came to power in 1933, and the Nazi Party now ruled Germany. Circus performers’ unions and directors’ organizations disappeared, and circus and variety artists had to join the newly created, Nazi-controlled ''Artistik'' union if they wanted to work. Several circus owners joined the Nazi Party to protect their interests, with the notable exceptions of [[Hans-Stosch Sarrasani]]—although his son would do so after his father’s death—and Dominik Althoff and his children. In 1935, the Nazi government announced the Nuremberg Laws, which formalized its racial theories; by 1937-1938, Jews were forced to identify themselves, notably by wearing the infamous yellow Star of David, further segregating them from the rest of the German population.

[[File:Blumenfeld_memorial.jpg|thumb|left| 450pix|Blumenfelds' commemorative Stumbling Stones in Magdeburg]]All Jewish performers (among whom the many Blumenfelds still living in Germany) began to be victims of the Nazis' violent antisemitism. Several Blumenfelds went to perform in Scandinavia, England or America, where they settled; a large group of them sailed with Circus Sarrasani to Brazil in 1934. When Simon Blumenfeld's family purchased the Magdeburg circus in 1914, the city became home to other members of the large Blumenfeld family. Louis and Setta Blumenfeld had settled in Magdeburg with the Gerausch family; in 1940 they were forced to move in a so-called "Jewish House."

They were then deported to the Theresienstadt Ghetto in Terezin, Czechoslovakia. Louis died there in 1942. Setta was later transferred to Auschwitz, where she was killed. Other Magdeburg residents, Setta's daughter, Amanda Gerausch, and Ulrich Blumenfeld, a son of Hermann and Betty Blumenfeld, were also deported that year. Rosa Strassburger-Blumenfeld, Simon's widow, died in the Theresienstadt Ghetto in 1943, and seven of her children died in deportation; her daughter Alice committed suicide to avoid deportation.

Obviously, Alex, Alfons and Arthur Blumenfeld, the former directors of the ''Zirkus Geb. Blumenfeld jun.'', were not immune to these attacks. In 1937, Alex was in engagement in Denmark, and from there he moved first to Belgium, and then to France, where he tried to obtain a permit to enter neutral Sweden or Great Britain. Before he could see any positive outcome, the war broke out and France was occupied by Nazi Germany. The old Marshall Pétain, now France's president, and his Vichy government were as much rabidly antisemitic as the occupant, and foreign Jews were the first to be prosecuted.

Alex was arrested as an "enemy alien" and interned in the camp of Saint Cyprien, in Dordogne (southwest France). His wife, Eugenie, had remained in Belgium, and the fact she was of Italian descent (Cardinale) protected her. Alex could correspond with her, but he was soon moved to the notorious internment camp of Drancy, in the Paris suburbs, which was a gateway to Auschwitz; he was sent there in August 1942, never to return.

Alfons Blumenfeld also emigrated to Paris in December 1938, together with his wife Olympia, née Könyot. Like his brother Alex, Alfons was there with his wife when the war broke out and Germany occupied France. They were immediately arrested by the French police; Olympia was interned in the camp of Rivesaltes, near Perpignan in southwestern France, and Alfons was interned in the concentration camp of Bram, near Carcassonne, and later transferred to Drancy. Both were finally sent to Auschwitz, where they were killed.

Their daughter Ruth, who had married [[The Berousek Family|Ludwig Berouzek]], scion of a famous Czech circus dynasty, was deported to Auschwitz, where she was killed in 1942. (Ludwig, whom she had previously divorced, had emigrated to the United States.) Before being arrested, Ruth had put their daughter, Vardia, in the care of a French family: Vardia survived the war.

Arthur Blumenfeld and his wife Victoria (also born Blumenfeld) and his two daughters Rita and Eva, settled in Berlin in 1933. Playing with the unusual similarity of their family names, Victoria managed to register herself as an adopted child of unknown Aryan origin. Their union became therefore a "mixed marriage," which made the family safe from deportation, even though the German authorities subjected Arthur to the usual discrimination, like forced labor and the wearing of the Jewish yellow star. But they survived...

Many other members of the extended Blumenfeld family were killed during this dark period: According to various sources, up to 150 members of the entire family were killed between 1933 and 1945. Arthur Blumenfeld lost nine brothers and sisters during that time: He and his sister Jeanette, who lived in England, were the only survivors of Simon and Rosa Blumenfeld's eleven children!

===Epilogue===

After the end of World War II, Arthur and Victoria tried to restart the Circus Blumenfeld. With the help of the Soviet authorities, which controlled East Germany and most of Berlin, they managed to acquire the equipment of the bankrupt circus of [[Circus Brumbach|Gustav Brumbach]], which included a four-pole big top and all its paraphernalia. They quickly repainted the old wagons to a Blumenfeld livery, put their name on the façade, and began to perform in Berlin in October 1945, touring the four sectors of the destroyed city.

[[File:Circus_Arthur_Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Circus Blumenfeld in Berlin (1946)]]At first, Arthur presented the circus’s only four horses, and the modest program featured a hand-to-hand trio, a perch-pole balancing act, and a magician—nothing exceptional, but fitting for the times. The circus was making money, however, and by December Victoria could report that they "already had four bears, six horses, and several buffalos." In September 1948, Arthur marked his fifty years in the ring, though there were no public celebrations: The Circus Blumenfeld of 1948 was no longer the eminent circus of the pre-Nazi era, and it performed primarily for Allied troops and charitable organizations such as orphanages.

By then, there were already two resident circuses in Berlin: Paula Busch had just opened a circus in the old planetarium of the Zoological Gardens in West Berlin, and [[Harry Barlay]] had erected a large "construction" on Friedrichstraße, among the ruins of Berlin Mitte, then located in the Soviet zone of Berlin. Yet, the Blumenfelds, who were touring within the city—which didn't go without its share of problems—were very competent circus directors and could have prospered enough to take the road again.

Unfortunately, the Blockade of Berlin started on June 23, 1948, and, in an already uneasy situation, major problems began to arise, notably to find food for the animals—for which the three circuses had to resort to a very expensive black market. Eventually, some animals had to be given away, and a few horses had even to be killed. The financial situation of the three circuses was dismal, even more so for the Blumenfelds, who had re-started from scratch and didn't have the resources of Paula Busch or Harry Barley.

Arthur Blumenfeld staged his final show in 1949 at the Berlin Zoo, where he had set up his circus. Apart from the few horses he had managed to keep, the program was largely a variety show, and its income was not enough to sustain the enterprise. The once prosperous and celebrated ''Zirkus Blumenfeld'' gave its last performance in June of that year. Arthur sold his equipment and the few animals he had left to Paula Busch. With that, the Blumenfeld name forever disappeared from the roster of German circuses.

Only a few surviving Blumenfeld performers reappeared after the war, and the family name gradually vanished from postwar German circus life. Arthur died in Berlin on December 17, 1951, at age sixty-two; some sources say he took his own life. Victoria lived for many more years, passing away on August 6, 1990, at age ninety-two. They are buried with their daughter Eva in the Jewish cemetery of Weissensee, Berlin.

'''NOTE''': '''''The general outline of this biography was adapted from an article by Dietmar Winkler published in three installments in the defunct German magazine ''Planet Circus'' in 2013. Several other sources were consulted for its redaction, including the books listed below.'''''

==Suggested Reading==

* Marline Otte, ''Jewish Identities in German Popular Entertainment'' (New York, Cambridge University Press, 2006) — ISBN 978-0-521-856-30-0
* Gisela and Dietmar Winkler, ''Die Blumenfelds – Schicksale einer jüdischen Zirkusfamilie'' (Gransee, Edition Schwarzdruck, 2012) — ISBN 978-3-935194-50-1

==Image Gallery==

<Gallery>
File:Meyer_Blumenfeld.png|Meyer Blumenfeld (c.1850)
File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld_-_full_image.jpg|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1850)
File:Cerf_Blumenfeld_Ad.png|Cerf Blumenfeld's Ad (c.1856)
File:Leopold_Blumenfeld.jpg|Leopold Blumenfeld (1858)
File:Jansly_and_Wilhelmina_Blumenfeld.jpg|Jansly & Wilhelmina Blumenfeld (c.1880)
File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld.jpg|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1885)
File:Blumenfeld_postcard_1890.png|Advertising postcard for Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. (c.1890)
File:Blumenfeld_Gurhau_Poster.jpg|Poster showing the Gruhau winter quarters (c.1891)
File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Wwe_poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (1891)
File:Circus_Jansly_Postcard.png|Advertising Postcard for Circus Jansly (c.1895)
File:Simon_Blumenfeld_Family.jpg|Simon Blumenfeld and his family (c.1900)
File:5_Blumenfelds_Poster.jpg|"The 5 Blumenfelds" Poster (c.1900)
File:Barnum_and_Bailey_-_Germany.png|Barnum & Bailey German Tour Poster (1900)
File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (1906)
File:Magdeburg_Circus.jpg|The Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)
File:Magdeburg_Zirkus.jpg|Magdeburg Circus Auditorium (c.1910)
File:Blumenfeld_Elephants.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (c.1912)
File:Blumenfeld_Llamas.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (c.1913)
File:Geb._Blumenfeld_-_Bulls.jpg|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1913)
File:Blumenfeld_lion-elephant_poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (c.1913)
File:Zirkus_Blumenfeld_in_Magdeburg.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld in Magdeburg (1914)
The_5_Sailors_(Blumenfeld).png|The 5 Sailors (Blumenfeld) (c.1915)
File:Geb._Blumenfeld.jpg|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1920)
File:Circus_Arthur_Blumenfeld.jpg|Circus Arthur Blumenfeld in Berlin (1946)
File:Arthur_Blumenfeld_Program_1.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld Program in Berlin (1946)
File:Circus_Blumenfeld_Program_in_Berlin_2.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld Program in Berlin (1946)
File:Blumenfeld_memorial.jpg|Commemorative Stumbling Stones in Magdeburg (2022)
</Gallery>

[[Category:History|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Circus Owner and Directors|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Equestrians|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Artists and Acts|The Blumenfeld Family]]

The Blumenfeld Family

2026-09-06T19:41:12Z

Djando: /* The Nazi Era */

[[File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Wwe_poster.jpg|right|300px]]
==Circus Owners, Equestrians, Animal Trainers, Artists==

''By Dominique Jando''

The huge Blumenfeld family holds an important place in German and European circus history. One of the three major German-Jewish circus dynasties before World War II—along with the [[Circus Strassburger|Strassburgers]] and the [[The Lorch Family|Lorches]]—the Blumenfelds were driven to bankruptcy and then brutally decimated by the Nazis. Before that tragedy, they had been a highly respected family of talented acrobats, aerialists, equestrians, and circus owners. Although some members of the family resurfaced after World War II, the Blumenfelds were never able to reclaim the position they had once held in the circus world.

The Blumenfelds are allied with several other prominent Jewish families, such as the Goldkettes ([[The Brönett Family|Brönett]]), the Strassburgers, the Lorches, and the [[The Könyot Family|Könyots]]. They always married within their faith and, at times, like the Rothschilds, within their family—with perhaps the notable exceptions of Erich Blumenfeld, the youngest son of Simon Blumenfeld, who married Fanny Houcke, from the Franco-Swedish [[The Houcke Dynasty|Houcke]] family, and his brother Alex, whose wife, Eugenie, came from an old Italian circus family, the Cardinales.

Since Hirsch Blumenfeld (1788-1867), founder of the dynasty, created his circus in the mid-nineteenth century, many of his descendants have operated several different circuses under the Blumenfeld name. Hirsch had a large family that developed many branches, and it can be sometimes difficult to determine which branch a given Blumenfeld belonged to. The Blumenfeld circus owners, however, shared one defining trait: they were equestrians who served the equestrian circus tradition with distinction, even as the circus-menagerie was becoming the norm in Germany by the beginning of the twentieth century.

===Cerf Blumenfeld===

[[File:Cerf_Blumenfeld_Ad.png|thumb|left|300px|Cerf Blumenfeld'sCircus National Ad (c.1856)]]Hirsch Blumenfeld was born Hirsch Levy in 1788 in Isenburg, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, one of the many German states. His parents were Levy Wolf (1770-1828), a Jewish cantor, and his wife Rosa (Rösgen), née Cahn (?-1840). The Blumenfeld patronym came later: Under Jewish naming tradition, a son took his father’s given name as a patronym, so Hirsch, as Levy’s son, became Hirsch Levy. Hirsch didn't embrace his father's calling: He became instead a traveling entertainer, an occupation that had attracted many of his coreligionists over the centuries.

Hirsch Levy married Henrietta (Jetta) Jonas (1789-1853), a native of Neuwied, in the Rhineland Palatinate, south of Bonn. Hirsch and Jetta raised a large family of eight children: Emanuel (1811-1885), Meyer (1815-1894), Sophia (1816-?), David (1818-1893), Joseph (1820-1820), Mina (1821-?), Moritz (1825-1895), and Simon (1828-1911)—starting a tradition of exceptionally large families among their descendants.

Later, in 1846, a regulation was introduced in Prussia, where the family had settled, demanding that Jewish families adopt a steady patronymic. Family lore tells us that, when Hirsch declared the name ''Bumenfeld'' to the Prussian authorities, he chose his new patronymic because he saw a field full of flowers (or ''blumen Feld'' in German) through the clerk's window: Hence the Blumenfeld family was born. ''Si non è vero, è bien trovato!'' (Even if not true, it's a good story).

Hirsch Blumenfeld eventually moved from traveling entertainer to traveling circus owner. For reasons unknown, he professionally adopted Cerf (Stag), the French translation of Hirsch, as his first name, and he became known to the circus world as Cerf Blumenfeld. The year of his first circus creation was probably in 1845: On April 9 of that year, a Bonn chronicle announced the opening of "the Equestrian Circus of Mr. Cerf from Combahn with 17 horses" (Combahn is a village on the Rhine, south of Bonn, where the Blumenfelds had settled). This is the earliest known reference to a Blumenfeld circus. From the outset, it was a true equestrian circus, establishing a tradition the family would continue to uphold.

After Jetta’s death in 1853, Hirsch remarried to Sara von Geldern (1817–1896), with whom he had two more sons, Emil (1855–1895) and Aron Alexander (1861–1942). The marriage brought the family to a considerable size: Hirsch now had seven surviving sons, many of whom would go on to found large families of their own, thus giving rise to the numerous branches of the Blumenfeld dynasty.

Cerf Blumenfeld's large family provided the backbone of his programs, which appear to have been of good quality, and the circus grew steadily. The first written review of the show came from the town of Hanau, in Hesse: "An aesthetic treat, as it has been missed here for many years, is now provided by the equestrian company of Mr. Blumenfeld. [...] Stylish costumes and beautiful horses are also a treat for the spectator's eyes." By then, the company had 32 performers and 24 horses.

Cerf Blumenfeld passed awy on August 16, 1867, in Eberstadt, near Darmstadt in Hesse, where his circus may have been performing at the time. It is unclear whether some of his sons took over their father’s circus after his death or had already left to establish circuses of their own. It is known that in 1866, one year before Cerf's death, there was a ''Cirque Equestre'' managed by the Blumenfeld Brothers, which could have been either their father's circus, or a new one.

===The Many Blumenfeld Circuses===

[[File:Meyer_Blumenfeld.png|thumb|right|300px|Meyer Blumenfeld (c.1850)]]Be that as it may, the family eventually dispersed, and several circuses bearing the Blumenfeld name appeared across Germany with varying degrees of success. Some became major German traveling circuses of their times—including Emanuel Blumenfeld’s circus, which survived him under the management of his widow and then his sons; it was to become the Circus Blumenfeld of reference and will be treated later. Nevertheless, many others ''Circus Blumenfeld'' are worth mentioning.

''Zirkus Blumenfeld & Söhne'', created by Meyer Blumenfeld, Emanuel's younger brother, was active between 1884 and 1892, and was a major German circus. Meyer had married twice. His first wife was Setta Hartog (1814-1852), the sister of Jetta Hartog, Emanuel's wife: both brothers married the same day, on January 24, 1839. Meyer and Setta had five children, Leopold (1841-1901), Minna (b. 1843), Josef (b.1845), Nathan (1846-1852), and Sofia; then, after Setta's death, Meyer married Gundula Sara Jonas (b.1812), who gave him another son, Jansly (Samson) (1853-1935). In turn, Jansly and Leopold created two major traveling circuses.

In 1884, Jansly Blumenfeld, who had married his cousin Wilhelmina (1861-1910), daughter of his uncle David, operated ''Circus Jansly & Leo'' with his brother Leopold. It became ''Circus Jansly'' the following year, when Leopold left to establish his own circus. Successfully active from 1885 to 1901, Circus Jansly suffered a devastating train accident and a stable fire in 1900, which killed many of its horses. After a run of forty-six years, the circus could not survive these catastrophes and closed in Berlin in 1901.

Leopold Blumenfeld created his circus in 1885, and it survived his 1901 death—initially under the management of his widow, Bertha Blumenfeld. Bertha was Leopold's third wife. He had married first Lisette Gutschmidt, followed in 1868 by Caroline Hirsch (1850–1883), and after Caroline's death, Bertha Halmschlag (1854-1913). Leopold had one son with Lisette Gutschmidt, Hartwig (1867-1927), and six more children with Caroline Hirsch: Lisette (Setta, 1871-1943), Emil (1874-1952), Adolf (1876-1933), Max (1879-1916), Wilhelm (Willy, 1881-1955), and Gerhard (Georg, 1878-?).

[[File:Leopold_Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Leopold Blumenfeld (c.1850)]]Because Leopold had no children with Bertha, her claim to the circus became uncertain. Caroline’s children—Adolf, Emil, and Lisette—reclaimed it, and it eventually came under the sole management of Lisette (Setta) Blumenfeld. At the time, Setta was married to the circus performer August Gerausch, known as Varinelli, with whom she had four children: Leo Ludwig (1890-1964), Amanda (1905-1942), Arthur (1911-1919), and Alfons. Later, probably in the early 1920s, she formed a couple with her cousin Louis Blumenfeld (1866-1943), a son of Emanuel Blumenfeld; together they had a daughter, also named Lisette.

Setta Blumenfeld's circus had a long and rich career. It traveled under the title ''Großer Zirkus Blumenfeld'', and sometimes as ''Circus Louis Blumenfeld'', although Louis never held part ownership of the circus. The circus eventually passed under the management of Setta's elder son, Leo Gerausch, who closed it in 1926, while Germany was still under the Weimar Republic, because of the financial difficulties caused by a dire economic period. Leopold's other sons, Hartwig, Willy, and Gerhard also exploited smaller circuses in the 1920s, and Cerf Blumenfeld's third son, David, toured a circus for some time.

Another son of Cerf Blumenfeld, Moritz, also became an important circus owner. Moritz had married Sara Haymann (1833-1901) with whom he had no less than thirteen children: Ludwig (1854-1928), Helene (1855-1933), Diena (b.1859), Rosina (1860-1931), Amanda (1864-1935), Karl (1866-1940), Hermann (1868-1916), Adele (1871-1906), Rudolf (1875-1942), Virginia, Bertha, Kätchen, and Ernestine. This was to form a solid backbone for his circus company! He created his circus in 1865, and was successful enough to retire comfortably in 1886, at age sixty-one. Two years before, he had handed the management of his circus to his son Ludwig, who exploited it for only three years before auctioning it in 1887. He too retired comfortably, at age thirty-four!

All these Blumenfeld circuses presented a wide range of high-quality equestrian acts, particularly original liberty displays, which became the hallmark of the Blumenfeld name and were often featured in the winter programs of Europe's resident circuses. The larger Blumenfeld circuses also offered rich and varied productions that included popular equestrian pantomimes such as the inescapable ''Mazeppa'', alongside other large-scale spectacles.

Large families such as that of Moritz Blumenfeld produced outstanding acrobatic and aerial performers, whose acts were held in high demand. Contemporary photographs reveal another characteristic of the dynasty: The Blumenfelds were invariably elegant, both in and out of the ring. In every sense, they embodied the aristocracy of the circus world.

==Zirkus E. Blumenfeld==

[[File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld_-_full_image.jpg|thumb|300px|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1840)]]Emanuel Blumenfeld created the most successful and longest lasting of all the Blumenfeld circuses. As the eldest of Cerf's children, he may well have been his father's successor, since his own ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld'' appeared in August 1867, around the date of his father's death. Born March 1, 1811, in Bremke, a small village near Göttingen, in southern Lower Saxony, he was twenty-eight when he married Jette (Hitzelchen) Hartog (1817-c.1850) on January 24, 1839, in a dual ceremony with his brother Meyer, who married Jette's sister Setta.

Like his brother Moritz, Emanuel would eventually preside over an exceptionally large family. His first wife, Jetta, bore him five children: Moritz (b. 1844), Leopold (b. 1845), Meyer (1847-1892), Wolf (1849-1906), and Wilhelmine (Minna, b. 1850). When Jetta died unexpectedly around 1850, perhaps soon after Minna's birth, Emanuel was left with five very young children and no one to mother them. He found a second wife in Jeanette Stein (1831-1896), who was twenty years his junior.

Jeanette gave Emanuel ten more children: Olympia (b.1852), Henriette (1853-1914, who married [[The Könyot Dynasty|Leopold Könyot]]), Max (b.1855), Jonas (1855-1859), Simon (1857-1918, who married [[The Strassburger Family|Rosa Strassburger]]), Alexander (Simson, 1859-1921), Adolf David (1863-1913), Louis (1866-1943, who married his cousin Setta Blumenfeld-Gerausch), Hermann (1868-1933, who married his niece Betty Blumenfeld, daughter of his brother Simon), and Amanda. In 1881, a journalist described Jeanette Blumenfeld as "a truly Jewish woman with iron strength and a heart of gold, [who] kept her sons and daughters, her daughter-in-law and grandchildren in strict discipline."

Emanuel established his circus’s base in the province of Westphalia, in Prussia, and during its early years ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld'' toured the Kingdom of Prussia exclusively. The Franco-Prussian War of 1870 brought a major disruption: Emanuel’s elder sons Moritz, Leopold, and Meyer, enrolled in the army. Their military service may have encouraged a greater sense of independence, and they eventually left the family circus. Emanuel died on May 23, 1885 in Tilsit, where the circus was performing. Jeanette, whose strength of character suggests that she had likely been involved in managing the circus alongside her husband despite her many duties as a mother, took over its direction.

[[File:Blumenfeld_Gurhau_Poster.jpg|thumb|left|450px|The Gurhau Winter Quarters (c.1891)]]Jeanette came from a circus family, and she had brought her family's circus into her marriage: Consequently, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld had grown in importance, but with such a large family, Jeanette had the support she needed to run it. Simon, Alexander, and Louis oversaw day-to-day operations; Adolf became general manager; and Hermann, as advance man, organized the tours. Under her management, the circus continued to grow, and its stables—always a distinctive Blumenfeld asset—doubled in size. The circus also changed its name to ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld Wwe'' (Circus E. Blumenfeld Widow). In 1891, the family moved to much-needed larger winter quarters in the town of Gurhau, in Lower Silesia (today Góra, in Poland), where they had found a large ensemble of abandoned military stables.

Jeanette Blumenfeld died in Gurhau on April 30, 1896, at age sixty-one. Her death might have led to the breakup of the enterprise and a new proliferation of Blumenfeld circuses, but Emanuel and Jeanette had foreseen that possibility: They wrote a will in 1872 that established a clear succession, both for the circus business and for the family’s responsibilities. It not only defined the siblings' positions and tasks in the running of the circus—which, it specified, couldn't be dismantled or split between them—but also, their commitment to their family and to their Jewish faith. Jeanette's strong hand is apparent in such a strictly ordered will, and its provisions were duly followed by her descendants.

===Enter The Magdeburg Generation===

[[File:Simon_Blumenfeld_Family.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Simon and Rosa's Blumenfeld's family (c.1900)]]Under Jeanette's ownership, the circus had been managed by Simon, Alexander, Adolf, and Hermann, and the four brothers remained at the helm of the enterprise (Louis was soon to leave the family). Not as prolific progenitors as their father, Alexander, Adolf and Hermann didn't produce many descendants, but Simon did, and his progeny, which would become known as the "Magdeburg branch," would constitute the next Blumenfeld generation of circus directors.

Rosa Strassburger gave Simon eleven children: Betty (1880-1932), who married her uncle Hermann; Emanuel, known as Alex (1885-1942); Alfons (1887-1942), who married his cousin [[The Konyöt Family|Olympia Konyöt]]; Arthur (1889-1910), who married his cousin Victoria, daughter of Jansly Blumenfeld; Alfred (1891-1945); Eugen (1893-1937); Alice (1895-1942); Jeanette (Netty, 1897-1969); Willy (1898-1942); Fritz (Friedrich, 1899-1945), and Erich (1901-1943), who married [[The Houcke Dynasty|Fanny Houcke]]).

The Blumenfelds had an excellent reputation among their audiences and among the artists who worked for them. They were known as a warm, welcoming family, always ready to help, and always respectful of their fellow performers—for they were indeed performers themselves: In a 1898 program, one could see Hermann and Betty riding in ''haute-école'', Louis and Setta performing a pas-de-deux on horseback, and Alexandre presenting the liberty acts. Coming up, the next generation was trained in all circus disciplines to perform alongside their elders as acrobats, equestrians, and animal trainers, and eventually replace them.

[[File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Poster.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (1906)]]By 1897, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld, which had been one of the earliest German circuses to perform under a big top instead of a wooden ''construction'' or as visitors in a circus building (of which there were indeed many at the time), had become too big to continue using horse-power transportation, and it switched to travel by rail. In their advertising, the Blumenfelds boosted no less than 180 horses, 28 wagons, and even their own traveling electric plant, which was quite high-tech at the turn of the twentieth century! As they reminded their potential audiences in the press, theirs was not a cheap tenting operation: It was a modern, elegant, and comfortable first-class traveling circus.

Their shows often ended with spectacular equestrian pantomimes (known as "hippodramas") in which they could display their magnificent horses. As the [[The Knie Dynasty|Knies]] and some others would do much later, the Blumenfelds invited the public to watch their training sessions. At a time when horses still held an important place in everyday life and the public at large was fascinated by great horsemanship, this was excellent publicity indeed—especially for a circus where horsemanship was still served with outstanding talent.

In 1911, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld celebrated its 100th anniversary. Emanuel's circus had been created in 1867, after the death of Cerf Blumenfeld and, although it may have been considered the continuation of Cerf's circus, the date of its creation was around 1840. None of these anniversaries worked, so the date chosen for this advertising stunt was the year of Emanuel's birth, 1811. Be that as it may, it worked, and this pseudo-centennial was duly celebrated with special events, banquets with city representatives in attendance, and other festivities—a good indication that the Blumenfelds were seen as important circus owners.

[[File:Barnum_and_Bailey_-_Germany.png|thumb|right|300px|Barnum & Bailey Poster for its German Tour (1900)]]Meanwhile, [[Wilhelm Hagenbeck]], the son of German wild animal importer [[The Hagenbeck Dynasty|Carl Hagenbeck]] (1844-1913), the most important animal dealer of his time (he provided animals to zoos and circuses worldwide), had started a traveling circus in 1887 that included an important menagerie of exotic and wild animals—some of which were presented performing in the show—as well of exhibitions of exotic tribes from the "mysterious" lands of Africa, Asia, and even America (with tribes of Native Americans).

Ten years later, in 1897, the giant American [[Barnum and Bailey Circus]] began an extended European tour that lasted until 1905. Its enormous menagerie impressed European audiences at a time when colonial expansion had intensified public fascination with everything exotic, particularly animals. It encouraged German circuses and traveling menagerie owners such as [[Carl Krone]] to follow Hagenbeck's example and develop into the circus-menagerie enterprises that would characterize the German circus industry until World War II.

The Blumenfelds were no exception to this trend. In 1912, the brothers added a menagerie to their previously equestrian circus and began to present animal acts other than horses. They acquired four elephants and a collection of exotic and wild animals that included a hippopotamus, but they refrained from presenting cage acts in their programs until 1936. Their important stables were still full, and their renowned equestrian acts remained their circus's main attraction.

Then, on June 28, 1914, a Serb nationalist assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. This led Austria-Hungary to declare war to Serbia one month later, on July 28. Russia then entered the conflict to support Serbia, which led to a domino effect in the complicated system of European alliances: France and England joined the war on Russia's side, followed by Italy, and Germany did the same on Austria-Hungary's side with Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire. This situation had disastrous repercussions, and the circus industry experienced them the hard way.

The Blumenfelds had a special relation with the Military: They considered their duty, as German citizens, to serve in the army, and several of Simon's sons enlisted wholeheartedly. Many circus workers did the same, or were drafted, and foreign artists from enemy countries had to leave Germany or had been interned. Then, the Army, which still relied largely on horse-powered transport, requisitioned the Blumenfelds’ horses, as well as their tents. Under these conditions, and with rail travel strictly regulated to give priority to army transports, touring had become impossible, and the Blumenfelds closed their traveling circus. They had, however, a safe retreat.

===The Great War and The Magdeburg Circus===

Magdeburg was the capital of Saxony. Located in what today is Saxony-Anhalt, it was an important city that had hosted several circus buildings over the years. Nothing exceptional there, since major German cities had circus buildings, but Magdeburg location was relatively central in the German Empire, which could make it a good base for a traveling circus. In 1896, an entrepreneur named Hahn built a new circus in the city. Already, in 1886, Hahn had acquired [[August Krembser]]'s circus building in Berlin, which he rented out to major circus companies such as [[Gotthold Schumann]]'s—before Schumann opened his own circus building in the Prussian capital. A master-carpenter, he had already erected a wooden "construction" in Madgeburg in 1892.

[[File:Magdeburg_Circus.jpg|left|thumb|400px|The Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)]]Hahn was not a circus man, but a businessman and landlord who rented out his facilities to circus companies and other tenants. His new Magdeburg circus, located on Kaizer Wilhelm Platz (today's Universitätsplatz) and Köningstraße 62/63 (today's Walther-Rathenau-Straße), a major thoroughfare, was a large building: With a surface area of nearly 4,000 m2 (approximately 154 x 266 feet), it included not only the circus itself, which could be fitted with a removable stage for concerts and theatrical productions and boasted a capacity of 2,800, but also a restaurant, wardrobe shops, a saddlery, a prop workshop, stables for 110 horses, and a small variety theater. It opened on September 30, 1896, with [[Circus Renz]] as a tenant.

The Blumenfelds performed there in 1904, 1911, and 1913. Since 1907, the building had been used principally as a movie theater, and by 1913, it was in disrepair. After Hahn's death, it had passed to his daughter, who was eager to sell. The Blumenfelds had long wanted to move their winter quarters from Gurhau to a more central location, and Magdeburg suited their needs. During their visit in 1913, they offered to buy and restore the property, and Ms. Hahn accepted; then they secured a thirty-year lease with the city, which owned the land, and they could finally move their operations to Magdeburg in 1914. After adding a large foyer to the circus, they were ready to use it for their winter seasons.

Thus, in March 1914, after World War I had broken out and the Blumenfelds had effectively lost their traveling enterprise, they went to their new home in Magdeburg. Since the European theater of war was soon confined to a line of fortified trenches stretching from the English Channel to Switzerland, Germany’s interior remained unaffected. The Blumenfelds were able to rent out the building, though for purposes other than circus performances; they even re-converted it into a movie theater.

During that time of circus inactivity, the directors of the third generation disappeared or retired. Adolf had died in Dresden in 1913, Alexander and Hermann called it quits (they would pass away in 1921 and 1933 respectively), and finally, Simon, the father of the "Magdeburg Line," died in Magdeburg on July 22, 1918, shortly before war's end. The war over, the Gurhau winter quarters were sold, and with the Magdeburg building used for unrelated activities, it could have been the end of the ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld''.

===The Postwar Period===

With seven brothers pretending to be Simon’s successors, not to mention Simon’s four daughters and the children of his brothers, reviving the Zirkus E. Blumenfeld could have led to unforeseen problems. Therefore, in the summer of 1919, Simon’s sons Alex, Alfons, and Arthur purchased the former ''Zircus E. Blumenfeld Wwe.'' company from the family. Then, they announced the creation of a new touring company called ''Zirkus Gebr. Blumenfeld''. They also let it known that they remained co-owners of the Magdeburg circus and set 1920 as the date for the debut of their traveling circus. It wasn’t an easy task: They had to rebuild their entire touring operation from scratch!

[[File:Geb._Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1920)]]They purchased a large two-pole circus tent, 44 meters in diameter (approximately 144 feet) and with a capacity of 2,000 people. This made their circus a major enterprise—although it would soon pale in comparison to giants like [[Circus Krone|Krone]], [[Circus Sarrasani|Sarrasani]], [[Circus Gleich|Gleich]], and even the circus of their Strassburger cousins. Alex, Alfons, and Arthur Blumenfeld could rely on their large family for support: Their brothers, Fritz and Alfred, took care of the administrative aspects of the circus, and Eugen supervised the always important concessions department. Other family members were also available to help and perform in the show.

The new Blumenfeld Circus made its debut in Dessau, not far from Magdeburg, on April 3, 1920. The show featured many family members: Alfons presented liberty acts with Amanda Lorch. Willy appeared in a high-school presentation with his sister-in-law and cousin Victoria (Arthur’s wife), and also doubled as the clown Kucki. Arthur, riding a horse, presented two trained bulls. Of course, there were also many hired performers in the show, including a team of acrobats and a motorcycle stunt act. In November, the Blumenfeld brothers returned for the winter season to their circus in Magdeburg, which at long last reverted to hosting circus shows.

The years immediately following the war were marked by the Spanish flu pandemic, which claimed the lives of about fifty million people worldwide, and Europe was not spared. Yet, after a long and devastating war that killed around twenty million people, European audiences were eager for escapist entertainment. Pandemic or not, the interwar years proved to be exceptionally favorable for circuses and variety shows. The Blumenfelds, like other circus owners, benefited from this sudden enthusiasm. However, the interwar years also brought major economic problems.

During the war, Germany had experienced severe inflation, with prices doubling almost instantly. To address this problem, the Kaiser’s government abandoned its gold-backed currency, expecting that Germany would win the war. That was not the outcome however, and the postwar Weimar government had to pay considerable reparations to the Allies in gold-backed currency. This led to an economic domino effect resulting in hyperinflation: The Mark collapsed, and by 1922, prices had risen by 700%!

[[File:Zirkus_Blumenfeld_in_Magdeburg.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Zirkus Blumenfeld in Magdeburg (1914)]]However, after years of successful touring and well-managed enterprises, the Magdeburg Blumenfelds had become relatively wealthy. Like most European traveling circus families, they didn’t keep all their money in the bank. They followed the traditional practice of converting their wealth into gold or diamonds, which they kept hidden in their mobile homes. But if the depreciation of the Mark didn’t affect their accumulated wealth, then the money they earned in Germany was worthless. For many German circuses, the solution was to travel abroad to replenish their coffers. Sarrasani went to South America, Krone and Gleich traveled throughout Europe...

Similarly, the Blumenfelds looked beyond Germany. They visited the Baltic States and rented out some of their animal and equestrian acts abroad. In 1925-1926, they even toured their animal acts in Russia's circus buildings. Since circuses, like all performing arts, were nationalized by the new Soviet government in 1919, Russia’s ten resident circuses—including two in Moscow—needed artists to fill their programs. With a shortage of Russian performers (the new State Circus and Variety College hadn’t yet produced many of them), the Soviet Committee for the Arts turned to Germany, one of the few countries with which Russia still maintained good relations. The Blumenfelds seized this opportunity.

After a rewarding tour in Russia, the Blumenfelds purchased new wagons and tents. Their menagerie now consisted of forty-five horses, two elephants, four camels, three llamas, and two bulls. However, the political situation in Germany was changing. In the mid-1920s, the NSDAP (Nazi Party), which had until then been a small right-wing movement, began to compete in elections, aiming to undermine the German democratic government of the Weimar Republic. They also began to gain power through grassroots campaigning, propaganda, and political violence. This led to a rise in antisemitism. The Nazis blamed Jews and communists for many of Germany’s postwar problems, and they called for a strong Germany free of Jews, starting with boycotting Jewish businesses.

[[File:Magdeburg_Zirkus.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Interior of the Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)]]“Gau Anhalt-North Saxony” was established by the Nazis in 1926 in order to streamline their party organization. Two years later, it was renamed “Gau Magdeburg-Anhalt”, making Magdeburg a major center for Nazi activities. The Nazi-led boycott of Jewish businesses, often carried out through intimidation, hit the Blumenfelds during a time when Germany was also facing a severe financial crisis. The Nazis exploited this situation to intensify antisemitism. The resulting hardships became evident during the 1927 tour. After trying various measures such as offering ticket discounts and other promotional activities, the Blumenfelds announced that, “Due to the unfavorable financial situation, the circus has decided to discontinue its activities.”

To be sure, they were not the only circus to quit the business: Between 1926 and 1930, no less than seven German circuses went bankrupt. However, the Blumenfelds were a powerful circus family with a permanent base in a major German city. They had always been respected citizens there, but unfortunately, Magdeburg became increasingly hostile under Nazi influence, and their circus building, like their touring show, became unprofitable. To recoup their losses, they tried to sell the building to the municipality.

It seems that there were various forces involved to undermine any potential deal. The plan failed, and the Blumenfelds were forced into bankruptcy in 1927. The building wasn’t sold until ten years later, and even then, the proceeds went directly into the bankruptcy estate. Meanwhile, the bankruptcy trustees continued to rent the building out for purposes other than circus. The bankruptcy was finalized in 1940, but the once respected ''Zirkus Geb. Blumenfeld jun.'' had already ceased to exist. As for the Magdeburg circus building, it never resumed its circus activities and was eventually destroyed in the January 16, 1945 of the Allied bombing of the city.

===The Nazi Era===

The large Magdeburg Blumenfeld family, including Alfons, Alex and Arthur, began to look for engagements in other circuses. Alex found jobs as an animal trainer and artistic director in Scandinavian circuses, Alfons became the deputy manager and artistic director of [[Circus Medrano-Swoboda]], Austria's leading circus, where he also performed as a high-school rider with his daughter Ruth and presented liberty acts; Alfred Blumenfeld went to work as manager of [[Circus Dominik Althoff]], then presented liberty horses on tour with his brother Arthur at [[Circus Adolf Fischer]], another German circus, of which Eugen Blumenfeld had become the artistic director.

Erich Blumenfeld went to France, where he married Fanny Houcke and became a member of the Houcke family (which would soon relocate in neutral Sweden). Fritz Blumenfeld worked in the administration of several circuses and became the private secretary of [[Julius Gleich]], then of Dominik Althoff, and in 1939-40, of the Dutch circus impresario [[Franz Mikkenie]], who will help the Strassburgers to survive the Nazis in The Netherlands. Willy continued to be the clown Kucki in the circus of their cousins Strassburger before they were forced to sell it to [[Paula Busch]]; he would later commit suicide in Auschwitz.

Hitler came to power in 1933, and the Nazi Party now ruled Germany. Circus performers’ unions and directors’ organizations disappeared, and circus and variety artists had to join the newly created, Nazi-controlled ''Artistik'' union if they wanted to work. Several circus owners joined the Nazi Party to protect their interests, with the notable exceptions of [[Hans-Stosch Sarrasani]]—although his son would do so after his father’s death—and Dominik Althoff and his children. In 1935, the Nazi government announced the Nuremberg Laws, which formalized its racial theories; by 1937-1938, Jews were forced to identify themselves, notably by wearing the infamous yellow Star of David, further segregating them from the rest of the German population.

[[File:Blumenfeld_memorial.jpg|thumb|left| 450pix|Blumenfelds' commemorative Stumbling Stones in Magdeburg]]All Jewish performers (among whom the many Blumenfelds still living in Germany) began to be victims of the Nazis' violent antisemitism. Several Blumenfelds went to perform in Scandinavia, England or America, where they settled; a large group of them sailed with Circus Sarrasani to Brazil in 1934. When Simon Blumenfeld's family purchased the Magdeburg circus in 1914, the city became home to other members of the large Blumenfeld family. Louis and Setta Blumenfeld had settled in Magdeburg with the Gerausch family; in 1940 they were forced to move in a so-called "Jewish House."

They were then deported to the Theresienstadt Ghetto in Terezin, Czechoslovakia. Louis died there in 1942. Setta was later transferred to Auschwitz, where she was killed. Other Magdeburg residents, Setta's daughter, Amanda Gerausch, and Ulrich Blumenfeld, a son of Hermann and Betty Blumenfeld, were also deported that year. Rosa Strassburger-Blumenfeld, Simon's widow, died in the Theresienstadt Ghetto in 1943, and seven of her children died in deportation; her daughter Alice committed suicide to avoid deportation.

Obviously, Alex, Alfons and Arthur Blumenfeld, the former directors of the ''Zirkus Geb. Blumenfeld jun.'', were not immune to these attacks. In 1937, Alex was in engagement in Denmark, and from there he moved first to Belgium, and then to France, where he tried to obtain a permit to enter neutral Sweden or Great Britain. Before he could see any positive outcome, the war broke out and France was occupied by Nazi Germany. The old Marshall Pétain, now France's president, and his Vichy government were as much rabidly antisemitic as the occupant, and foreign Jews were the first to be prosecuted.

Alex was arrested as an "enemy alien" and interned in the camp of Saint Cyprien, in Dordogne (southwest France). His wife, Eugenie, had remained in Belgium, and the fact she was of Italian descent (Cardinale) protected her. Alex could correspond with her, but he was soon moved to the notorious internment camp of Drancy, in the Paris suburbs, which was a gateway to Auschwitz; he was sent there in August 1942, never to return.

Alfons Blumenfeld also emigrated to Paris in December 1938, together with his wife Olympia, née Könyot. Like his brother Alex, Alfons was there with his wife when the war broke out and Germany occupied France. They were immediately arrested by the French police; Olympia was interned in the camp of Rivesaltes, near Perpignan in southwestern France, and Alfons was interned in the concentration camp of Bram, near Carcassonne, and later transferred to Drancy. Both were finally sent to Auschwitz, where they were killed.

Their daughter Ruth, who had married [[The Berousek Family|Ludwig Berouzek]], scion of a famous Czech circus dynasty, was deported to Auschwitz, where she was killed in 1942. (Ludwig, whom she had previously divorced, had emigrated to the United States.) Before being arrested, Ruth had put their daughter, Vardia, in the care of a French family: Vardia survived the war.

Arthur Blumenfeld and his wife Victoria (also born Blumenfeld) and his two daughters Rita and Eva, settled in Berlin in 1933. Playing with the unusual similarity of their family names, Victoria managed to register herself as an adopted child of unknown Aryan origin. Their union became therefore a "mixed marriage," which made the family safe from deportation, even though the German authorities subjected Arthur to the usual discrimination, like forced labor and the wearing of the Jewish yellow star. But they survived...

Many other members of the extended Blumenfeld family were killed during this dark period: According to various sources, up to 150 members of the entire family were killed between 1933 and 1945. Arthur Blumenfeld lost nine brothers and sisters during that time: He and his sister Jeanette, who lived in England, were the only survivors of Simon and Rosa Blumenfeld's eleven children!

===Epilogue===

After the end of World War II, Arthur and Victoria tried to restart the Circus Blumenfeld. With the help of the Soviet authorities, which controlled East Germany and most of Berlin, they managed to acquire the equipment of the bankrupt circus of [[Circus Brumbach|Gustav Brumbach]], which included a four-pole big top and all its paraphernalia. They quickly repainted the old wagons to a Blumenfeld livery, put their name on the façade, and began to perform in Berlin in October 1945, touring the four sectors of the destroyed city.

[[File:Circus_Arthur_Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Circus Blumenfeld in Berlin (1946)]]At first, Arthur presented the circus’s only four horses, and the modest program featured a hand-to-hand trio, a perch-pole balancing act, and a magician—nothing exceptional, but fitting for the times. The circus was making money, however, and by December Victoria could report that they "already had four bears, six horses, and several buffalos." In September 1948, Arthur marked his fifty years in the ring, though there were no public celebrations: The Circus Blumenfeld of 1948 was no longer the eminent circus of the pre-Nazi era, and it performed primarily for Allied troops and charitable organizations such as orphanages.

By then, there were already two resident circuses in Barlin: Paula Busch had just opened a circus in the old planetarium of the Zoological Gardens in West Berlin, and [[Harry Barlay]] had erected a large "construction" on Friedrichstraße, among the ruins of Berlin Mitte, then located in the Soviet zone of Berlin. Yet, the Blumenfelds, who were touring within the city—which didn't go without its share of problems—were very competent circus directors and could have prospered enough to take the road again.

Unfortunately, the Blockade of Berlin started on June 23, 1948, and, in an already uneasy situation, major problems began to arise, notably to find food for the animals—for which the three circuses had to resort to a very expensive black market. Eventually, some animals had to be given away, and a few horses had even to be killed. The financial situation of the three circuses was dismal, even more so for the Blumenfelds, who had re-started from scratch and didn't have the resources of Paula Busch or Harry Barley.

Arthur Blumenfeld staged his final show in 1949 at the Berlin Zoo, where he had set up his circus. Apart from the few horses he had managed to keep, the program was largely a variety show, and its income was not enough to sustain the enterprise. The once prosperous and celebrated ''Zirkus Blumenfeld'' gave its last performance in June of that year. Arthur sold his equipment and the few animals he had left to Paula Busch. With that, the Blumenfeld name forever disappeared from the roster of German circuses.

Only a few surviving Blumenfeld performers reappeared after the war, and the family name gradually vanished from postwar German circus life. Arthur died in Berlin on December 17, 1951, at age sixty-two; some sources say he took his own life. Victoria lived for many more years, passing away on August 6, 1990, at age ninety-two. They are buried with their daughter Eva in the Jewish cemetery of Weissensee, Berlin.

'''NOTE''': '''''The general outline of this biography was adapted from an article by Dietmar Winkler published in three installments in the defunct German magazine ''Planet Circus'' in 2013. Several other sources were consulted for its redaction, including the books listed below.'''''

==Suggested Reading==

* Marline Otte, ''Jewish Identities in German Popular Entertainment'' (New York, Cambridge University Press, 2006) — ISBN 978-0-521-856-30-0
* Gisela and Dietmar Winkler, ''Die Blumenfelds – Schicksale einer jüdischen Zirkusfamilie'' (Gransee, Edition Schwarzdruck, 2012) — ISBN 978-3-935194-50-1

==Image Gallery==

<Gallery>
File:Meyer_Blumenfeld.png|Meyer Blumenfeld (c.1850)
File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld_-_full_image.jpg|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1850)
File:Cerf_Blumenfeld_Ad.png|Cerf Blumenfeld's Ad (c.1856)
File:Leopold_Blumenfeld.jpg|Leopold Blumenfeld (1858)
File:Jansly_and_Wilhelmina_Blumenfeld.jpg|Jansly & Wilhelmina Blumenfeld (c.1880)
File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld.jpg|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1885)
File:Blumenfeld_postcard_1890.png|Advertising postcard for Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. (c.1890)
File:Blumenfeld_Gurhau_Poster.jpg|Poster showing the Gruhau winter quarters (c.1891)
File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Wwe_poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (1891)
File:Circus_Jansly_Postcard.png|Advertising Postcard for Circus Jansly (c.1895)
File:Simon_Blumenfeld_Family.jpg|Simon Blumenfeld and his family (c.1900)
File:5_Blumenfelds_Poster.jpg|"The 5 Blumenfelds" Poster (c.1900)
File:Barnum_and_Bailey_-_Germany.png|Barnum & Bailey German Tour Poster (1900)
File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (1906)
File:Magdeburg_Circus.jpg|The Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)
File:Magdeburg_Zirkus.jpg|Magdeburg Circus Auditorium (c.1910)
File:Blumenfeld_Elephants.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (c.1912)
File:Blumenfeld_Llamas.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (c.1913)
File:Geb._Blumenfeld_-_Bulls.jpg|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1913)
File:Blumenfeld_lion-elephant_poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (c.1913)
File:Zirkus_Blumenfeld_in_Magdeburg.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld in Magdeburg (1914)
The_5_Sailors_(Blumenfeld).png|The 5 Sailors (Blumenfeld) (c.1915)
File:Geb._Blumenfeld.jpg|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1920)
File:Circus_Arthur_Blumenfeld.jpg|Circus Arthur Blumenfeld in Berlin (1946)
File:Arthur_Blumenfeld_Program_1.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld Program in Berlin (1946)
File:Circus_Blumenfeld_Program_in_Berlin_2.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld Program in Berlin (1946)
File:Blumenfeld_memorial.jpg|Commemorative Stumbling Stones in Magdeburg (2022)
</Gallery>

[[Category:History|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Circus Owner and Directors|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Equestrians|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Artists and Acts|The Blumenfeld Family]]

The Blumenfeld Family

2026-09-06T19:40:33Z

Djando: /* The Nazi Era */

[[File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Wwe_poster.jpg|right|300px]]
==Circus Owners, Equestrians, Animal Trainers, Artists==

''By Dominique Jando''

The huge Blumenfeld family holds an important place in German and European circus history. One of the three major German-Jewish circus dynasties before World War II—along with the [[Circus Strassburger|Strassburgers]] and the [[The Lorch Family|Lorches]]—the Blumenfelds were driven to bankruptcy and then brutally decimated by the Nazis. Before that tragedy, they had been a highly respected family of talented acrobats, aerialists, equestrians, and circus owners. Although some members of the family resurfaced after World War II, the Blumenfelds were never able to reclaim the position they had once held in the circus world.

The Blumenfelds are allied with several other prominent Jewish families, such as the Goldkettes ([[The Brönett Family|Brönett]]), the Strassburgers, the Lorches, and the [[The Könyot Family|Könyots]]. They always married within their faith and, at times, like the Rothschilds, within their family—with perhaps the notable exceptions of Erich Blumenfeld, the youngest son of Simon Blumenfeld, who married Fanny Houcke, from the Franco-Swedish [[The Houcke Dynasty|Houcke]] family, and his brother Alex, whose wife, Eugenie, came from an old Italian circus family, the Cardinales.

Since Hirsch Blumenfeld (1788-1867), founder of the dynasty, created his circus in the mid-nineteenth century, many of his descendants have operated several different circuses under the Blumenfeld name. Hirsch had a large family that developed many branches, and it can be sometimes difficult to determine which branch a given Blumenfeld belonged to. The Blumenfeld circus owners, however, shared one defining trait: they were equestrians who served the equestrian circus tradition with distinction, even as the circus-menagerie was becoming the norm in Germany by the beginning of the twentieth century.

===Cerf Blumenfeld===

[[File:Cerf_Blumenfeld_Ad.png|thumb|left|300px|Cerf Blumenfeld'sCircus National Ad (c.1856)]]Hirsch Blumenfeld was born Hirsch Levy in 1788 in Isenburg, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, one of the many German states. His parents were Levy Wolf (1770-1828), a Jewish cantor, and his wife Rosa (Rösgen), née Cahn (?-1840). The Blumenfeld patronym came later: Under Jewish naming tradition, a son took his father’s given name as a patronym, so Hirsch, as Levy’s son, became Hirsch Levy. Hirsch didn't embrace his father's calling: He became instead a traveling entertainer, an occupation that had attracted many of his coreligionists over the centuries.

Hirsch Levy married Henrietta (Jetta) Jonas (1789-1853), a native of Neuwied, in the Rhineland Palatinate, south of Bonn. Hirsch and Jetta raised a large family of eight children: Emanuel (1811-1885), Meyer (1815-1894), Sophia (1816-?), David (1818-1893), Joseph (1820-1820), Mina (1821-?), Moritz (1825-1895), and Simon (1828-1911)—starting a tradition of exceptionally large families among their descendants.

Later, in 1846, a regulation was introduced in Prussia, where the family had settled, demanding that Jewish families adopt a steady patronymic. Family lore tells us that, when Hirsch declared the name ''Bumenfeld'' to the Prussian authorities, he chose his new patronymic because he saw a field full of flowers (or ''blumen Feld'' in German) through the clerk's window: Hence the Blumenfeld family was born. ''Si non è vero, è bien trovato!'' (Even if not true, it's a good story).

Hirsch Blumenfeld eventually moved from traveling entertainer to traveling circus owner. For reasons unknown, he professionally adopted Cerf (Stag), the French translation of Hirsch, as his first name, and he became known to the circus world as Cerf Blumenfeld. The year of his first circus creation was probably in 1845: On April 9 of that year, a Bonn chronicle announced the opening of "the Equestrian Circus of Mr. Cerf from Combahn with 17 horses" (Combahn is a village on the Rhine, south of Bonn, where the Blumenfelds had settled). This is the earliest known reference to a Blumenfeld circus. From the outset, it was a true equestrian circus, establishing a tradition the family would continue to uphold.

After Jetta’s death in 1853, Hirsch remarried to Sara von Geldern (1817–1896), with whom he had two more sons, Emil (1855–1895) and Aron Alexander (1861–1942). The marriage brought the family to a considerable size: Hirsch now had seven surviving sons, many of whom would go on to found large families of their own, thus giving rise to the numerous branches of the Blumenfeld dynasty.

Cerf Blumenfeld's large family provided the backbone of his programs, which appear to have been of good quality, and the circus grew steadily. The first written review of the show came from the town of Hanau, in Hesse: "An aesthetic treat, as it has been missed here for many years, is now provided by the equestrian company of Mr. Blumenfeld. [...] Stylish costumes and beautiful horses are also a treat for the spectator's eyes." By then, the company had 32 performers and 24 horses.

Cerf Blumenfeld passed awy on August 16, 1867, in Eberstadt, near Darmstadt in Hesse, where his circus may have been performing at the time. It is unclear whether some of his sons took over their father’s circus after his death or had already left to establish circuses of their own. It is known that in 1866, one year before Cerf's death, there was a ''Cirque Equestre'' managed by the Blumenfeld Brothers, which could have been either their father's circus, or a new one.

===The Many Blumenfeld Circuses===

[[File:Meyer_Blumenfeld.png|thumb|right|300px|Meyer Blumenfeld (c.1850)]]Be that as it may, the family eventually dispersed, and several circuses bearing the Blumenfeld name appeared across Germany with varying degrees of success. Some became major German traveling circuses of their times—including Emanuel Blumenfeld’s circus, which survived him under the management of his widow and then his sons; it was to become the Circus Blumenfeld of reference and will be treated later. Nevertheless, many others ''Circus Blumenfeld'' are worth mentioning.

''Zirkus Blumenfeld & Söhne'', created by Meyer Blumenfeld, Emanuel's younger brother, was active between 1884 and 1892, and was a major German circus. Meyer had married twice. His first wife was Setta Hartog (1814-1852), the sister of Jetta Hartog, Emanuel's wife: both brothers married the same day, on January 24, 1839. Meyer and Setta had five children, Leopold (1841-1901), Minna (b. 1843), Josef (b.1845), Nathan (1846-1852), and Sofia; then, after Setta's death, Meyer married Gundula Sara Jonas (b.1812), who gave him another son, Jansly (Samson) (1853-1935). In turn, Jansly and Leopold created two major traveling circuses.

In 1884, Jansly Blumenfeld, who had married his cousin Wilhelmina (1861-1910), daughter of his uncle David, operated ''Circus Jansly & Leo'' with his brother Leopold. It became ''Circus Jansly'' the following year, when Leopold left to establish his own circus. Successfully active from 1885 to 1901, Circus Jansly suffered a devastating train accident and a stable fire in 1900, which killed many of its horses. After a run of forty-six years, the circus could not survive these catastrophes and closed in Berlin in 1901.

Leopold Blumenfeld created his circus in 1885, and it survived his 1901 death—initially under the management of his widow, Bertha Blumenfeld. Bertha was Leopold's third wife. He had married first Lisette Gutschmidt, followed in 1868 by Caroline Hirsch (1850–1883), and after Caroline's death, Bertha Halmschlag (1854-1913). Leopold had one son with Lisette Gutschmidt, Hartwig (1867-1927), and six more children with Caroline Hirsch: Lisette (Setta, 1871-1943), Emil (1874-1952), Adolf (1876-1933), Max (1879-1916), Wilhelm (Willy, 1881-1955), and Gerhard (Georg, 1878-?).

[[File:Leopold_Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Leopold Blumenfeld (c.1850)]]Because Leopold had no children with Bertha, her claim to the circus became uncertain. Caroline’s children—Adolf, Emil, and Lisette—reclaimed it, and it eventually came under the sole management of Lisette (Setta) Blumenfeld. At the time, Setta was married to the circus performer August Gerausch, known as Varinelli, with whom she had four children: Leo Ludwig (1890-1964), Amanda (1905-1942), Arthur (1911-1919), and Alfons. Later, probably in the early 1920s, she formed a couple with her cousin Louis Blumenfeld (1866-1943), a son of Emanuel Blumenfeld; together they had a daughter, also named Lisette.

Setta Blumenfeld's circus had a long and rich career. It traveled under the title ''Großer Zirkus Blumenfeld'', and sometimes as ''Circus Louis Blumenfeld'', although Louis never held part ownership of the circus. The circus eventually passed under the management of Setta's elder son, Leo Gerausch, who closed it in 1926, while Germany was still under the Weimar Republic, because of the financial difficulties caused by a dire economic period. Leopold's other sons, Hartwig, Willy, and Gerhard also exploited smaller circuses in the 1920s, and Cerf Blumenfeld's third son, David, toured a circus for some time.

Another son of Cerf Blumenfeld, Moritz, also became an important circus owner. Moritz had married Sara Haymann (1833-1901) with whom he had no less than thirteen children: Ludwig (1854-1928), Helene (1855-1933), Diena (b.1859), Rosina (1860-1931), Amanda (1864-1935), Karl (1866-1940), Hermann (1868-1916), Adele (1871-1906), Rudolf (1875-1942), Virginia, Bertha, Kätchen, and Ernestine. This was to form a solid backbone for his circus company! He created his circus in 1865, and was successful enough to retire comfortably in 1886, at age sixty-one. Two years before, he had handed the management of his circus to his son Ludwig, who exploited it for only three years before auctioning it in 1887. He too retired comfortably, at age thirty-four!

All these Blumenfeld circuses presented a wide range of high-quality equestrian acts, particularly original liberty displays, which became the hallmark of the Blumenfeld name and were often featured in the winter programs of Europe's resident circuses. The larger Blumenfeld circuses also offered rich and varied productions that included popular equestrian pantomimes such as the inescapable ''Mazeppa'', alongside other large-scale spectacles.

Large families such as that of Moritz Blumenfeld produced outstanding acrobatic and aerial performers, whose acts were held in high demand. Contemporary photographs reveal another characteristic of the dynasty: The Blumenfelds were invariably elegant, both in and out of the ring. In every sense, they embodied the aristocracy of the circus world.

==Zirkus E. Blumenfeld==

[[File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld_-_full_image.jpg|thumb|300px|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1840)]]Emanuel Blumenfeld created the most successful and longest lasting of all the Blumenfeld circuses. As the eldest of Cerf's children, he may well have been his father's successor, since his own ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld'' appeared in August 1867, around the date of his father's death. Born March 1, 1811, in Bremke, a small village near Göttingen, in southern Lower Saxony, he was twenty-eight when he married Jette (Hitzelchen) Hartog (1817-c.1850) on January 24, 1839, in a dual ceremony with his brother Meyer, who married Jette's sister Setta.

Like his brother Moritz, Emanuel would eventually preside over an exceptionally large family. His first wife, Jetta, bore him five children: Moritz (b. 1844), Leopold (b. 1845), Meyer (1847-1892), Wolf (1849-1906), and Wilhelmine (Minna, b. 1850). When Jetta died unexpectedly around 1850, perhaps soon after Minna's birth, Emanuel was left with five very young children and no one to mother them. He found a second wife in Jeanette Stein (1831-1896), who was twenty years his junior.

Jeanette gave Emanuel ten more children: Olympia (b.1852), Henriette (1853-1914, who married [[The Könyot Dynasty|Leopold Könyot]]), Max (b.1855), Jonas (1855-1859), Simon (1857-1918, who married [[The Strassburger Family|Rosa Strassburger]]), Alexander (Simson, 1859-1921), Adolf David (1863-1913), Louis (1866-1943, who married his cousin Setta Blumenfeld-Gerausch), Hermann (1868-1933, who married his niece Betty Blumenfeld, daughter of his brother Simon), and Amanda. In 1881, a journalist described Jeanette Blumenfeld as "a truly Jewish woman with iron strength and a heart of gold, [who] kept her sons and daughters, her daughter-in-law and grandchildren in strict discipline."

Emanuel established his circus’s base in the province of Westphalia, in Prussia, and during its early years ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld'' toured the Kingdom of Prussia exclusively. The Franco-Prussian War of 1870 brought a major disruption: Emanuel’s elder sons Moritz, Leopold, and Meyer, enrolled in the army. Their military service may have encouraged a greater sense of independence, and they eventually left the family circus. Emanuel died on May 23, 1885 in Tilsit, where the circus was performing. Jeanette, whose strength of character suggests that she had likely been involved in managing the circus alongside her husband despite her many duties as a mother, took over its direction.

[[File:Blumenfeld_Gurhau_Poster.jpg|thumb|left|450px|The Gurhau Winter Quarters (c.1891)]]Jeanette came from a circus family, and she had brought her family's circus into her marriage: Consequently, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld had grown in importance, but with such a large family, Jeanette had the support she needed to run it. Simon, Alexander, and Louis oversaw day-to-day operations; Adolf became general manager; and Hermann, as advance man, organized the tours. Under her management, the circus continued to grow, and its stables—always a distinctive Blumenfeld asset—doubled in size. The circus also changed its name to ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld Wwe'' (Circus E. Blumenfeld Widow). In 1891, the family moved to much-needed larger winter quarters in the town of Gurhau, in Lower Silesia (today Góra, in Poland), where they had found a large ensemble of abandoned military stables.

Jeanette Blumenfeld died in Gurhau on April 30, 1896, at age sixty-one. Her death might have led to the breakup of the enterprise and a new proliferation of Blumenfeld circuses, but Emanuel and Jeanette had foreseen that possibility: They wrote a will in 1872 that established a clear succession, both for the circus business and for the family’s responsibilities. It not only defined the siblings' positions and tasks in the running of the circus—which, it specified, couldn't be dismantled or split between them—but also, their commitment to their family and to their Jewish faith. Jeanette's strong hand is apparent in such a strictly ordered will, and its provisions were duly followed by her descendants.

===Enter The Magdeburg Generation===

[[File:Simon_Blumenfeld_Family.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Simon and Rosa's Blumenfeld's family (c.1900)]]Under Jeanette's ownership, the circus had been managed by Simon, Alexander, Adolf, and Hermann, and the four brothers remained at the helm of the enterprise (Louis was soon to leave the family). Not as prolific progenitors as their father, Alexander, Adolf and Hermann didn't produce many descendants, but Simon did, and his progeny, which would become known as the "Magdeburg branch," would constitute the next Blumenfeld generation of circus directors.

Rosa Strassburger gave Simon eleven children: Betty (1880-1932), who married her uncle Hermann; Emanuel, known as Alex (1885-1942); Alfons (1887-1942), who married his cousin [[The Konyöt Family|Olympia Konyöt]]; Arthur (1889-1910), who married his cousin Victoria, daughter of Jansly Blumenfeld; Alfred (1891-1945); Eugen (1893-1937); Alice (1895-1942); Jeanette (Netty, 1897-1969); Willy (1898-1942); Fritz (Friedrich, 1899-1945), and Erich (1901-1943), who married [[The Houcke Dynasty|Fanny Houcke]]).

The Blumenfelds had an excellent reputation among their audiences and among the artists who worked for them. They were known as a warm, welcoming family, always ready to help, and always respectful of their fellow performers—for they were indeed performers themselves: In a 1898 program, one could see Hermann and Betty riding in ''haute-école'', Louis and Setta performing a pas-de-deux on horseback, and Alexandre presenting the liberty acts. Coming up, the next generation was trained in all circus disciplines to perform alongside their elders as acrobats, equestrians, and animal trainers, and eventually replace them.

[[File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Poster.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (1906)]]By 1897, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld, which had been one of the earliest German circuses to perform under a big top instead of a wooden ''construction'' or as visitors in a circus building (of which there were indeed many at the time), had become too big to continue using horse-power transportation, and it switched to travel by rail. In their advertising, the Blumenfelds boosted no less than 180 horses, 28 wagons, and even their own traveling electric plant, which was quite high-tech at the turn of the twentieth century! As they reminded their potential audiences in the press, theirs was not a cheap tenting operation: It was a modern, elegant, and comfortable first-class traveling circus.

Their shows often ended with spectacular equestrian pantomimes (known as "hippodramas") in which they could display their magnificent horses. As the [[The Knie Dynasty|Knies]] and some others would do much later, the Blumenfelds invited the public to watch their training sessions. At a time when horses still held an important place in everyday life and the public at large was fascinated by great horsemanship, this was excellent publicity indeed—especially for a circus where horsemanship was still served with outstanding talent.

In 1911, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld celebrated its 100th anniversary. Emanuel's circus had been created in 1867, after the death of Cerf Blumenfeld and, although it may have been considered the continuation of Cerf's circus, the date of its creation was around 1840. None of these anniversaries worked, so the date chosen for this advertising stunt was the year of Emanuel's birth, 1811. Be that as it may, it worked, and this pseudo-centennial was duly celebrated with special events, banquets with city representatives in attendance, and other festivities—a good indication that the Blumenfelds were seen as important circus owners.

[[File:Barnum_and_Bailey_-_Germany.png|thumb|right|300px|Barnum & Bailey Poster for its German Tour (1900)]]Meanwhile, [[Wilhelm Hagenbeck]], the son of German wild animal importer [[The Hagenbeck Dynasty|Carl Hagenbeck]] (1844-1913), the most important animal dealer of his time (he provided animals to zoos and circuses worldwide), had started a traveling circus in 1887 that included an important menagerie of exotic and wild animals—some of which were presented performing in the show—as well of exhibitions of exotic tribes from the "mysterious" lands of Africa, Asia, and even America (with tribes of Native Americans).

Ten years later, in 1897, the giant American [[Barnum and Bailey Circus]] began an extended European tour that lasted until 1905. Its enormous menagerie impressed European audiences at a time when colonial expansion had intensified public fascination with everything exotic, particularly animals. It encouraged German circuses and traveling menagerie owners such as [[Carl Krone]] to follow Hagenbeck's example and develop into the circus-menagerie enterprises that would characterize the German circus industry until World War II.

The Blumenfelds were no exception to this trend. In 1912, the brothers added a menagerie to their previously equestrian circus and began to present animal acts other than horses. They acquired four elephants and a collection of exotic and wild animals that included a hippopotamus, but they refrained from presenting cage acts in their programs until 1936. Their important stables were still full, and their renowned equestrian acts remained their circus's main attraction.

Then, on June 28, 1914, a Serb nationalist assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. This led Austria-Hungary to declare war to Serbia one month later, on July 28. Russia then entered the conflict to support Serbia, which led to a domino effect in the complicated system of European alliances: France and England joined the war on Russia's side, followed by Italy, and Germany did the same on Austria-Hungary's side with Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire. This situation had disastrous repercussions, and the circus industry experienced them the hard way.

The Blumenfelds had a special relation with the Military: They considered their duty, as German citizens, to serve in the army, and several of Simon's sons enlisted wholeheartedly. Many circus workers did the same, or were drafted, and foreign artists from enemy countries had to leave Germany or had been interned. Then, the Army, which still relied largely on horse-powered transport, requisitioned the Blumenfelds’ horses, as well as their tents. Under these conditions, and with rail travel strictly regulated to give priority to army transports, touring had become impossible, and the Blumenfelds closed their traveling circus. They had, however, a safe retreat.

===The Great War and The Magdeburg Circus===

Magdeburg was the capital of Saxony. Located in what today is Saxony-Anhalt, it was an important city that had hosted several circus buildings over the years. Nothing exceptional there, since major German cities had circus buildings, but Magdeburg location was relatively central in the German Empire, which could make it a good base for a traveling circus. In 1896, an entrepreneur named Hahn built a new circus in the city. Already, in 1886, Hahn had acquired [[August Krembser]]'s circus building in Berlin, which he rented out to major circus companies such as [[Gotthold Schumann]]'s—before Schumann opened his own circus building in the Prussian capital. A master-carpenter, he had already erected a wooden "construction" in Madgeburg in 1892.

[[File:Magdeburg_Circus.jpg|left|thumb|400px|The Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)]]Hahn was not a circus man, but a businessman and landlord who rented out his facilities to circus companies and other tenants. His new Magdeburg circus, located on Kaizer Wilhelm Platz (today's Universitätsplatz) and Köningstraße 62/63 (today's Walther-Rathenau-Straße), a major thoroughfare, was a large building: With a surface area of nearly 4,000 m2 (approximately 154 x 266 feet), it included not only the circus itself, which could be fitted with a removable stage for concerts and theatrical productions and boasted a capacity of 2,800, but also a restaurant, wardrobe shops, a saddlery, a prop workshop, stables for 110 horses, and a small variety theater. It opened on September 30, 1896, with [[Circus Renz]] as a tenant.

The Blumenfelds performed there in 1904, 1911, and 1913. Since 1907, the building had been used principally as a movie theater, and by 1913, it was in disrepair. After Hahn's death, it had passed to his daughter, who was eager to sell. The Blumenfelds had long wanted to move their winter quarters from Gurhau to a more central location, and Magdeburg suited their needs. During their visit in 1913, they offered to buy and restore the property, and Ms. Hahn accepted; then they secured a thirty-year lease with the city, which owned the land, and they could finally move their operations to Magdeburg in 1914. After adding a large foyer to the circus, they were ready to use it for their winter seasons.

Thus, in March 1914, after World War I had broken out and the Blumenfelds had effectively lost their traveling enterprise, they went to their new home in Magdeburg. Since the European theater of war was soon confined to a line of fortified trenches stretching from the English Channel to Switzerland, Germany’s interior remained unaffected. The Blumenfelds were able to rent out the building, though for purposes other than circus performances; they even re-converted it into a movie theater.

During that time of circus inactivity, the directors of the third generation disappeared or retired. Adolf had died in Dresden in 1913, Alexander and Hermann called it quits (they would pass away in 1921 and 1933 respectively), and finally, Simon, the father of the "Magdeburg Line," died in Magdeburg on July 22, 1918, shortly before war's end. The war over, the Gurhau winter quarters were sold, and with the Magdeburg building used for unrelated activities, it could have been the end of the ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld''.

===The Postwar Period===

With seven brothers pretending to be Simon’s successors, not to mention Simon’s four daughters and the children of his brothers, reviving the Zirkus E. Blumenfeld could have led to unforeseen problems. Therefore, in the summer of 1919, Simon’s sons Alex, Alfons, and Arthur purchased the former ''Zircus E. Blumenfeld Wwe.'' company from the family. Then, they announced the creation of a new touring company called ''Zirkus Gebr. Blumenfeld''. They also let it known that they remained co-owners of the Magdeburg circus and set 1920 as the date for the debut of their traveling circus. It wasn’t an easy task: They had to rebuild their entire touring operation from scratch!

[[File:Geb._Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1920)]]They purchased a large two-pole circus tent, 44 meters in diameter (approximately 144 feet) and with a capacity of 2,000 people. This made their circus a major enterprise—although it would soon pale in comparison to giants like [[Circus Krone|Krone]], [[Circus Sarrasani|Sarrasani]], [[Circus Gleich|Gleich]], and even the circus of their Strassburger cousins. Alex, Alfons, and Arthur Blumenfeld could rely on their large family for support: Their brothers, Fritz and Alfred, took care of the administrative aspects of the circus, and Eugen supervised the always important concessions department. Other family members were also available to help and perform in the show.

The new Blumenfeld Circus made its debut in Dessau, not far from Magdeburg, on April 3, 1920. The show featured many family members: Alfons presented liberty acts with Amanda Lorch. Willy appeared in a high-school presentation with his sister-in-law and cousin Victoria (Arthur’s wife), and also doubled as the clown Kucki. Arthur, riding a horse, presented two trained bulls. Of course, there were also many hired performers in the show, including a team of acrobats and a motorcycle stunt act. In November, the Blumenfeld brothers returned for the winter season to their circus in Magdeburg, which at long last reverted to hosting circus shows.

The years immediately following the war were marked by the Spanish flu pandemic, which claimed the lives of about fifty million people worldwide, and Europe was not spared. Yet, after a long and devastating war that killed around twenty million people, European audiences were eager for escapist entertainment. Pandemic or not, the interwar years proved to be exceptionally favorable for circuses and variety shows. The Blumenfelds, like other circus owners, benefited from this sudden enthusiasm. However, the interwar years also brought major economic problems.

During the war, Germany had experienced severe inflation, with prices doubling almost instantly. To address this problem, the Kaiser’s government abandoned its gold-backed currency, expecting that Germany would win the war. That was not the outcome however, and the postwar Weimar government had to pay considerable reparations to the Allies in gold-backed currency. This led to an economic domino effect resulting in hyperinflation: The Mark collapsed, and by 1922, prices had risen by 700%!

[[File:Zirkus_Blumenfeld_in_Magdeburg.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Zirkus Blumenfeld in Magdeburg (1914)]]However, after years of successful touring and well-managed enterprises, the Magdeburg Blumenfelds had become relatively wealthy. Like most European traveling circus families, they didn’t keep all their money in the bank. They followed the traditional practice of converting their wealth into gold or diamonds, which they kept hidden in their mobile homes. But if the depreciation of the Mark didn’t affect their accumulated wealth, then the money they earned in Germany was worthless. For many German circuses, the solution was to travel abroad to replenish their coffers. Sarrasani went to South America, Krone and Gleich traveled throughout Europe...

Similarly, the Blumenfelds looked beyond Germany. They visited the Baltic States and rented out some of their animal and equestrian acts abroad. In 1925-1926, they even toured their animal acts in Russia's circus buildings. Since circuses, like all performing arts, were nationalized by the new Soviet government in 1919, Russia’s ten resident circuses—including two in Moscow—needed artists to fill their programs. With a shortage of Russian performers (the new State Circus and Variety College hadn’t yet produced many of them), the Soviet Committee for the Arts turned to Germany, one of the few countries with which Russia still maintained good relations. The Blumenfelds seized this opportunity.

After a rewarding tour in Russia, the Blumenfelds purchased new wagons and tents. Their menagerie now consisted of forty-five horses, two elephants, four camels, three llamas, and two bulls. However, the political situation in Germany was changing. In the mid-1920s, the NSDAP (Nazi Party), which had until then been a small right-wing movement, began to compete in elections, aiming to undermine the German democratic government of the Weimar Republic. They also began to gain power through grassroots campaigning, propaganda, and political violence. This led to a rise in antisemitism. The Nazis blamed Jews and communists for many of Germany’s postwar problems, and they called for a strong Germany free of Jews, starting with boycotting Jewish businesses.

[[File:Magdeburg_Zirkus.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Interior of the Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)]]“Gau Anhalt-North Saxony” was established by the Nazis in 1926 in order to streamline their party organization. Two years later, it was renamed “Gau Magdeburg-Anhalt”, making Magdeburg a major center for Nazi activities. The Nazi-led boycott of Jewish businesses, often carried out through intimidation, hit the Blumenfelds during a time when Germany was also facing a severe financial crisis. The Nazis exploited this situation to intensify antisemitism. The resulting hardships became evident during the 1927 tour. After trying various measures such as offering ticket discounts and other promotional activities, the Blumenfelds announced that, “Due to the unfavorable financial situation, the circus has decided to discontinue its activities.”

To be sure, they were not the only circus to quit the business: Between 1926 and 1930, no less than seven German circuses went bankrupt. However, the Blumenfelds were a powerful circus family with a permanent base in a major German city. They had always been respected citizens there, but unfortunately, Magdeburg became increasingly hostile under Nazi influence, and their circus building, like their touring show, became unprofitable. To recoup their losses, they tried to sell the building to the municipality.

It seems that there were various forces involved to undermine any potential deal. The plan failed, and the Blumenfelds were forced into bankruptcy in 1927. The building wasn’t sold until ten years later, and even then, the proceeds went directly into the bankruptcy estate. Meanwhile, the bankruptcy trustees continued to rent the building out for purposes other than circus. The bankruptcy was finalized in 1940, but the once respected ''Zirkus Geb. Blumenfeld jun.'' had already ceased to exist. As for the Magdeburg circus building, it never resumed its circus activities and was eventually destroyed in the January 16, 1945 of the Allied bombing of the city.

===The Nazi Era===

The large Magdeburg Blumenfeld family, including Alfons, Alex and Arthur, began to look for engagements in other circuses. Alex found jobs as an animal trainer and artistic director in Scandinavian circuses, Alfons became the deputy manager and artistic director of [[Circus Medrano-Swoboda]], Austria's leading circus, where he also performed as a high-school rider with his daughter Ruth and presented liberty acts; Alfred Blumenfeld went to work as manager of [[Circus Dominik Althoff]], then presented liberty horses on tour with his brother Arthur at [[Circus Adolf Fischer]], another German circus, of which Eugen Blumenfeld had become the artistic director.

Erich Blumenfeld went to France, where he married Fanny Houcke and became a member of the Houcke family (which would soon relocate in neutral Sweden). Fritz Blumenfeld worked in the administration of several circuses and became the private secretary of [[Julius Gleich]], then of Dominik Althoff, and in 1939-40, of the Dutch circus impresario [[Franz Mikkenie]], who will help the Strassburgers to survive the Nazis in The Netherlands. Willy continued to be the clown Kucki in the circus of their cousins Strassburger before they were forced to sell it to [[Paula Busch]]; he would later commit suicide in Auschwitz.

Hitler came to power in 1933, and the Nazi Party now ruled Germany. Circus performers’ unions and directors’ organizations disappeared, and circus and variety artists had to join the newly created, Nazi-controlled ''Artistik'' union if they wanted to work. Several circus owners joined the Nazi Party to protect their interests, with the notable exceptions of [[Hans-Stosch Sarrasani]]—although his son would do so after his father’s death—and Dominik Althoff and his children. In 1935, the Nazi government announced the Nuremberg Laws, which formalized its racial theories; by 1937-1938, Jews were forced to identify themselves, notably by wearing the infamous yellow Star of David, further segregating them from the rest of the German population.

[[File:Blumenfeld_memorial.jpg|thumb|left| 450pix|Blumenfelds' commemorative Stumbling Stones in Magdeburg]]All Jewish performers (among whom the many Blumenfelds still living in Germany) began to be victims of the Nazis' violent antisemitism. Several Blumenfelds went to perform in Scandinavia, England or America, where they settled; a large group of them sailed with Circus Sarrasani to Brazil in 1934. When Simon Blumenfeld's family purchased the Magdeburg circus in 1914, the city became home to other members of the large Blumenfeld family. Louis and Setta Blumenfeld had settled in Magdeburg with the Gerausch family; in 1940 they were forced to move in a so-called "Jewish House."

They were then deported to the Theresienstadt Ghetto in Terezin, Czechoslovakia. Louis died there in 1942. Setta was later transferred to Auschwitz, where she was killed. Other Magdeburg residents, Setta's daughter, Amanda Gerausch, and Ulrich Blumenfeld, a son of Hermann and Betty Blumenfeld, were also deported that year. Rosa Strassburger-Blumenfeld, Simon's widow, died in the Theresienstadt Ghetto in 1943, and seven of her children died in deportation; her daughter Alice committed suicide to avoid deportation.

Obviously, Alex, Alfons and Arthur Blumenfeld, the former directors of the ''Zirkus Geb. Blumenfeld jun.'', were not immune to these attacks. In 1937, Alex was in engagement in Denmark, and from there he moved first to Belgium, and then to France, where he tried to obtain a permit to enter neutral Sweden or Great Britain. Before he could see any positive outcome, the war broke out and France was occupied by Nazi Germany. The old Marshall Pétain, now France's president, and his Vichy government were as much rabidly antisemitic as the occupant, and foreign Jews were the first to be prosecuted.

Alex was arrested as an "enemy alien" and interned in the camp of Saint Cyprien, in Dordogne (southwest France). His wife, Eugenie, had remained in Belgium, and the fact she was of Italian descent (Cardinale) protected her. Alex could correspond with her, but he was soon moved to the notorious internment camp of Drancy, in the Paris suburbs, which was a gateway to Auschwitz; he was sent there in August 1942, never to return.

Alfons Blumenfeld also emigrated to Paris in December 1938, together with his wife Olympia, née Könyot. Like his brother Alex, Alfons was there with his wife when the war broke out and Germany occupied France. They were immediately arrested by the French police; Olympia was interned in the camp of Rivesaltes, near Perpignan in southwestern France, and Alfons was interned in the concentration camp of Bram, near Carcassonne, and later transferred to Drancy. Both were finally sent to Auschwitz, where they were killed.

Their daughter Ruth, who was married to [[The Berousek Family|Ludwig Berouzek]], scion of a famous Czech circus dynasty, was deported to Auschwitz, where she was killed in 1942. (Ludwig, whom she had previously divorced, had emigrated to the United States.) Before being arrested, Ruth had put their daughter, Vardia, in the care of a French family: Vardia survived the war.

Arthur Blumenfeld and his wife Victoria (also born Blumenfeld) and his two daughters Rita and Eva, settled in Berlin in 1933. Playing with the unusual similarity of their family names, Victoria managed to register herself as an adopted child of unknown Aryan origin. Their union became therefore a "mixed marriage," which made the family safe from deportation, even though the German authorities subjected Arthur to the usual discrimination, like forced labor and the wearing of the Jewish yellow star. But they survived...

Many other members of the extended Blumenfeld family were killed during this dark period: According to various sources, up to 150 members of the entire family were killed between 1933 and 1945. Arthur Blumenfeld lost nine brothers and sisters during that time: He and his sister Jeanette, who lived in England, were the only survivors of Simon and Rosa Blumenfeld's eleven children!

===Epilogue===

After the end of World War II, Arthur and Victoria tried to restart the Circus Blumenfeld. With the help of the Soviet authorities, which controlled East Germany and most of Berlin, they managed to acquire the equipment of the bankrupt circus of [[Circus Brumbach|Gustav Brumbach]], which included a four-pole big top and all its paraphernalia. They quickly repainted the old wagons to a Blumenfeld livery, put their name on the façade, and began to perform in Berlin in October 1945, touring the four sectors of the destroyed city.

[[File:Circus_Arthur_Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Circus Blumenfeld in Berlin (1946)]]At first, Arthur presented the circus’s only four horses, and the modest program featured a hand-to-hand trio, a perch-pole balancing act, and a magician—nothing exceptional, but fitting for the times. The circus was making money, however, and by December Victoria could report that they "already had four bears, six horses, and several buffalos." In September 1948, Arthur marked his fifty years in the ring, though there were no public celebrations: The Circus Blumenfeld of 1948 was no longer the eminent circus of the pre-Nazi era, and it performed primarily for Allied troops and charitable organizations such as orphanages.

By then, there were already two resident circuses in Barlin: Paula Busch had just opened a circus in the old planetarium of the Zoological Gardens in West Berlin, and [[Harry Barlay]] had erected a large "construction" on Friedrichstraße, among the ruins of Berlin Mitte, then located in the Soviet zone of Berlin. Yet, the Blumenfelds, who were touring within the city—which didn't go without its share of problems—were very competent circus directors and could have prospered enough to take the road again.

Unfortunately, the Blockade of Berlin started on June 23, 1948, and, in an already uneasy situation, major problems began to arise, notably to find food for the animals—for which the three circuses had to resort to a very expensive black market. Eventually, some animals had to be given away, and a few horses had even to be killed. The financial situation of the three circuses was dismal, even more so for the Blumenfelds, who had re-started from scratch and didn't have the resources of Paula Busch or Harry Barley.

Arthur Blumenfeld staged his final show in 1949 at the Berlin Zoo, where he had set up his circus. Apart from the few horses he had managed to keep, the program was largely a variety show, and its income was not enough to sustain the enterprise. The once prosperous and celebrated ''Zirkus Blumenfeld'' gave its last performance in June of that year. Arthur sold his equipment and the few animals he had left to Paula Busch. With that, the Blumenfeld name forever disappeared from the roster of German circuses.

Only a few surviving Blumenfeld performers reappeared after the war, and the family name gradually vanished from postwar German circus life. Arthur died in Berlin on December 17, 1951, at age sixty-two; some sources say he took his own life. Victoria lived for many more years, passing away on August 6, 1990, at age ninety-two. They are buried with their daughter Eva in the Jewish cemetery of Weissensee, Berlin.

'''NOTE''': '''''The general outline of this biography was adapted from an article by Dietmar Winkler published in three installments in the defunct German magazine ''Planet Circus'' in 2013. Several other sources were consulted for its redaction, including the books listed below.'''''

==Suggested Reading==

* Marline Otte, ''Jewish Identities in German Popular Entertainment'' (New York, Cambridge University Press, 2006) — ISBN 978-0-521-856-30-0
* Gisela and Dietmar Winkler, ''Die Blumenfelds – Schicksale einer jüdischen Zirkusfamilie'' (Gransee, Edition Schwarzdruck, 2012) — ISBN 978-3-935194-50-1

==Image Gallery==

<Gallery>
File:Meyer_Blumenfeld.png|Meyer Blumenfeld (c.1850)
File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld_-_full_image.jpg|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1850)
File:Cerf_Blumenfeld_Ad.png|Cerf Blumenfeld's Ad (c.1856)
File:Leopold_Blumenfeld.jpg|Leopold Blumenfeld (1858)
File:Jansly_and_Wilhelmina_Blumenfeld.jpg|Jansly & Wilhelmina Blumenfeld (c.1880)
File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld.jpg|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1885)
File:Blumenfeld_postcard_1890.png|Advertising postcard for Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. (c.1890)
File:Blumenfeld_Gurhau_Poster.jpg|Poster showing the Gruhau winter quarters (c.1891)
File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Wwe_poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (1891)
File:Circus_Jansly_Postcard.png|Advertising Postcard for Circus Jansly (c.1895)
File:Simon_Blumenfeld_Family.jpg|Simon Blumenfeld and his family (c.1900)
File:5_Blumenfelds_Poster.jpg|"The 5 Blumenfelds" Poster (c.1900)
File:Barnum_and_Bailey_-_Germany.png|Barnum & Bailey German Tour Poster (1900)
File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (1906)
File:Magdeburg_Circus.jpg|The Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)
File:Magdeburg_Zirkus.jpg|Magdeburg Circus Auditorium (c.1910)
File:Blumenfeld_Elephants.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (c.1912)
File:Blumenfeld_Llamas.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (c.1913)
File:Geb._Blumenfeld_-_Bulls.jpg|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1913)
File:Blumenfeld_lion-elephant_poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (c.1913)
File:Zirkus_Blumenfeld_in_Magdeburg.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld in Magdeburg (1914)
The_5_Sailors_(Blumenfeld).png|The 5 Sailors (Blumenfeld) (c.1915)
File:Geb._Blumenfeld.jpg|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1920)
File:Circus_Arthur_Blumenfeld.jpg|Circus Arthur Blumenfeld in Berlin (1946)
File:Arthur_Blumenfeld_Program_1.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld Program in Berlin (1946)
File:Circus_Blumenfeld_Program_in_Berlin_2.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld Program in Berlin (1946)
File:Blumenfeld_memorial.jpg|Commemorative Stumbling Stones in Magdeburg (2022)
</Gallery>

[[Category:History|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Circus Owner and Directors|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Equestrians|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Artists and Acts|The Blumenfeld Family]]

The Blumenfeld Family

2026-09-06T19:39:49Z

Djando: /* The Nazi Era */

[[File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Wwe_poster.jpg|right|300px]]
==Circus Owners, Equestrians, Animal Trainers, Artists==

''By Dominique Jando''

The huge Blumenfeld family holds an important place in German and European circus history. One of the three major German-Jewish circus dynasties before World War II—along with the [[Circus Strassburger|Strassburgers]] and the [[The Lorch Family|Lorches]]—the Blumenfelds were driven to bankruptcy and then brutally decimated by the Nazis. Before that tragedy, they had been a highly respected family of talented acrobats, aerialists, equestrians, and circus owners. Although some members of the family resurfaced after World War II, the Blumenfelds were never able to reclaim the position they had once held in the circus world.

The Blumenfelds are allied with several other prominent Jewish families, such as the Goldkettes ([[The Brönett Family|Brönett]]), the Strassburgers, the Lorches, and the [[The Könyot Family|Könyots]]. They always married within their faith and, at times, like the Rothschilds, within their family—with perhaps the notable exceptions of Erich Blumenfeld, the youngest son of Simon Blumenfeld, who married Fanny Houcke, from the Franco-Swedish [[The Houcke Dynasty|Houcke]] family, and his brother Alex, whose wife, Eugenie, came from an old Italian circus family, the Cardinales.

Since Hirsch Blumenfeld (1788-1867), founder of the dynasty, created his circus in the mid-nineteenth century, many of his descendants have operated several different circuses under the Blumenfeld name. Hirsch had a large family that developed many branches, and it can be sometimes difficult to determine which branch a given Blumenfeld belonged to. The Blumenfeld circus owners, however, shared one defining trait: they were equestrians who served the equestrian circus tradition with distinction, even as the circus-menagerie was becoming the norm in Germany by the beginning of the twentieth century.

===Cerf Blumenfeld===

[[File:Cerf_Blumenfeld_Ad.png|thumb|left|300px|Cerf Blumenfeld'sCircus National Ad (c.1856)]]Hirsch Blumenfeld was born Hirsch Levy in 1788 in Isenburg, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, one of the many German states. His parents were Levy Wolf (1770-1828), a Jewish cantor, and his wife Rosa (Rösgen), née Cahn (?-1840). The Blumenfeld patronym came later: Under Jewish naming tradition, a son took his father’s given name as a patronym, so Hirsch, as Levy’s son, became Hirsch Levy. Hirsch didn't embrace his father's calling: He became instead a traveling entertainer, an occupation that had attracted many of his coreligionists over the centuries.

Hirsch Levy married Henrietta (Jetta) Jonas (1789-1853), a native of Neuwied, in the Rhineland Palatinate, south of Bonn. Hirsch and Jetta raised a large family of eight children: Emanuel (1811-1885), Meyer (1815-1894), Sophia (1816-?), David (1818-1893), Joseph (1820-1820), Mina (1821-?), Moritz (1825-1895), and Simon (1828-1911)—starting a tradition of exceptionally large families among their descendants.

Later, in 1846, a regulation was introduced in Prussia, where the family had settled, demanding that Jewish families adopt a steady patronymic. Family lore tells us that, when Hirsch declared the name ''Bumenfeld'' to the Prussian authorities, he chose his new patronymic because he saw a field full of flowers (or ''blumen Feld'' in German) through the clerk's window: Hence the Blumenfeld family was born. ''Si non è vero, è bien trovato!'' (Even if not true, it's a good story).

Hirsch Blumenfeld eventually moved from traveling entertainer to traveling circus owner. For reasons unknown, he professionally adopted Cerf (Stag), the French translation of Hirsch, as his first name, and he became known to the circus world as Cerf Blumenfeld. The year of his first circus creation was probably in 1845: On April 9 of that year, a Bonn chronicle announced the opening of "the Equestrian Circus of Mr. Cerf from Combahn with 17 horses" (Combahn is a village on the Rhine, south of Bonn, where the Blumenfelds had settled). This is the earliest known reference to a Blumenfeld circus. From the outset, it was a true equestrian circus, establishing a tradition the family would continue to uphold.

After Jetta’s death in 1853, Hirsch remarried to Sara von Geldern (1817–1896), with whom he had two more sons, Emil (1855–1895) and Aron Alexander (1861–1942). The marriage brought the family to a considerable size: Hirsch now had seven surviving sons, many of whom would go on to found large families of their own, thus giving rise to the numerous branches of the Blumenfeld dynasty.

Cerf Blumenfeld's large family provided the backbone of his programs, which appear to have been of good quality, and the circus grew steadily. The first written review of the show came from the town of Hanau, in Hesse: "An aesthetic treat, as it has been missed here for many years, is now provided by the equestrian company of Mr. Blumenfeld. [...] Stylish costumes and beautiful horses are also a treat for the spectator's eyes." By then, the company had 32 performers and 24 horses.

Cerf Blumenfeld passed awy on August 16, 1867, in Eberstadt, near Darmstadt in Hesse, where his circus may have been performing at the time. It is unclear whether some of his sons took over their father’s circus after his death or had already left to establish circuses of their own. It is known that in 1866, one year before Cerf's death, there was a ''Cirque Equestre'' managed by the Blumenfeld Brothers, which could have been either their father's circus, or a new one.

===The Many Blumenfeld Circuses===

[[File:Meyer_Blumenfeld.png|thumb|right|300px|Meyer Blumenfeld (c.1850)]]Be that as it may, the family eventually dispersed, and several circuses bearing the Blumenfeld name appeared across Germany with varying degrees of success. Some became major German traveling circuses of their times—including Emanuel Blumenfeld’s circus, which survived him under the management of his widow and then his sons; it was to become the Circus Blumenfeld of reference and will be treated later. Nevertheless, many others ''Circus Blumenfeld'' are worth mentioning.

''Zirkus Blumenfeld & Söhne'', created by Meyer Blumenfeld, Emanuel's younger brother, was active between 1884 and 1892, and was a major German circus. Meyer had married twice. His first wife was Setta Hartog (1814-1852), the sister of Jetta Hartog, Emanuel's wife: both brothers married the same day, on January 24, 1839. Meyer and Setta had five children, Leopold (1841-1901), Minna (b. 1843), Josef (b.1845), Nathan (1846-1852), and Sofia; then, after Setta's death, Meyer married Gundula Sara Jonas (b.1812), who gave him another son, Jansly (Samson) (1853-1935). In turn, Jansly and Leopold created two major traveling circuses.

In 1884, Jansly Blumenfeld, who had married his cousin Wilhelmina (1861-1910), daughter of his uncle David, operated ''Circus Jansly & Leo'' with his brother Leopold. It became ''Circus Jansly'' the following year, when Leopold left to establish his own circus. Successfully active from 1885 to 1901, Circus Jansly suffered a devastating train accident and a stable fire in 1900, which killed many of its horses. After a run of forty-six years, the circus could not survive these catastrophes and closed in Berlin in 1901.

Leopold Blumenfeld created his circus in 1885, and it survived his 1901 death—initially under the management of his widow, Bertha Blumenfeld. Bertha was Leopold's third wife. He had married first Lisette Gutschmidt, followed in 1868 by Caroline Hirsch (1850–1883), and after Caroline's death, Bertha Halmschlag (1854-1913). Leopold had one son with Lisette Gutschmidt, Hartwig (1867-1927), and six more children with Caroline Hirsch: Lisette (Setta, 1871-1943), Emil (1874-1952), Adolf (1876-1933), Max (1879-1916), Wilhelm (Willy, 1881-1955), and Gerhard (Georg, 1878-?).

[[File:Leopold_Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Leopold Blumenfeld (c.1850)]]Because Leopold had no children with Bertha, her claim to the circus became uncertain. Caroline’s children—Adolf, Emil, and Lisette—reclaimed it, and it eventually came under the sole management of Lisette (Setta) Blumenfeld. At the time, Setta was married to the circus performer August Gerausch, known as Varinelli, with whom she had four children: Leo Ludwig (1890-1964), Amanda (1905-1942), Arthur (1911-1919), and Alfons. Later, probably in the early 1920s, she formed a couple with her cousin Louis Blumenfeld (1866-1943), a son of Emanuel Blumenfeld; together they had a daughter, also named Lisette.

Setta Blumenfeld's circus had a long and rich career. It traveled under the title ''Großer Zirkus Blumenfeld'', and sometimes as ''Circus Louis Blumenfeld'', although Louis never held part ownership of the circus. The circus eventually passed under the management of Setta's elder son, Leo Gerausch, who closed it in 1926, while Germany was still under the Weimar Republic, because of the financial difficulties caused by a dire economic period. Leopold's other sons, Hartwig, Willy, and Gerhard also exploited smaller circuses in the 1920s, and Cerf Blumenfeld's third son, David, toured a circus for some time.

Another son of Cerf Blumenfeld, Moritz, also became an important circus owner. Moritz had married Sara Haymann (1833-1901) with whom he had no less than thirteen children: Ludwig (1854-1928), Helene (1855-1933), Diena (b.1859), Rosina (1860-1931), Amanda (1864-1935), Karl (1866-1940), Hermann (1868-1916), Adele (1871-1906), Rudolf (1875-1942), Virginia, Bertha, Kätchen, and Ernestine. This was to form a solid backbone for his circus company! He created his circus in 1865, and was successful enough to retire comfortably in 1886, at age sixty-one. Two years before, he had handed the management of his circus to his son Ludwig, who exploited it for only three years before auctioning it in 1887. He too retired comfortably, at age thirty-four!

All these Blumenfeld circuses presented a wide range of high-quality equestrian acts, particularly original liberty displays, which became the hallmark of the Blumenfeld name and were often featured in the winter programs of Europe's resident circuses. The larger Blumenfeld circuses also offered rich and varied productions that included popular equestrian pantomimes such as the inescapable ''Mazeppa'', alongside other large-scale spectacles.

Large families such as that of Moritz Blumenfeld produced outstanding acrobatic and aerial performers, whose acts were held in high demand. Contemporary photographs reveal another characteristic of the dynasty: The Blumenfelds were invariably elegant, both in and out of the ring. In every sense, they embodied the aristocracy of the circus world.

==Zirkus E. Blumenfeld==

[[File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld_-_full_image.jpg|thumb|300px|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1840)]]Emanuel Blumenfeld created the most successful and longest lasting of all the Blumenfeld circuses. As the eldest of Cerf's children, he may well have been his father's successor, since his own ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld'' appeared in August 1867, around the date of his father's death. Born March 1, 1811, in Bremke, a small village near Göttingen, in southern Lower Saxony, he was twenty-eight when he married Jette (Hitzelchen) Hartog (1817-c.1850) on January 24, 1839, in a dual ceremony with his brother Meyer, who married Jette's sister Setta.

Like his brother Moritz, Emanuel would eventually preside over an exceptionally large family. His first wife, Jetta, bore him five children: Moritz (b. 1844), Leopold (b. 1845), Meyer (1847-1892), Wolf (1849-1906), and Wilhelmine (Minna, b. 1850). When Jetta died unexpectedly around 1850, perhaps soon after Minna's birth, Emanuel was left with five very young children and no one to mother them. He found a second wife in Jeanette Stein (1831-1896), who was twenty years his junior.

Jeanette gave Emanuel ten more children: Olympia (b.1852), Henriette (1853-1914, who married [[The Könyot Dynasty|Leopold Könyot]]), Max (b.1855), Jonas (1855-1859), Simon (1857-1918, who married [[The Strassburger Family|Rosa Strassburger]]), Alexander (Simson, 1859-1921), Adolf David (1863-1913), Louis (1866-1943, who married his cousin Setta Blumenfeld-Gerausch), Hermann (1868-1933, who married his niece Betty Blumenfeld, daughter of his brother Simon), and Amanda. In 1881, a journalist described Jeanette Blumenfeld as "a truly Jewish woman with iron strength and a heart of gold, [who] kept her sons and daughters, her daughter-in-law and grandchildren in strict discipline."

Emanuel established his circus’s base in the province of Westphalia, in Prussia, and during its early years ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld'' toured the Kingdom of Prussia exclusively. The Franco-Prussian War of 1870 brought a major disruption: Emanuel’s elder sons Moritz, Leopold, and Meyer, enrolled in the army. Their military service may have encouraged a greater sense of independence, and they eventually left the family circus. Emanuel died on May 23, 1885 in Tilsit, where the circus was performing. Jeanette, whose strength of character suggests that she had likely been involved in managing the circus alongside her husband despite her many duties as a mother, took over its direction.

[[File:Blumenfeld_Gurhau_Poster.jpg|thumb|left|450px|The Gurhau Winter Quarters (c.1891)]]Jeanette came from a circus family, and she had brought her family's circus into her marriage: Consequently, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld had grown in importance, but with such a large family, Jeanette had the support she needed to run it. Simon, Alexander, and Louis oversaw day-to-day operations; Adolf became general manager; and Hermann, as advance man, organized the tours. Under her management, the circus continued to grow, and its stables—always a distinctive Blumenfeld asset—doubled in size. The circus also changed its name to ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld Wwe'' (Circus E. Blumenfeld Widow). In 1891, the family moved to much-needed larger winter quarters in the town of Gurhau, in Lower Silesia (today Góra, in Poland), where they had found a large ensemble of abandoned military stables.

Jeanette Blumenfeld died in Gurhau on April 30, 1896, at age sixty-one. Her death might have led to the breakup of the enterprise and a new proliferation of Blumenfeld circuses, but Emanuel and Jeanette had foreseen that possibility: They wrote a will in 1872 that established a clear succession, both for the circus business and for the family’s responsibilities. It not only defined the siblings' positions and tasks in the running of the circus—which, it specified, couldn't be dismantled or split between them—but also, their commitment to their family and to their Jewish faith. Jeanette's strong hand is apparent in such a strictly ordered will, and its provisions were duly followed by her descendants.

===Enter The Magdeburg Generation===

[[File:Simon_Blumenfeld_Family.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Simon and Rosa's Blumenfeld's family (c.1900)]]Under Jeanette's ownership, the circus had been managed by Simon, Alexander, Adolf, and Hermann, and the four brothers remained at the helm of the enterprise (Louis was soon to leave the family). Not as prolific progenitors as their father, Alexander, Adolf and Hermann didn't produce many descendants, but Simon did, and his progeny, which would become known as the "Magdeburg branch," would constitute the next Blumenfeld generation of circus directors.

Rosa Strassburger gave Simon eleven children: Betty (1880-1932), who married her uncle Hermann; Emanuel, known as Alex (1885-1942); Alfons (1887-1942), who married his cousin [[The Konyöt Family|Olympia Konyöt]]; Arthur (1889-1910), who married his cousin Victoria, daughter of Jansly Blumenfeld; Alfred (1891-1945); Eugen (1893-1937); Alice (1895-1942); Jeanette (Netty, 1897-1969); Willy (1898-1942); Fritz (Friedrich, 1899-1945), and Erich (1901-1943), who married [[The Houcke Dynasty|Fanny Houcke]]).

The Blumenfelds had an excellent reputation among their audiences and among the artists who worked for them. They were known as a warm, welcoming family, always ready to help, and always respectful of their fellow performers—for they were indeed performers themselves: In a 1898 program, one could see Hermann and Betty riding in ''haute-école'', Louis and Setta performing a pas-de-deux on horseback, and Alexandre presenting the liberty acts. Coming up, the next generation was trained in all circus disciplines to perform alongside their elders as acrobats, equestrians, and animal trainers, and eventually replace them.

[[File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Poster.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (1906)]]By 1897, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld, which had been one of the earliest German circuses to perform under a big top instead of a wooden ''construction'' or as visitors in a circus building (of which there were indeed many at the time), had become too big to continue using horse-power transportation, and it switched to travel by rail. In their advertising, the Blumenfelds boosted no less than 180 horses, 28 wagons, and even their own traveling electric plant, which was quite high-tech at the turn of the twentieth century! As they reminded their potential audiences in the press, theirs was not a cheap tenting operation: It was a modern, elegant, and comfortable first-class traveling circus.

Their shows often ended with spectacular equestrian pantomimes (known as "hippodramas") in which they could display their magnificent horses. As the [[The Knie Dynasty|Knies]] and some others would do much later, the Blumenfelds invited the public to watch their training sessions. At a time when horses still held an important place in everyday life and the public at large was fascinated by great horsemanship, this was excellent publicity indeed—especially for a circus where horsemanship was still served with outstanding talent.

In 1911, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld celebrated its 100th anniversary. Emanuel's circus had been created in 1867, after the death of Cerf Blumenfeld and, although it may have been considered the continuation of Cerf's circus, the date of its creation was around 1840. None of these anniversaries worked, so the date chosen for this advertising stunt was the year of Emanuel's birth, 1811. Be that as it may, it worked, and this pseudo-centennial was duly celebrated with special events, banquets with city representatives in attendance, and other festivities—a good indication that the Blumenfelds were seen as important circus owners.

[[File:Barnum_and_Bailey_-_Germany.png|thumb|right|300px|Barnum & Bailey Poster for its German Tour (1900)]]Meanwhile, [[Wilhelm Hagenbeck]], the son of German wild animal importer [[The Hagenbeck Dynasty|Carl Hagenbeck]] (1844-1913), the most important animal dealer of his time (he provided animals to zoos and circuses worldwide), had started a traveling circus in 1887 that included an important menagerie of exotic and wild animals—some of which were presented performing in the show—as well of exhibitions of exotic tribes from the "mysterious" lands of Africa, Asia, and even America (with tribes of Native Americans).

Ten years later, in 1897, the giant American [[Barnum and Bailey Circus]] began an extended European tour that lasted until 1905. Its enormous menagerie impressed European audiences at a time when colonial expansion had intensified public fascination with everything exotic, particularly animals. It encouraged German circuses and traveling menagerie owners such as [[Carl Krone]] to follow Hagenbeck's example and develop into the circus-menagerie enterprises that would characterize the German circus industry until World War II.

The Blumenfelds were no exception to this trend. In 1912, the brothers added a menagerie to their previously equestrian circus and began to present animal acts other than horses. They acquired four elephants and a collection of exotic and wild animals that included a hippopotamus, but they refrained from presenting cage acts in their programs until 1936. Their important stables were still full, and their renowned equestrian acts remained their circus's main attraction.

Then, on June 28, 1914, a Serb nationalist assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. This led Austria-Hungary to declare war to Serbia one month later, on July 28. Russia then entered the conflict to support Serbia, which led to a domino effect in the complicated system of European alliances: France and England joined the war on Russia's side, followed by Italy, and Germany did the same on Austria-Hungary's side with Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire. This situation had disastrous repercussions, and the circus industry experienced them the hard way.

The Blumenfelds had a special relation with the Military: They considered their duty, as German citizens, to serve in the army, and several of Simon's sons enlisted wholeheartedly. Many circus workers did the same, or were drafted, and foreign artists from enemy countries had to leave Germany or had been interned. Then, the Army, which still relied largely on horse-powered transport, requisitioned the Blumenfelds’ horses, as well as their tents. Under these conditions, and with rail travel strictly regulated to give priority to army transports, touring had become impossible, and the Blumenfelds closed their traveling circus. They had, however, a safe retreat.

===The Great War and The Magdeburg Circus===

Magdeburg was the capital of Saxony. Located in what today is Saxony-Anhalt, it was an important city that had hosted several circus buildings over the years. Nothing exceptional there, since major German cities had circus buildings, but Magdeburg location was relatively central in the German Empire, which could make it a good base for a traveling circus. In 1896, an entrepreneur named Hahn built a new circus in the city. Already, in 1886, Hahn had acquired [[August Krembser]]'s circus building in Berlin, which he rented out to major circus companies such as [[Gotthold Schumann]]'s—before Schumann opened his own circus building in the Prussian capital. A master-carpenter, he had already erected a wooden "construction" in Madgeburg in 1892.

[[File:Magdeburg_Circus.jpg|left|thumb|400px|The Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)]]Hahn was not a circus man, but a businessman and landlord who rented out his facilities to circus companies and other tenants. His new Magdeburg circus, located on Kaizer Wilhelm Platz (today's Universitätsplatz) and Köningstraße 62/63 (today's Walther-Rathenau-Straße), a major thoroughfare, was a large building: With a surface area of nearly 4,000 m2 (approximately 154 x 266 feet), it included not only the circus itself, which could be fitted with a removable stage for concerts and theatrical productions and boasted a capacity of 2,800, but also a restaurant, wardrobe shops, a saddlery, a prop workshop, stables for 110 horses, and a small variety theater. It opened on September 30, 1896, with [[Circus Renz]] as a tenant.

The Blumenfelds performed there in 1904, 1911, and 1913. Since 1907, the building had been used principally as a movie theater, and by 1913, it was in disrepair. After Hahn's death, it had passed to his daughter, who was eager to sell. The Blumenfelds had long wanted to move their winter quarters from Gurhau to a more central location, and Magdeburg suited their needs. During their visit in 1913, they offered to buy and restore the property, and Ms. Hahn accepted; then they secured a thirty-year lease with the city, which owned the land, and they could finally move their operations to Magdeburg in 1914. After adding a large foyer to the circus, they were ready to use it for their winter seasons.

Thus, in March 1914, after World War I had broken out and the Blumenfelds had effectively lost their traveling enterprise, they went to their new home in Magdeburg. Since the European theater of war was soon confined to a line of fortified trenches stretching from the English Channel to Switzerland, Germany’s interior remained unaffected. The Blumenfelds were able to rent out the building, though for purposes other than circus performances; they even re-converted it into a movie theater.

During that time of circus inactivity, the directors of the third generation disappeared or retired. Adolf had died in Dresden in 1913, Alexander and Hermann called it quits (they would pass away in 1921 and 1933 respectively), and finally, Simon, the father of the "Magdeburg Line," died in Magdeburg on July 22, 1918, shortly before war's end. The war over, the Gurhau winter quarters were sold, and with the Magdeburg building used for unrelated activities, it could have been the end of the ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld''.

===The Postwar Period===

With seven brothers pretending to be Simon’s successors, not to mention Simon’s four daughters and the children of his brothers, reviving the Zirkus E. Blumenfeld could have led to unforeseen problems. Therefore, in the summer of 1919, Simon’s sons Alex, Alfons, and Arthur purchased the former ''Zircus E. Blumenfeld Wwe.'' company from the family. Then, they announced the creation of a new touring company called ''Zirkus Gebr. Blumenfeld''. They also let it known that they remained co-owners of the Magdeburg circus and set 1920 as the date for the debut of their traveling circus. It wasn’t an easy task: They had to rebuild their entire touring operation from scratch!

[[File:Geb._Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1920)]]They purchased a large two-pole circus tent, 44 meters in diameter (approximately 144 feet) and with a capacity of 2,000 people. This made their circus a major enterprise—although it would soon pale in comparison to giants like [[Circus Krone|Krone]], [[Circus Sarrasani|Sarrasani]], [[Circus Gleich|Gleich]], and even the circus of their Strassburger cousins. Alex, Alfons, and Arthur Blumenfeld could rely on their large family for support: Their brothers, Fritz and Alfred, took care of the administrative aspects of the circus, and Eugen supervised the always important concessions department. Other family members were also available to help and perform in the show.

The new Blumenfeld Circus made its debut in Dessau, not far from Magdeburg, on April 3, 1920. The show featured many family members: Alfons presented liberty acts with Amanda Lorch. Willy appeared in a high-school presentation with his sister-in-law and cousin Victoria (Arthur’s wife), and also doubled as the clown Kucki. Arthur, riding a horse, presented two trained bulls. Of course, there were also many hired performers in the show, including a team of acrobats and a motorcycle stunt act. In November, the Blumenfeld brothers returned for the winter season to their circus in Magdeburg, which at long last reverted to hosting circus shows.

The years immediately following the war were marked by the Spanish flu pandemic, which claimed the lives of about fifty million people worldwide, and Europe was not spared. Yet, after a long and devastating war that killed around twenty million people, European audiences were eager for escapist entertainment. Pandemic or not, the interwar years proved to be exceptionally favorable for circuses and variety shows. The Blumenfelds, like other circus owners, benefited from this sudden enthusiasm. However, the interwar years also brought major economic problems.

During the war, Germany had experienced severe inflation, with prices doubling almost instantly. To address this problem, the Kaiser’s government abandoned its gold-backed currency, expecting that Germany would win the war. That was not the outcome however, and the postwar Weimar government had to pay considerable reparations to the Allies in gold-backed currency. This led to an economic domino effect resulting in hyperinflation: The Mark collapsed, and by 1922, prices had risen by 700%!

[[File:Zirkus_Blumenfeld_in_Magdeburg.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Zirkus Blumenfeld in Magdeburg (1914)]]However, after years of successful touring and well-managed enterprises, the Magdeburg Blumenfelds had become relatively wealthy. Like most European traveling circus families, they didn’t keep all their money in the bank. They followed the traditional practice of converting their wealth into gold or diamonds, which they kept hidden in their mobile homes. But if the depreciation of the Mark didn’t affect their accumulated wealth, then the money they earned in Germany was worthless. For many German circuses, the solution was to travel abroad to replenish their coffers. Sarrasani went to South America, Krone and Gleich traveled throughout Europe...

Similarly, the Blumenfelds looked beyond Germany. They visited the Baltic States and rented out some of their animal and equestrian acts abroad. In 1925-1926, they even toured their animal acts in Russia's circus buildings. Since circuses, like all performing arts, were nationalized by the new Soviet government in 1919, Russia’s ten resident circuses—including two in Moscow—needed artists to fill their programs. With a shortage of Russian performers (the new State Circus and Variety College hadn’t yet produced many of them), the Soviet Committee for the Arts turned to Germany, one of the few countries with which Russia still maintained good relations. The Blumenfelds seized this opportunity.

After a rewarding tour in Russia, the Blumenfelds purchased new wagons and tents. Their menagerie now consisted of forty-five horses, two elephants, four camels, three llamas, and two bulls. However, the political situation in Germany was changing. In the mid-1920s, the NSDAP (Nazi Party), which had until then been a small right-wing movement, began to compete in elections, aiming to undermine the German democratic government of the Weimar Republic. They also began to gain power through grassroots campaigning, propaganda, and political violence. This led to a rise in antisemitism. The Nazis blamed Jews and communists for many of Germany’s postwar problems, and they called for a strong Germany free of Jews, starting with boycotting Jewish businesses.

[[File:Magdeburg_Zirkus.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Interior of the Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)]]“Gau Anhalt-North Saxony” was established by the Nazis in 1926 in order to streamline their party organization. Two years later, it was renamed “Gau Magdeburg-Anhalt”, making Magdeburg a major center for Nazi activities. The Nazi-led boycott of Jewish businesses, often carried out through intimidation, hit the Blumenfelds during a time when Germany was also facing a severe financial crisis. The Nazis exploited this situation to intensify antisemitism. The resulting hardships became evident during the 1927 tour. After trying various measures such as offering ticket discounts and other promotional activities, the Blumenfelds announced that, “Due to the unfavorable financial situation, the circus has decided to discontinue its activities.”

To be sure, they were not the only circus to quit the business: Between 1926 and 1930, no less than seven German circuses went bankrupt. However, the Blumenfelds were a powerful circus family with a permanent base in a major German city. They had always been respected citizens there, but unfortunately, Magdeburg became increasingly hostile under Nazi influence, and their circus building, like their touring show, became unprofitable. To recoup their losses, they tried to sell the building to the municipality.

It seems that there were various forces involved to undermine any potential deal. The plan failed, and the Blumenfelds were forced into bankruptcy in 1927. The building wasn’t sold until ten years later, and even then, the proceeds went directly into the bankruptcy estate. Meanwhile, the bankruptcy trustees continued to rent the building out for purposes other than circus. The bankruptcy was finalized in 1940, but the once respected ''Zirkus Geb. Blumenfeld jun.'' had already ceased to exist. As for the Magdeburg circus building, it never resumed its circus activities and was eventually destroyed in the January 16, 1945 of the Allied bombing of the city.

===The Nazi Era===

The large Magdeburg Blumenfeld family, including Alfons, Alex and Arthur, began to look for engagements in other circuses. Alex found jobs as an animal trainer and artistic director in Scandinavian circuses, Alfons became the deputy manager and artistic director of [[Circus Medrano-Swoboda]], Austria's leading circus, where he also performed as a high-school rider with his daughter Ruth and presented liberty acts; Alfred Blumenfeld went to work as manager of [[Circus Dominik Althoff]], then presented liberty horses on tour with his brother Arthur at [[Circus Adolf Fischer]], another German circus, of which Eugen Blumenfeld had become the artistic director.

Erich Blumenfeld went to France, where he married Fanny Houcke and became a member of the Houcke family (which would soon relocate in neutral Sweden). Fritz Blumenfeld worked in the administration of several circuses and became the private secretary of [[Julius Gleich]], then of Dominik Althoff, and in 1939-40, of the Dutch circus impresario [[Franz Mikkenie]], who will help the Strassburgers to survive the Nazis in The Netherlands. Willy continued to be the clown Kucki in the circus of their cousins Strassburger before they were forced to sell it to [[Paula Busch]]; he would later commit suicide in Auschwitz.

Hitler came to power in 1933, and the Nazi Party now ruled Germany. Circus performers’ unions and directors’ organizations disappeared, and circus and variety artists had to join the newly created, Nazi-controlled ''Artistik'' union if they wanted to work. Several circus owners joined the Nazi Party to protect their interests, with the notable exceptions of [[Hans-Stosch Sarrasani]]—although his son would do so after his father’s death—and Dominik Althoff and his children. In 1935, the Nazi government announced the Nuremberg Laws, which formalized its racial theories; by 1937-1938, Jews were forced to identify themselves, notably by wearing the infamous yellow Star of David, further segregating them from the rest of the German population.

[[File:Blumenfeld_memorial.jpg|thumb|left| 450pix|Blumenfelds' commemorative Stumbling Stones in Magdeburg]]All Jewish performers (among whom the many Blumenfelds still living in Germany) began to be victims of the Nazis' violent antisemitism. Several Blumenfelds went to perform in Scandinavia, England or America, where they settled; a large group of them sailed with Circus Sarrasani to Brazil in 1934. When Simon Blumenfeld's family purchased the Magdeburg circus in 1914, the city became home to other members of the large Blumenfeld family. Louis and Setta Blumenfeld had settled in Magdeburg with the Gerausch family; in 1940 they were forced to move in a so-called "Jewish House."

They were then deported to the Theresienstadt Ghetto in Terezin, Czechoslovakia. Louis died there in 1942. Setta was later transferred to Auschwitz, where she was killed. Other Magdeburg residents, Setta's daughter, Amanda Gerausch, and Ulrich Blumenfeld, a son of Hermann and Betty Blumenfeld, were also deported that year. Rosa Strassburger-Blumenfeld, Simon's widow, died in the Theresienstadt Ghetto in 1943, and seven of her children died in deportation; her daughter Alice committed suicide to avoid deportation.

Obviously, Alex, Alfons and Arthur Blumenfeld, the former directors of the ''Zirkus Geb. Blumenfeld jun.'', were not immune to these attacks. In 1937, Alex was in engagement in Denmark, and from there he moved first to Belgium, and then to France, where he tried to obtain a permit to enter neutral Sweden or Great Britain. Before he could see any positive outcome, the war broke out and France was occupied by Nazi Germany. The old Marshall Pétain, now France's president, and his Vichy government were as much rabidly antisemitic as the occupant, and foreign Jews were the first to be prosecuted.

Alex was arrested as an "enemy alien" and interned in the camp of Saint Cyprien, in Dordogne (southwest France). His wife, Eugenie, had remained in Belgium, and the fact she was of Italian descent (Cardinale) protected her. Alex could correspond with her, but he was soon moved to the notorious internment camp of Drancy, in the Paris suburbs, which was a gateway to Auschwitz; he was sent there in August 1942, never to return.

Alfons Blumenfeld also emigrated to Paris in December 1938, together with his wife Olympia, née Könyot. Like his brother Alex, Alfons was there with his wife when the war broke out and Germany occupied France. They were immediately arrested by the French police; Olympia was interned in the camp of Rivesaltes, near Perpignan in southwestern France, and Alfons was interned in the concentration camp of Bram, near Carcassonne, and later transferred to Drancy. Both were finally sent to Auschwitz, where they were killed.

Their daughter Ruth, who was married to [[The Berousek Family|Ludwig Berouzek]], scion of a famous Czech circus dynasty, was deported to Auschwitz, where she was killed in 1942. (Ludwig, whom she had divorced, had emigrated to the United States.) Before being arrested, Ruth had put their daughter, Vardia, in the care of a French family: Vardia survived the war.

Arthur Blumenfeld and his wife Victoria (also born Blumenfeld) and his two daughters Rita and Eva, settled in Berlin in 1933. Playing with the unusual similarity of their family names, Victoria managed to register herself as an adopted child of unknown Aryan origin. Their union became therefore a "mixed marriage," which made the family safe from deportation, even though the German authorities subjected Arthur to the usual discrimination, like forced labor and the wearing of the Jewish yellow star. But they survived...

Many other members of the extended Blumenfeld family were killed during this dark period: According to various sources, up to 150 members of the entire family were killed between 1933 and 1945. Arthur Blumenfeld lost nine brothers and sisters during that time: He and his sister Jeanette, who lived in England, were the only survivors of Simon and Rosa Blumenfeld's eleven children!

===Epilogue===

After the end of World War II, Arthur and Victoria tried to restart the Circus Blumenfeld. With the help of the Soviet authorities, which controlled East Germany and most of Berlin, they managed to acquire the equipment of the bankrupt circus of [[Circus Brumbach|Gustav Brumbach]], which included a four-pole big top and all its paraphernalia. They quickly repainted the old wagons to a Blumenfeld livery, put their name on the façade, and began to perform in Berlin in October 1945, touring the four sectors of the destroyed city.

[[File:Circus_Arthur_Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Circus Blumenfeld in Berlin (1946)]]At first, Arthur presented the circus’s only four horses, and the modest program featured a hand-to-hand trio, a perch-pole balancing act, and a magician—nothing exceptional, but fitting for the times. The circus was making money, however, and by December Victoria could report that they "already had four bears, six horses, and several buffalos." In September 1948, Arthur marked his fifty years in the ring, though there were no public celebrations: The Circus Blumenfeld of 1948 was no longer the eminent circus of the pre-Nazi era, and it performed primarily for Allied troops and charitable organizations such as orphanages.

By then, there were already two resident circuses in Barlin: Paula Busch had just opened a circus in the old planetarium of the Zoological Gardens in West Berlin, and [[Harry Barlay]] had erected a large "construction" on Friedrichstraße, among the ruins of Berlin Mitte, then located in the Soviet zone of Berlin. Yet, the Blumenfelds, who were touring within the city—which didn't go without its share of problems—were very competent circus directors and could have prospered enough to take the road again.

Unfortunately, the Blockade of Berlin started on June 23, 1948, and, in an already uneasy situation, major problems began to arise, notably to find food for the animals—for which the three circuses had to resort to a very expensive black market. Eventually, some animals had to be given away, and a few horses had even to be killed. The financial situation of the three circuses was dismal, even more so for the Blumenfelds, who had re-started from scratch and didn't have the resources of Paula Busch or Harry Barley.

Arthur Blumenfeld staged his final show in 1949 at the Berlin Zoo, where he had set up his circus. Apart from the few horses he had managed to keep, the program was largely a variety show, and its income was not enough to sustain the enterprise. The once prosperous and celebrated ''Zirkus Blumenfeld'' gave its last performance in June of that year. Arthur sold his equipment and the few animals he had left to Paula Busch. With that, the Blumenfeld name forever disappeared from the roster of German circuses.

Only a few surviving Blumenfeld performers reappeared after the war, and the family name gradually vanished from postwar German circus life. Arthur died in Berlin on December 17, 1951, at age sixty-two; some sources say he took his own life. Victoria lived for many more years, passing away on August 6, 1990, at age ninety-two. They are buried with their daughter Eva in the Jewish cemetery of Weissensee, Berlin.

'''NOTE''': '''''The general outline of this biography was adapted from an article by Dietmar Winkler published in three installments in the defunct German magazine ''Planet Circus'' in 2013. Several other sources were consulted for its redaction, including the books listed below.'''''

==Suggested Reading==

* Marline Otte, ''Jewish Identities in German Popular Entertainment'' (New York, Cambridge University Press, 2006) — ISBN 978-0-521-856-30-0
* Gisela and Dietmar Winkler, ''Die Blumenfelds – Schicksale einer jüdischen Zirkusfamilie'' (Gransee, Edition Schwarzdruck, 2012) — ISBN 978-3-935194-50-1

==Image Gallery==

<Gallery>
File:Meyer_Blumenfeld.png|Meyer Blumenfeld (c.1850)
File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld_-_full_image.jpg|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1850)
File:Cerf_Blumenfeld_Ad.png|Cerf Blumenfeld's Ad (c.1856)
File:Leopold_Blumenfeld.jpg|Leopold Blumenfeld (1858)
File:Jansly_and_Wilhelmina_Blumenfeld.jpg|Jansly & Wilhelmina Blumenfeld (c.1880)
File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld.jpg|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1885)
File:Blumenfeld_postcard_1890.png|Advertising postcard for Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. (c.1890)
File:Blumenfeld_Gurhau_Poster.jpg|Poster showing the Gruhau winter quarters (c.1891)
File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Wwe_poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (1891)
File:Circus_Jansly_Postcard.png|Advertising Postcard for Circus Jansly (c.1895)
File:Simon_Blumenfeld_Family.jpg|Simon Blumenfeld and his family (c.1900)
File:5_Blumenfelds_Poster.jpg|"The 5 Blumenfelds" Poster (c.1900)
File:Barnum_and_Bailey_-_Germany.png|Barnum & Bailey German Tour Poster (1900)
File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (1906)
File:Magdeburg_Circus.jpg|The Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)
File:Magdeburg_Zirkus.jpg|Magdeburg Circus Auditorium (c.1910)
File:Blumenfeld_Elephants.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (c.1912)
File:Blumenfeld_Llamas.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (c.1913)
File:Geb._Blumenfeld_-_Bulls.jpg|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1913)
File:Blumenfeld_lion-elephant_poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (c.1913)
File:Zirkus_Blumenfeld_in_Magdeburg.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld in Magdeburg (1914)
The_5_Sailors_(Blumenfeld).png|The 5 Sailors (Blumenfeld) (c.1915)
File:Geb._Blumenfeld.jpg|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1920)
File:Circus_Arthur_Blumenfeld.jpg|Circus Arthur Blumenfeld in Berlin (1946)
File:Arthur_Blumenfeld_Program_1.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld Program in Berlin (1946)
File:Circus_Blumenfeld_Program_in_Berlin_2.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld Program in Berlin (1946)
File:Blumenfeld_memorial.jpg|Commemorative Stumbling Stones in Magdeburg (2022)
</Gallery>

[[Category:History|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Circus Owner and Directors|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Equestrians|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Artists and Acts|The Blumenfeld Family]]

The Blumenfeld Family

2026-09-06T19:32:04Z

Djando: /* The Postwar Period */

[[File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Wwe_poster.jpg|right|300px]]
==Circus Owners, Equestrians, Animal Trainers, Artists==

''By Dominique Jando''

The huge Blumenfeld family holds an important place in German and European circus history. One of the three major German-Jewish circus dynasties before World War II—along with the [[Circus Strassburger|Strassburgers]] and the [[The Lorch Family|Lorches]]—the Blumenfelds were driven to bankruptcy and then brutally decimated by the Nazis. Before that tragedy, they had been a highly respected family of talented acrobats, aerialists, equestrians, and circus owners. Although some members of the family resurfaced after World War II, the Blumenfelds were never able to reclaim the position they had once held in the circus world.

The Blumenfelds are allied with several other prominent Jewish families, such as the Goldkettes ([[The Brönett Family|Brönett]]), the Strassburgers, the Lorches, and the [[The Könyot Family|Könyots]]. They always married within their faith and, at times, like the Rothschilds, within their family—with perhaps the notable exceptions of Erich Blumenfeld, the youngest son of Simon Blumenfeld, who married Fanny Houcke, from the Franco-Swedish [[The Houcke Dynasty|Houcke]] family, and his brother Alex, whose wife, Eugenie, came from an old Italian circus family, the Cardinales.

Since Hirsch Blumenfeld (1788-1867), founder of the dynasty, created his circus in the mid-nineteenth century, many of his descendants have operated several different circuses under the Blumenfeld name. Hirsch had a large family that developed many branches, and it can be sometimes difficult to determine which branch a given Blumenfeld belonged to. The Blumenfeld circus owners, however, shared one defining trait: they were equestrians who served the equestrian circus tradition with distinction, even as the circus-menagerie was becoming the norm in Germany by the beginning of the twentieth century.

===Cerf Blumenfeld===

[[File:Cerf_Blumenfeld_Ad.png|thumb|left|300px|Cerf Blumenfeld'sCircus National Ad (c.1856)]]Hirsch Blumenfeld was born Hirsch Levy in 1788 in Isenburg, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, one of the many German states. His parents were Levy Wolf (1770-1828), a Jewish cantor, and his wife Rosa (Rösgen), née Cahn (?-1840). The Blumenfeld patronym came later: Under Jewish naming tradition, a son took his father’s given name as a patronym, so Hirsch, as Levy’s son, became Hirsch Levy. Hirsch didn't embrace his father's calling: He became instead a traveling entertainer, an occupation that had attracted many of his coreligionists over the centuries.

Hirsch Levy married Henrietta (Jetta) Jonas (1789-1853), a native of Neuwied, in the Rhineland Palatinate, south of Bonn. Hirsch and Jetta raised a large family of eight children: Emanuel (1811-1885), Meyer (1815-1894), Sophia (1816-?), David (1818-1893), Joseph (1820-1820), Mina (1821-?), Moritz (1825-1895), and Simon (1828-1911)—starting a tradition of exceptionally large families among their descendants.

Later, in 1846, a regulation was introduced in Prussia, where the family had settled, demanding that Jewish families adopt a steady patronymic. Family lore tells us that, when Hirsch declared the name ''Bumenfeld'' to the Prussian authorities, he chose his new patronymic because he saw a field full of flowers (or ''blumen Feld'' in German) through the clerk's window: Hence the Blumenfeld family was born. ''Si non è vero, è bien trovato!'' (Even if not true, it's a good story).

Hirsch Blumenfeld eventually moved from traveling entertainer to traveling circus owner. For reasons unknown, he professionally adopted Cerf (Stag), the French translation of Hirsch, as his first name, and he became known to the circus world as Cerf Blumenfeld. The year of his first circus creation was probably in 1845: On April 9 of that year, a Bonn chronicle announced the opening of "the Equestrian Circus of Mr. Cerf from Combahn with 17 horses" (Combahn is a village on the Rhine, south of Bonn, where the Blumenfelds had settled). This is the earliest known reference to a Blumenfeld circus. From the outset, it was a true equestrian circus, establishing a tradition the family would continue to uphold.

After Jetta’s death in 1853, Hirsch remarried to Sara von Geldern (1817–1896), with whom he had two more sons, Emil (1855–1895) and Aron Alexander (1861–1942). The marriage brought the family to a considerable size: Hirsch now had seven surviving sons, many of whom would go on to found large families of their own, thus giving rise to the numerous branches of the Blumenfeld dynasty.

Cerf Blumenfeld's large family provided the backbone of his programs, which appear to have been of good quality, and the circus grew steadily. The first written review of the show came from the town of Hanau, in Hesse: "An aesthetic treat, as it has been missed here for many years, is now provided by the equestrian company of Mr. Blumenfeld. [...] Stylish costumes and beautiful horses are also a treat for the spectator's eyes." By then, the company had 32 performers and 24 horses.

Cerf Blumenfeld passed awy on August 16, 1867, in Eberstadt, near Darmstadt in Hesse, where his circus may have been performing at the time. It is unclear whether some of his sons took over their father’s circus after his death or had already left to establish circuses of their own. It is known that in 1866, one year before Cerf's death, there was a ''Cirque Equestre'' managed by the Blumenfeld Brothers, which could have been either their father's circus, or a new one.

===The Many Blumenfeld Circuses===

[[File:Meyer_Blumenfeld.png|thumb|right|300px|Meyer Blumenfeld (c.1850)]]Be that as it may, the family eventually dispersed, and several circuses bearing the Blumenfeld name appeared across Germany with varying degrees of success. Some became major German traveling circuses of their times—including Emanuel Blumenfeld’s circus, which survived him under the management of his widow and then his sons; it was to become the Circus Blumenfeld of reference and will be treated later. Nevertheless, many others ''Circus Blumenfeld'' are worth mentioning.

''Zirkus Blumenfeld & Söhne'', created by Meyer Blumenfeld, Emanuel's younger brother, was active between 1884 and 1892, and was a major German circus. Meyer had married twice. His first wife was Setta Hartog (1814-1852), the sister of Jetta Hartog, Emanuel's wife: both brothers married the same day, on January 24, 1839. Meyer and Setta had five children, Leopold (1841-1901), Minna (b. 1843), Josef (b.1845), Nathan (1846-1852), and Sofia; then, after Setta's death, Meyer married Gundula Sara Jonas (b.1812), who gave him another son, Jansly (Samson) (1853-1935). In turn, Jansly and Leopold created two major traveling circuses.

In 1884, Jansly Blumenfeld, who had married his cousin Wilhelmina (1861-1910), daughter of his uncle David, operated ''Circus Jansly & Leo'' with his brother Leopold. It became ''Circus Jansly'' the following year, when Leopold left to establish his own circus. Successfully active from 1885 to 1901, Circus Jansly suffered a devastating train accident and a stable fire in 1900, which killed many of its horses. After a run of forty-six years, the circus could not survive these catastrophes and closed in Berlin in 1901.

Leopold Blumenfeld created his circus in 1885, and it survived his 1901 death—initially under the management of his widow, Bertha Blumenfeld. Bertha was Leopold's third wife. He had married first Lisette Gutschmidt, followed in 1868 by Caroline Hirsch (1850–1883), and after Caroline's death, Bertha Halmschlag (1854-1913). Leopold had one son with Lisette Gutschmidt, Hartwig (1867-1927), and six more children with Caroline Hirsch: Lisette (Setta, 1871-1943), Emil (1874-1952), Adolf (1876-1933), Max (1879-1916), Wilhelm (Willy, 1881-1955), and Gerhard (Georg, 1878-?).

[[File:Leopold_Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Leopold Blumenfeld (c.1850)]]Because Leopold had no children with Bertha, her claim to the circus became uncertain. Caroline’s children—Adolf, Emil, and Lisette—reclaimed it, and it eventually came under the sole management of Lisette (Setta) Blumenfeld. At the time, Setta was married to the circus performer August Gerausch, known as Varinelli, with whom she had four children: Leo Ludwig (1890-1964), Amanda (1905-1942), Arthur (1911-1919), and Alfons. Later, probably in the early 1920s, she formed a couple with her cousin Louis Blumenfeld (1866-1943), a son of Emanuel Blumenfeld; together they had a daughter, also named Lisette.

Setta Blumenfeld's circus had a long and rich career. It traveled under the title ''Großer Zirkus Blumenfeld'', and sometimes as ''Circus Louis Blumenfeld'', although Louis never held part ownership of the circus. The circus eventually passed under the management of Setta's elder son, Leo Gerausch, who closed it in 1926, while Germany was still under the Weimar Republic, because of the financial difficulties caused by a dire economic period. Leopold's other sons, Hartwig, Willy, and Gerhard also exploited smaller circuses in the 1920s, and Cerf Blumenfeld's third son, David, toured a circus for some time.

Another son of Cerf Blumenfeld, Moritz, also became an important circus owner. Moritz had married Sara Haymann (1833-1901) with whom he had no less than thirteen children: Ludwig (1854-1928), Helene (1855-1933), Diena (b.1859), Rosina (1860-1931), Amanda (1864-1935), Karl (1866-1940), Hermann (1868-1916), Adele (1871-1906), Rudolf (1875-1942), Virginia, Bertha, Kätchen, and Ernestine. This was to form a solid backbone for his circus company! He created his circus in 1865, and was successful enough to retire comfortably in 1886, at age sixty-one. Two years before, he had handed the management of his circus to his son Ludwig, who exploited it for only three years before auctioning it in 1887. He too retired comfortably, at age thirty-four!

All these Blumenfeld circuses presented a wide range of high-quality equestrian acts, particularly original liberty displays, which became the hallmark of the Blumenfeld name and were often featured in the winter programs of Europe's resident circuses. The larger Blumenfeld circuses also offered rich and varied productions that included popular equestrian pantomimes such as the inescapable ''Mazeppa'', alongside other large-scale spectacles.

Large families such as that of Moritz Blumenfeld produced outstanding acrobatic and aerial performers, whose acts were held in high demand. Contemporary photographs reveal another characteristic of the dynasty: The Blumenfelds were invariably elegant, both in and out of the ring. In every sense, they embodied the aristocracy of the circus world.

==Zirkus E. Blumenfeld==

[[File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld_-_full_image.jpg|thumb|300px|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1840)]]Emanuel Blumenfeld created the most successful and longest lasting of all the Blumenfeld circuses. As the eldest of Cerf's children, he may well have been his father's successor, since his own ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld'' appeared in August 1867, around the date of his father's death. Born March 1, 1811, in Bremke, a small village near Göttingen, in southern Lower Saxony, he was twenty-eight when he married Jette (Hitzelchen) Hartog (1817-c.1850) on January 24, 1839, in a dual ceremony with his brother Meyer, who married Jette's sister Setta.

Like his brother Moritz, Emanuel would eventually preside over an exceptionally large family. His first wife, Jetta, bore him five children: Moritz (b. 1844), Leopold (b. 1845), Meyer (1847-1892), Wolf (1849-1906), and Wilhelmine (Minna, b. 1850). When Jetta died unexpectedly around 1850, perhaps soon after Minna's birth, Emanuel was left with five very young children and no one to mother them. He found a second wife in Jeanette Stein (1831-1896), who was twenty years his junior.

Jeanette gave Emanuel ten more children: Olympia (b.1852), Henriette (1853-1914, who married [[The Könyot Dynasty|Leopold Könyot]]), Max (b.1855), Jonas (1855-1859), Simon (1857-1918, who married [[The Strassburger Family|Rosa Strassburger]]), Alexander (Simson, 1859-1921), Adolf David (1863-1913), Louis (1866-1943, who married his cousin Setta Blumenfeld-Gerausch), Hermann (1868-1933, who married his niece Betty Blumenfeld, daughter of his brother Simon), and Amanda. In 1881, a journalist described Jeanette Blumenfeld as "a truly Jewish woman with iron strength and a heart of gold, [who] kept her sons and daughters, her daughter-in-law and grandchildren in strict discipline."

Emanuel established his circus’s base in the province of Westphalia, in Prussia, and during its early years ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld'' toured the Kingdom of Prussia exclusively. The Franco-Prussian War of 1870 brought a major disruption: Emanuel’s elder sons Moritz, Leopold, and Meyer, enrolled in the army. Their military service may have encouraged a greater sense of independence, and they eventually left the family circus. Emanuel died on May 23, 1885 in Tilsit, where the circus was performing. Jeanette, whose strength of character suggests that she had likely been involved in managing the circus alongside her husband despite her many duties as a mother, took over its direction.

[[File:Blumenfeld_Gurhau_Poster.jpg|thumb|left|450px|The Gurhau Winter Quarters (c.1891)]]Jeanette came from a circus family, and she had brought her family's circus into her marriage: Consequently, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld had grown in importance, but with such a large family, Jeanette had the support she needed to run it. Simon, Alexander, and Louis oversaw day-to-day operations; Adolf became general manager; and Hermann, as advance man, organized the tours. Under her management, the circus continued to grow, and its stables—always a distinctive Blumenfeld asset—doubled in size. The circus also changed its name to ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld Wwe'' (Circus E. Blumenfeld Widow). In 1891, the family moved to much-needed larger winter quarters in the town of Gurhau, in Lower Silesia (today Góra, in Poland), where they had found a large ensemble of abandoned military stables.

Jeanette Blumenfeld died in Gurhau on April 30, 1896, at age sixty-one. Her death might have led to the breakup of the enterprise and a new proliferation of Blumenfeld circuses, but Emanuel and Jeanette had foreseen that possibility: They wrote a will in 1872 that established a clear succession, both for the circus business and for the family’s responsibilities. It not only defined the siblings' positions and tasks in the running of the circus—which, it specified, couldn't be dismantled or split between them—but also, their commitment to their family and to their Jewish faith. Jeanette's strong hand is apparent in such a strictly ordered will, and its provisions were duly followed by her descendants.

===Enter The Magdeburg Generation===

[[File:Simon_Blumenfeld_Family.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Simon and Rosa's Blumenfeld's family (c.1900)]]Under Jeanette's ownership, the circus had been managed by Simon, Alexander, Adolf, and Hermann, and the four brothers remained at the helm of the enterprise (Louis was soon to leave the family). Not as prolific progenitors as their father, Alexander, Adolf and Hermann didn't produce many descendants, but Simon did, and his progeny, which would become known as the "Magdeburg branch," would constitute the next Blumenfeld generation of circus directors.

Rosa Strassburger gave Simon eleven children: Betty (1880-1932), who married her uncle Hermann; Emanuel, known as Alex (1885-1942); Alfons (1887-1942), who married his cousin [[The Konyöt Family|Olympia Konyöt]]; Arthur (1889-1910), who married his cousin Victoria, daughter of Jansly Blumenfeld; Alfred (1891-1945); Eugen (1893-1937); Alice (1895-1942); Jeanette (Netty, 1897-1969); Willy (1898-1942); Fritz (Friedrich, 1899-1945), and Erich (1901-1943), who married [[The Houcke Dynasty|Fanny Houcke]]).

The Blumenfelds had an excellent reputation among their audiences and among the artists who worked for them. They were known as a warm, welcoming family, always ready to help, and always respectful of their fellow performers—for they were indeed performers themselves: In a 1898 program, one could see Hermann and Betty riding in ''haute-école'', Louis and Setta performing a pas-de-deux on horseback, and Alexandre presenting the liberty acts. Coming up, the next generation was trained in all circus disciplines to perform alongside their elders as acrobats, equestrians, and animal trainers, and eventually replace them.

[[File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Poster.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (1906)]]By 1897, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld, which had been one of the earliest German circuses to perform under a big top instead of a wooden ''construction'' or as visitors in a circus building (of which there were indeed many at the time), had become too big to continue using horse-power transportation, and it switched to travel by rail. In their advertising, the Blumenfelds boosted no less than 180 horses, 28 wagons, and even their own traveling electric plant, which was quite high-tech at the turn of the twentieth century! As they reminded their potential audiences in the press, theirs was not a cheap tenting operation: It was a modern, elegant, and comfortable first-class traveling circus.

Their shows often ended with spectacular equestrian pantomimes (known as "hippodramas") in which they could display their magnificent horses. As the [[The Knie Dynasty|Knies]] and some others would do much later, the Blumenfelds invited the public to watch their training sessions. At a time when horses still held an important place in everyday life and the public at large was fascinated by great horsemanship, this was excellent publicity indeed—especially for a circus where horsemanship was still served with outstanding talent.

In 1911, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld celebrated its 100th anniversary. Emanuel's circus had been created in 1867, after the death of Cerf Blumenfeld and, although it may have been considered the continuation of Cerf's circus, the date of its creation was around 1840. None of these anniversaries worked, so the date chosen for this advertising stunt was the year of Emanuel's birth, 1811. Be that as it may, it worked, and this pseudo-centennial was duly celebrated with special events, banquets with city representatives in attendance, and other festivities—a good indication that the Blumenfelds were seen as important circus owners.

[[File:Barnum_and_Bailey_-_Germany.png|thumb|right|300px|Barnum & Bailey Poster for its German Tour (1900)]]Meanwhile, [[Wilhelm Hagenbeck]], the son of German wild animal importer [[The Hagenbeck Dynasty|Carl Hagenbeck]] (1844-1913), the most important animal dealer of his time (he provided animals to zoos and circuses worldwide), had started a traveling circus in 1887 that included an important menagerie of exotic and wild animals—some of which were presented performing in the show—as well of exhibitions of exotic tribes from the "mysterious" lands of Africa, Asia, and even America (with tribes of Native Americans).

Ten years later, in 1897, the giant American [[Barnum and Bailey Circus]] began an extended European tour that lasted until 1905. Its enormous menagerie impressed European audiences at a time when colonial expansion had intensified public fascination with everything exotic, particularly animals. It encouraged German circuses and traveling menagerie owners such as [[Carl Krone]] to follow Hagenbeck's example and develop into the circus-menagerie enterprises that would characterize the German circus industry until World War II.

The Blumenfelds were no exception to this trend. In 1912, the brothers added a menagerie to their previously equestrian circus and began to present animal acts other than horses. They acquired four elephants and a collection of exotic and wild animals that included a hippopotamus, but they refrained from presenting cage acts in their programs until 1936. Their important stables were still full, and their renowned equestrian acts remained their circus's main attraction.

Then, on June 28, 1914, a Serb nationalist assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. This led Austria-Hungary to declare war to Serbia one month later, on July 28. Russia then entered the conflict to support Serbia, which led to a domino effect in the complicated system of European alliances: France and England joined the war on Russia's side, followed by Italy, and Germany did the same on Austria-Hungary's side with Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire. This situation had disastrous repercussions, and the circus industry experienced them the hard way.

The Blumenfelds had a special relation with the Military: They considered their duty, as German citizens, to serve in the army, and several of Simon's sons enlisted wholeheartedly. Many circus workers did the same, or were drafted, and foreign artists from enemy countries had to leave Germany or had been interned. Then, the Army, which still relied largely on horse-powered transport, requisitioned the Blumenfelds’ horses, as well as their tents. Under these conditions, and with rail travel strictly regulated to give priority to army transports, touring had become impossible, and the Blumenfelds closed their traveling circus. They had, however, a safe retreat.

===The Great War and The Magdeburg Circus===

Magdeburg was the capital of Saxony. Located in what today is Saxony-Anhalt, it was an important city that had hosted several circus buildings over the years. Nothing exceptional there, since major German cities had circus buildings, but Magdeburg location was relatively central in the German Empire, which could make it a good base for a traveling circus. In 1896, an entrepreneur named Hahn built a new circus in the city. Already, in 1886, Hahn had acquired [[August Krembser]]'s circus building in Berlin, which he rented out to major circus companies such as [[Gotthold Schumann]]'s—before Schumann opened his own circus building in the Prussian capital. A master-carpenter, he had already erected a wooden "construction" in Madgeburg in 1892.

[[File:Magdeburg_Circus.jpg|left|thumb|400px|The Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)]]Hahn was not a circus man, but a businessman and landlord who rented out his facilities to circus companies and other tenants. His new Magdeburg circus, located on Kaizer Wilhelm Platz (today's Universitätsplatz) and Köningstraße 62/63 (today's Walther-Rathenau-Straße), a major thoroughfare, was a large building: With a surface area of nearly 4,000 m2 (approximately 154 x 266 feet), it included not only the circus itself, which could be fitted with a removable stage for concerts and theatrical productions and boasted a capacity of 2,800, but also a restaurant, wardrobe shops, a saddlery, a prop workshop, stables for 110 horses, and a small variety theater. It opened on September 30, 1896, with [[Circus Renz]] as a tenant.

The Blumenfelds performed there in 1904, 1911, and 1913. Since 1907, the building had been used principally as a movie theater, and by 1913, it was in disrepair. After Hahn's death, it had passed to his daughter, who was eager to sell. The Blumenfelds had long wanted to move their winter quarters from Gurhau to a more central location, and Magdeburg suited their needs. During their visit in 1913, they offered to buy and restore the property, and Ms. Hahn accepted; then they secured a thirty-year lease with the city, which owned the land, and they could finally move their operations to Magdeburg in 1914. After adding a large foyer to the circus, they were ready to use it for their winter seasons.

Thus, in March 1914, after World War I had broken out and the Blumenfelds had effectively lost their traveling enterprise, they went to their new home in Magdeburg. Since the European theater of war was soon confined to a line of fortified trenches stretching from the English Channel to Switzerland, Germany’s interior remained unaffected. The Blumenfelds were able to rent out the building, though for purposes other than circus performances; they even re-converted it into a movie theater.

During that time of circus inactivity, the directors of the third generation disappeared or retired. Adolf had died in Dresden in 1913, Alexander and Hermann called it quits (they would pass away in 1921 and 1933 respectively), and finally, Simon, the father of the "Magdeburg Line," died in Magdeburg on July 22, 1918, shortly before war's end. The war over, the Gurhau winter quarters were sold, and with the Magdeburg building used for unrelated activities, it could have been the end of the ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld''.

===The Postwar Period===

With seven brothers pretending to be Simon’s successors, not to mention Simon’s four daughters and the children of his brothers, reviving the Zirkus E. Blumenfeld could have led to unforeseen problems. Therefore, in the summer of 1919, Simon’s sons Alex, Alfons, and Arthur purchased the former ''Zircus E. Blumenfeld Wwe.'' company from the family. Then, they announced the creation of a new touring company called ''Zirkus Gebr. Blumenfeld''. They also let it known that they remained co-owners of the Magdeburg circus and set 1920 as the date for the debut of their traveling circus. It wasn’t an easy task: They had to rebuild their entire touring operation from scratch!

[[File:Geb._Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1920)]]They purchased a large two-pole circus tent, 44 meters in diameter (approximately 144 feet) and with a capacity of 2,000 people. This made their circus a major enterprise—although it would soon pale in comparison to giants like [[Circus Krone|Krone]], [[Circus Sarrasani|Sarrasani]], [[Circus Gleich|Gleich]], and even the circus of their Strassburger cousins. Alex, Alfons, and Arthur Blumenfeld could rely on their large family for support: Their brothers, Fritz and Alfred, took care of the administrative aspects of the circus, and Eugen supervised the always important concessions department. Other family members were also available to help and perform in the show.

The new Blumenfeld Circus made its debut in Dessau, not far from Magdeburg, on April 3, 1920. The show featured many family members: Alfons presented liberty acts with Amanda Lorch. Willy appeared in a high-school presentation with his sister-in-law and cousin Victoria (Arthur’s wife), and also doubled as the clown Kucki. Arthur, riding a horse, presented two trained bulls. Of course, there were also many hired performers in the show, including a team of acrobats and a motorcycle stunt act. In November, the Blumenfeld brothers returned for the winter season to their circus in Magdeburg, which at long last reverted to hosting circus shows.

The years immediately following the war were marked by the Spanish flu pandemic, which claimed the lives of about fifty million people worldwide, and Europe was not spared. Yet, after a long and devastating war that killed around twenty million people, European audiences were eager for escapist entertainment. Pandemic or not, the interwar years proved to be exceptionally favorable for circuses and variety shows. The Blumenfelds, like other circus owners, benefited from this sudden enthusiasm. However, the interwar years also brought major economic problems.

During the war, Germany had experienced severe inflation, with prices doubling almost instantly. To address this problem, the Kaiser’s government abandoned its gold-backed currency, expecting that Germany would win the war. That was not the outcome however, and the postwar Weimar government had to pay considerable reparations to the Allies in gold-backed currency. This led to an economic domino effect resulting in hyperinflation: The Mark collapsed, and by 1922, prices had risen by 700%!

[[File:Zirkus_Blumenfeld_in_Magdeburg.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Zirkus Blumenfeld in Magdeburg (1914)]]However, after years of successful touring and well-managed enterprises, the Magdeburg Blumenfelds had become relatively wealthy. Like most European traveling circus families, they didn’t keep all their money in the bank. They followed the traditional practice of converting their wealth into gold or diamonds, which they kept hidden in their mobile homes. But if the depreciation of the Mark didn’t affect their accumulated wealth, then the money they earned in Germany was worthless. For many German circuses, the solution was to travel abroad to replenish their coffers. Sarrasani went to South America, Krone and Gleich traveled throughout Europe...

Similarly, the Blumenfelds looked beyond Germany. They visited the Baltic States and rented out some of their animal and equestrian acts abroad. In 1925-1926, they even toured their animal acts in Russia's circus buildings. Since circuses, like all performing arts, were nationalized by the new Soviet government in 1919, Russia’s ten resident circuses—including two in Moscow—needed artists to fill their programs. With a shortage of Russian performers (the new State Circus and Variety College hadn’t yet produced many of them), the Soviet Committee for the Arts turned to Germany, one of the few countries with which Russia still maintained good relations. The Blumenfelds seized this opportunity.

After a rewarding tour in Russia, the Blumenfelds purchased new wagons and tents. Their menagerie now consisted of forty-five horses, two elephants, four camels, three llamas, and two bulls. However, the political situation in Germany was changing. In the mid-1920s, the NSDAP (Nazi Party), which had until then been a small right-wing movement, began to compete in elections, aiming to undermine the German democratic government of the Weimar Republic. They also began to gain power through grassroots campaigning, propaganda, and political violence. This led to a rise in antisemitism. The Nazis blamed Jews and communists for many of Germany’s postwar problems, and they called for a strong Germany free of Jews, starting with boycotting Jewish businesses.

[[File:Magdeburg_Zirkus.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Interior of the Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)]]“Gau Anhalt-North Saxony” was established by the Nazis in 1926 in order to streamline their party organization. Two years later, it was renamed “Gau Magdeburg-Anhalt”, making Magdeburg a major center for Nazi activities. The Nazi-led boycott of Jewish businesses, often carried out through intimidation, hit the Blumenfelds during a time when Germany was also facing a severe financial crisis. The Nazis exploited this situation to intensify antisemitism. The resulting hardships became evident during the 1927 tour. After trying various measures such as offering ticket discounts and other promotional activities, the Blumenfelds announced that, “Due to the unfavorable financial situation, the circus has decided to discontinue its activities.”

To be sure, they were not the only circus to quit the business: Between 1926 and 1930, no less than seven German circuses went bankrupt. However, the Blumenfelds were a powerful circus family with a permanent base in a major German city. They had always been respected citizens there, but unfortunately, Magdeburg became increasingly hostile under Nazi influence, and their circus building, like their touring show, became unprofitable. To recoup their losses, they tried to sell the building to the municipality.

It seems that there were various forces involved to undermine any potential deal. The plan failed, and the Blumenfelds were forced into bankruptcy in 1927. The building wasn’t sold until ten years later, and even then, the proceeds went directly into the bankruptcy estate. Meanwhile, the bankruptcy trustees continued to rent the building out for purposes other than circus. The bankruptcy was finalized in 1940, but the once respected ''Zirkus Geb. Blumenfeld jun.'' had already ceased to exist. As for the Magdeburg circus building, it never resumed its circus activities and was eventually destroyed in the January 16, 1945 of the Allied bombing of the city.

===The Nazi Era===

The large Magdeburg Blumenfeld family, including Alfons, Alex and Arthur, began to look for engagements in other circuses. Alex found jobs as an animal trainer and artistic director in Scandinavian circuses, Alfons became the deputy manager and artistic director of [[Circus Medrano-Swoboda]], Austria's leading circus, where he also performed as a high-school rider with his daughter Ruth and presented liberty acts; Alfred Blumenfeld went to work as manager of [[Circus Dominik Althoff]], then presented liberty horses on tour with his brother Arthur at [[Circus Adolf Fischer]], another German circus, of which Eugen Blumenfeld had become the artistic director.

Erich Blumenfeld went to France, where he married Fanny Houcke and became a member of the Houcke family (which would soon relocate in neutral Sweden). Fritz Blumenfeld worked in the administration of several circuses and became the private secretary of [[Julius Gleich]], then of Dominik Althoff, and in 1939-40, of the Dutch circus impresario [[Franz Mikkenie]], who will help the Strassburgers to survive the Nazis in The Netherlands. Willy continued to be the clown Kucki in the circus of their cousins Strassburger before they were forced to sell it to [[Paula Busch]]; he would later commit suicide in Auschwitz.

Hitler came to power in 1933, and the Nazi Party now ruled Germany. Circus performers’ unions and directors’ organizations disappeared, and circus and variety artists had to join the newly created, Nazi-controlled ''Artistik'' union if they wanted to work. Several circus owners joined the Nazi Party to protect their interests, with the notable exceptions of [[Hans-Stosch Sarrasani]]—although his son would do so after his father’s death—and Dominik Althoff and his children. In 1935, the Nazi government announced the Nuremberg Laws, which formalized its racial theories; by 1937-1938, Jews were forced to identify themselves, notably by wearing the infamous yellow Star of David, further segregating them from the rest of the German population.

[[File:Blumenfeld_memorial.jpg|thumb|left| 450pix|Blumenfelds' commemorative Stumbling Stones in Magdeburg]]All Jewish performers (among whom the many Blumenfelds still living in Germany) began to be victims of the Nazis' violent antisemitism. Several Blumenfelds went to perform in Scandinavia, England or America, where they settled; a large group of them sailed with Circus Sarrasani to Brazil in 1934. When Simon Blumenfeld's family purchased the Magdeburg circus in 1914, the city became home to other members of the large Blumenfeld family. Louis and Setta Blumenfeld had settled in Magdeburg with the Gerausch family; in 1940 they were forced to move in a so-called "Jewish House."

They were then deported to the Theresienstadt Ghetto in Terezin, Czechoslovakia. Louis died there in 1942. Setta was later transferred to Auschwitz, where she was killed. Other Magdeburg residents, Setta's daughter, Amanda Gerausch, and Ulrich Blumenfeld, a son of Hermann and Betty Blumenfeld, were also deported that year. Rosa Strassburger-Blumenfeld, Simon's widow, died in the Theresienstadt Ghetto in 1943, and seven of her children died in deportation; her daughter Alice committed suicide to avoid deportation.

Obviously, Alex, Alfons and Arthur Blumenfeld, the former directors of the ''Zirkus Geb. Blumenfeld jun.'', were not immune to these attacks. In 1937, Alex was in engagement in Denmark, and from there he moved first to Belgium, and then to France, where he tried to obtain a permit to enter neutral Sweden or Great Britain. Before he could see any positive outcome, the war broke out and France was occupied by Nazi Germany. The old Marshall Pétain, now France's president, and his Vichy government were as much rabidly antisemitic as the occupant, and foreign Jews were the first to be prosecuted.

Alex was arrested as an "enemy alien" and interned in the camp of Saint Cyprien, in Dordogne (southwest France). His wife, Eugenie, had remained in Belgium, and the fact she was of Italian descent (Cardinale) protected her. Alex could correspond with her, but he was soon moved to the notorious internment camp of Drancy, in the Paris suburbs, which was a gateway to Auschwitz; he was sent there in August 1942, never to return.

Alfons Blumenfeld also emigrated to Paris in December 1938, together with his wife Olympia, née Könyot. Like his brother Alex, Alfons was there with his wife when the war broke out and Germany occupied France. They were immediately arrested by the French police; Olympia was interned in the camp of Rivesaltes, near Perpignan in southwestern France, and Alfons was interned in the concentration camp of Bram, near Carcassonne, and later transferred to Drancy. Both were finally sent to Auschwitz, where they were killed.

Their daughter Ruth, who had married to [[The Berousek Family|Ludwig Berouzek]], scion of a famous Czech circus dynasty, was deported to Auschwitz, where she was killed in 1942. (Ludwig, whom she had divorced, had emigrated to the United States.) Before being arrested, Ruth had put their daughter, Vardia, in the care of a French family: Vardia survived the war.

Arthur Blumenfeld and his wife Victoria (also born Blumenfeld) and his two daughters Rita and Eva, settled in Berlin in 1933. Playing with the unusual similarity of their family names, Victoria managed to register herself as an adopted child of unknown Aryan origin. Their union became therefore a "mixed marriage," which made the family safe from deportation, even though the German authorities subjected Arthur to the usual discrimination, like forced labor and the wearing of the Jewish yellow star. But they survived...

Many other members of the extended Blumenfeld family were killed during this dark period: According to various sources, up to 150 members of the entire family were killed between 1933 and 1945. Arthur Blumenfeld lost nine brothers and sisters during that time: He and his sister Jeanette, who lived in England, were the only survivors of Simon and Rosa Blumenfeld's eleven children!

===Epilogue===

After the end of World War II, Arthur and Victoria tried to restart the Circus Blumenfeld. With the help of the Soviet authorities, which controlled East Germany and most of Berlin, they managed to acquire the equipment of the bankrupt circus of [[Circus Brumbach|Gustav Brumbach]], which included a four-pole big top and all its paraphernalia. They quickly repainted the old wagons to a Blumenfeld livery, put their name on the façade, and began to perform in Berlin in October 1945, touring the four sectors of the destroyed city.

[[File:Circus_Arthur_Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Circus Blumenfeld in Berlin (1946)]]At first, Arthur presented the circus’s only four horses, and the modest program featured a hand-to-hand trio, a perch-pole balancing act, and a magician—nothing exceptional, but fitting for the times. The circus was making money, however, and by December Victoria could report that they "already had four bears, six horses, and several buffalos." In September 1948, Arthur marked his fifty years in the ring, though there were no public celebrations: The Circus Blumenfeld of 1948 was no longer the eminent circus of the pre-Nazi era, and it performed primarily for Allied troops and charitable organizations such as orphanages.

By then, there were already two resident circuses in Barlin: Paula Busch had just opened a circus in the old planetarium of the Zoological Gardens in West Berlin, and [[Harry Barlay]] had erected a large "construction" on Friedrichstraße, among the ruins of Berlin Mitte, then located in the Soviet zone of Berlin. Yet, the Blumenfelds, who were touring within the city—which didn't go without its share of problems—were very competent circus directors and could have prospered enough to take the road again.

Unfortunately, the Blockade of Berlin started on June 23, 1948, and, in an already uneasy situation, major problems began to arise, notably to find food for the animals—for which the three circuses had to resort to a very expensive black market. Eventually, some animals had to be given away, and a few horses had even to be killed. The financial situation of the three circuses was dismal, even more so for the Blumenfelds, who had re-started from scratch and didn't have the resources of Paula Busch or Harry Barley.

Arthur Blumenfeld staged his final show in 1949 at the Berlin Zoo, where he had set up his circus. Apart from the few horses he had managed to keep, the program was largely a variety show, and its income was not enough to sustain the enterprise. The once prosperous and celebrated ''Zirkus Blumenfeld'' gave its last performance in June of that year. Arthur sold his equipment and the few animals he had left to Paula Busch. With that, the Blumenfeld name forever disappeared from the roster of German circuses.

Only a few surviving Blumenfeld performers reappeared after the war, and the family name gradually vanished from postwar German circus life. Arthur died in Berlin on December 17, 1951, at age sixty-two; some sources say he took his own life. Victoria lived for many more years, passing away on August 6, 1990, at age ninety-two. They are buried with their daughter Eva in the Jewish cemetery of Weissensee, Berlin.

'''NOTE''': '''''The general outline of this biography was adapted from an article by Dietmar Winkler published in three installments in the defunct German magazine ''Planet Circus'' in 2013. Several other sources were consulted for its redaction, including the books listed below.'''''

==Suggested Reading==

* Marline Otte, ''Jewish Identities in German Popular Entertainment'' (New York, Cambridge University Press, 2006) — ISBN 978-0-521-856-30-0
* Gisela and Dietmar Winkler, ''Die Blumenfelds – Schicksale einer jüdischen Zirkusfamilie'' (Gransee, Edition Schwarzdruck, 2012) — ISBN 978-3-935194-50-1

==Image Gallery==

<Gallery>
File:Meyer_Blumenfeld.png|Meyer Blumenfeld (c.1850)
File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld_-_full_image.jpg|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1850)
File:Cerf_Blumenfeld_Ad.png|Cerf Blumenfeld's Ad (c.1856)
File:Leopold_Blumenfeld.jpg|Leopold Blumenfeld (1858)
File:Jansly_and_Wilhelmina_Blumenfeld.jpg|Jansly & Wilhelmina Blumenfeld (c.1880)
File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld.jpg|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1885)
File:Blumenfeld_postcard_1890.png|Advertising postcard for Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. (c.1890)
File:Blumenfeld_Gurhau_Poster.jpg|Poster showing the Gruhau winter quarters (c.1891)
File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Wwe_poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (1891)
File:Circus_Jansly_Postcard.png|Advertising Postcard for Circus Jansly (c.1895)
File:Simon_Blumenfeld_Family.jpg|Simon Blumenfeld and his family (c.1900)
File:5_Blumenfelds_Poster.jpg|"The 5 Blumenfelds" Poster (c.1900)
File:Barnum_and_Bailey_-_Germany.png|Barnum & Bailey German Tour Poster (1900)
File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (1906)
File:Magdeburg_Circus.jpg|The Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)
File:Magdeburg_Zirkus.jpg|Magdeburg Circus Auditorium (c.1910)
File:Blumenfeld_Elephants.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (c.1912)
File:Blumenfeld_Llamas.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (c.1913)
File:Geb._Blumenfeld_-_Bulls.jpg|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1913)
File:Blumenfeld_lion-elephant_poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (c.1913)
File:Zirkus_Blumenfeld_in_Magdeburg.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld in Magdeburg (1914)
The_5_Sailors_(Blumenfeld).png|The 5 Sailors (Blumenfeld) (c.1915)
File:Geb._Blumenfeld.jpg|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1920)
File:Circus_Arthur_Blumenfeld.jpg|Circus Arthur Blumenfeld in Berlin (1946)
File:Arthur_Blumenfeld_Program_1.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld Program in Berlin (1946)
File:Circus_Blumenfeld_Program_in_Berlin_2.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld Program in Berlin (1946)
File:Blumenfeld_memorial.jpg|Commemorative Stumbling Stones in Magdeburg (2022)
</Gallery>

[[Category:History|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Circus Owner and Directors|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Equestrians|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Artists and Acts|The Blumenfeld Family]]

The Blumenfeld Family

2026-09-06T19:17:07Z

Djando: /* Enter The Magdeburg Generation */

[[File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Wwe_poster.jpg|right|300px]]
==Circus Owners, Equestrians, Animal Trainers, Artists==

''By Dominique Jando''

The huge Blumenfeld family holds an important place in German and European circus history. One of the three major German-Jewish circus dynasties before World War II—along with the [[Circus Strassburger|Strassburgers]] and the [[The Lorch Family|Lorches]]—the Blumenfelds were driven to bankruptcy and then brutally decimated by the Nazis. Before that tragedy, they had been a highly respected family of talented acrobats, aerialists, equestrians, and circus owners. Although some members of the family resurfaced after World War II, the Blumenfelds were never able to reclaim the position they had once held in the circus world.

The Blumenfelds are allied with several other prominent Jewish families, such as the Goldkettes ([[The Brönett Family|Brönett]]), the Strassburgers, the Lorches, and the [[The Könyot Family|Könyots]]. They always married within their faith and, at times, like the Rothschilds, within their family—with perhaps the notable exceptions of Erich Blumenfeld, the youngest son of Simon Blumenfeld, who married Fanny Houcke, from the Franco-Swedish [[The Houcke Dynasty|Houcke]] family, and his brother Alex, whose wife, Eugenie, came from an old Italian circus family, the Cardinales.

Since Hirsch Blumenfeld (1788-1867), founder of the dynasty, created his circus in the mid-nineteenth century, many of his descendants have operated several different circuses under the Blumenfeld name. Hirsch had a large family that developed many branches, and it can be sometimes difficult to determine which branch a given Blumenfeld belonged to. The Blumenfeld circus owners, however, shared one defining trait: they were equestrians who served the equestrian circus tradition with distinction, even as the circus-menagerie was becoming the norm in Germany by the beginning of the twentieth century.

===Cerf Blumenfeld===

[[File:Cerf_Blumenfeld_Ad.png|thumb|left|300px|Cerf Blumenfeld'sCircus National Ad (c.1856)]]Hirsch Blumenfeld was born Hirsch Levy in 1788 in Isenburg, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, one of the many German states. His parents were Levy Wolf (1770-1828), a Jewish cantor, and his wife Rosa (Rösgen), née Cahn (?-1840). The Blumenfeld patronym came later: Under Jewish naming tradition, a son took his father’s given name as a patronym, so Hirsch, as Levy’s son, became Hirsch Levy. Hirsch didn't embrace his father's calling: He became instead a traveling entertainer, an occupation that had attracted many of his coreligionists over the centuries.

Hirsch Levy married Henrietta (Jetta) Jonas (1789-1853), a native of Neuwied, in the Rhineland Palatinate, south of Bonn. Hirsch and Jetta raised a large family of eight children: Emanuel (1811-1885), Meyer (1815-1894), Sophia (1816-?), David (1818-1893), Joseph (1820-1820), Mina (1821-?), Moritz (1825-1895), and Simon (1828-1911)—starting a tradition of exceptionally large families among their descendants.

Later, in 1846, a regulation was introduced in Prussia, where the family had settled, demanding that Jewish families adopt a steady patronymic. Family lore tells us that, when Hirsch declared the name ''Bumenfeld'' to the Prussian authorities, he chose his new patronymic because he saw a field full of flowers (or ''blumen Feld'' in German) through the clerk's window: Hence the Blumenfeld family was born. ''Si non è vero, è bien trovato!'' (Even if not true, it's a good story).

Hirsch Blumenfeld eventually moved from traveling entertainer to traveling circus owner. For reasons unknown, he professionally adopted Cerf (Stag), the French translation of Hirsch, as his first name, and he became known to the circus world as Cerf Blumenfeld. The year of his first circus creation was probably in 1845: On April 9 of that year, a Bonn chronicle announced the opening of "the Equestrian Circus of Mr. Cerf from Combahn with 17 horses" (Combahn is a village on the Rhine, south of Bonn, where the Blumenfelds had settled). This is the earliest known reference to a Blumenfeld circus. From the outset, it was a true equestrian circus, establishing a tradition the family would continue to uphold.

After Jetta’s death in 1853, Hirsch remarried to Sara von Geldern (1817–1896), with whom he had two more sons, Emil (1855–1895) and Aron Alexander (1861–1942). The marriage brought the family to a considerable size: Hirsch now had seven surviving sons, many of whom would go on to found large families of their own, thus giving rise to the numerous branches of the Blumenfeld dynasty.

Cerf Blumenfeld's large family provided the backbone of his programs, which appear to have been of good quality, and the circus grew steadily. The first written review of the show came from the town of Hanau, in Hesse: "An aesthetic treat, as it has been missed here for many years, is now provided by the equestrian company of Mr. Blumenfeld. [...] Stylish costumes and beautiful horses are also a treat for the spectator's eyes." By then, the company had 32 performers and 24 horses.

Cerf Blumenfeld passed awy on August 16, 1867, in Eberstadt, near Darmstadt in Hesse, where his circus may have been performing at the time. It is unclear whether some of his sons took over their father’s circus after his death or had already left to establish circuses of their own. It is known that in 1866, one year before Cerf's death, there was a ''Cirque Equestre'' managed by the Blumenfeld Brothers, which could have been either their father's circus, or a new one.

===The Many Blumenfeld Circuses===

[[File:Meyer_Blumenfeld.png|thumb|right|300px|Meyer Blumenfeld (c.1850)]]Be that as it may, the family eventually dispersed, and several circuses bearing the Blumenfeld name appeared across Germany with varying degrees of success. Some became major German traveling circuses of their times—including Emanuel Blumenfeld’s circus, which survived him under the management of his widow and then his sons; it was to become the Circus Blumenfeld of reference and will be treated later. Nevertheless, many others ''Circus Blumenfeld'' are worth mentioning.

''Zirkus Blumenfeld & Söhne'', created by Meyer Blumenfeld, Emanuel's younger brother, was active between 1884 and 1892, and was a major German circus. Meyer had married twice. His first wife was Setta Hartog (1814-1852), the sister of Jetta Hartog, Emanuel's wife: both brothers married the same day, on January 24, 1839. Meyer and Setta had five children, Leopold (1841-1901), Minna (b. 1843), Josef (b.1845), Nathan (1846-1852), and Sofia; then, after Setta's death, Meyer married Gundula Sara Jonas (b.1812), who gave him another son, Jansly (Samson) (1853-1935). In turn, Jansly and Leopold created two major traveling circuses.

In 1884, Jansly Blumenfeld, who had married his cousin Wilhelmina (1861-1910), daughter of his uncle David, operated ''Circus Jansly & Leo'' with his brother Leopold. It became ''Circus Jansly'' the following year, when Leopold left to establish his own circus. Successfully active from 1885 to 1901, Circus Jansly suffered a devastating train accident and a stable fire in 1900, which killed many of its horses. After a run of forty-six years, the circus could not survive these catastrophes and closed in Berlin in 1901.

Leopold Blumenfeld created his circus in 1885, and it survived his 1901 death—initially under the management of his widow, Bertha Blumenfeld. Bertha was Leopold's third wife. He had married first Lisette Gutschmidt, followed in 1868 by Caroline Hirsch (1850–1883), and after Caroline's death, Bertha Halmschlag (1854-1913). Leopold had one son with Lisette Gutschmidt, Hartwig (1867-1927), and six more children with Caroline Hirsch: Lisette (Setta, 1871-1943), Emil (1874-1952), Adolf (1876-1933), Max (1879-1916), Wilhelm (Willy, 1881-1955), and Gerhard (Georg, 1878-?).

[[File:Leopold_Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Leopold Blumenfeld (c.1850)]]Because Leopold had no children with Bertha, her claim to the circus became uncertain. Caroline’s children—Adolf, Emil, and Lisette—reclaimed it, and it eventually came under the sole management of Lisette (Setta) Blumenfeld. At the time, Setta was married to the circus performer August Gerausch, known as Varinelli, with whom she had four children: Leo Ludwig (1890-1964), Amanda (1905-1942), Arthur (1911-1919), and Alfons. Later, probably in the early 1920s, she formed a couple with her cousin Louis Blumenfeld (1866-1943), a son of Emanuel Blumenfeld; together they had a daughter, also named Lisette.

Setta Blumenfeld's circus had a long and rich career. It traveled under the title ''Großer Zirkus Blumenfeld'', and sometimes as ''Circus Louis Blumenfeld'', although Louis never held part ownership of the circus. The circus eventually passed under the management of Setta's elder son, Leo Gerausch, who closed it in 1926, while Germany was still under the Weimar Republic, because of the financial difficulties caused by a dire economic period. Leopold's other sons, Hartwig, Willy, and Gerhard also exploited smaller circuses in the 1920s, and Cerf Blumenfeld's third son, David, toured a circus for some time.

Another son of Cerf Blumenfeld, Moritz, also became an important circus owner. Moritz had married Sara Haymann (1833-1901) with whom he had no less than thirteen children: Ludwig (1854-1928), Helene (1855-1933), Diena (b.1859), Rosina (1860-1931), Amanda (1864-1935), Karl (1866-1940), Hermann (1868-1916), Adele (1871-1906), Rudolf (1875-1942), Virginia, Bertha, Kätchen, and Ernestine. This was to form a solid backbone for his circus company! He created his circus in 1865, and was successful enough to retire comfortably in 1886, at age sixty-one. Two years before, he had handed the management of his circus to his son Ludwig, who exploited it for only three years before auctioning it in 1887. He too retired comfortably, at age thirty-four!

All these Blumenfeld circuses presented a wide range of high-quality equestrian acts, particularly original liberty displays, which became the hallmark of the Blumenfeld name and were often featured in the winter programs of Europe's resident circuses. The larger Blumenfeld circuses also offered rich and varied productions that included popular equestrian pantomimes such as the inescapable ''Mazeppa'', alongside other large-scale spectacles.

Large families such as that of Moritz Blumenfeld produced outstanding acrobatic and aerial performers, whose acts were held in high demand. Contemporary photographs reveal another characteristic of the dynasty: The Blumenfelds were invariably elegant, both in and out of the ring. In every sense, they embodied the aristocracy of the circus world.

==Zirkus E. Blumenfeld==

[[File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld_-_full_image.jpg|thumb|300px|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1840)]]Emanuel Blumenfeld created the most successful and longest lasting of all the Blumenfeld circuses. As the eldest of Cerf's children, he may well have been his father's successor, since his own ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld'' appeared in August 1867, around the date of his father's death. Born March 1, 1811, in Bremke, a small village near Göttingen, in southern Lower Saxony, he was twenty-eight when he married Jette (Hitzelchen) Hartog (1817-c.1850) on January 24, 1839, in a dual ceremony with his brother Meyer, who married Jette's sister Setta.

Like his brother Moritz, Emanuel would eventually preside over an exceptionally large family. His first wife, Jetta, bore him five children: Moritz (b. 1844), Leopold (b. 1845), Meyer (1847-1892), Wolf (1849-1906), and Wilhelmine (Minna, b. 1850). When Jetta died unexpectedly around 1850, perhaps soon after Minna's birth, Emanuel was left with five very young children and no one to mother them. He found a second wife in Jeanette Stein (1831-1896), who was twenty years his junior.

Jeanette gave Emanuel ten more children: Olympia (b.1852), Henriette (1853-1914, who married [[The Könyot Dynasty|Leopold Könyot]]), Max (b.1855), Jonas (1855-1859), Simon (1857-1918, who married [[The Strassburger Family|Rosa Strassburger]]), Alexander (Simson, 1859-1921), Adolf David (1863-1913), Louis (1866-1943, who married his cousin Setta Blumenfeld-Gerausch), Hermann (1868-1933, who married his niece Betty Blumenfeld, daughter of his brother Simon), and Amanda. In 1881, a journalist described Jeanette Blumenfeld as "a truly Jewish woman with iron strength and a heart of gold, [who] kept her sons and daughters, her daughter-in-law and grandchildren in strict discipline."

Emanuel established his circus’s base in the province of Westphalia, in Prussia, and during its early years ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld'' toured the Kingdom of Prussia exclusively. The Franco-Prussian War of 1870 brought a major disruption: Emanuel’s elder sons Moritz, Leopold, and Meyer, enrolled in the army. Their military service may have encouraged a greater sense of independence, and they eventually left the family circus. Emanuel died on May 23, 1885 in Tilsit, where the circus was performing. Jeanette, whose strength of character suggests that she had likely been involved in managing the circus alongside her husband despite her many duties as a mother, took over its direction.

[[File:Blumenfeld_Gurhau_Poster.jpg|thumb|left|450px|The Gurhau Winter Quarters (c.1891)]]Jeanette came from a circus family, and she had brought her family's circus into her marriage: Consequently, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld had grown in importance, but with such a large family, Jeanette had the support she needed to run it. Simon, Alexander, and Louis oversaw day-to-day operations; Adolf became general manager; and Hermann, as advance man, organized the tours. Under her management, the circus continued to grow, and its stables—always a distinctive Blumenfeld asset—doubled in size. The circus also changed its name to ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld Wwe'' (Circus E. Blumenfeld Widow). In 1891, the family moved to much-needed larger winter quarters in the town of Gurhau, in Lower Silesia (today Góra, in Poland), where they had found a large ensemble of abandoned military stables.

Jeanette Blumenfeld died in Gurhau on April 30, 1896, at age sixty-one. Her death might have led to the breakup of the enterprise and a new proliferation of Blumenfeld circuses, but Emanuel and Jeanette had foreseen that possibility: They wrote a will in 1872 that established a clear succession, both for the circus business and for the family’s responsibilities. It not only defined the siblings' positions and tasks in the running of the circus—which, it specified, couldn't be dismantled or split between them—but also, their commitment to their family and to their Jewish faith. Jeanette's strong hand is apparent in such a strictly ordered will, and its provisions were duly followed by her descendants.

===Enter The Magdeburg Generation===

[[File:Simon_Blumenfeld_Family.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Simon and Rosa's Blumenfeld's family (c.1900)]]Under Jeanette's ownership, the circus had been managed by Simon, Alexander, Adolf, and Hermann, and the four brothers remained at the helm of the enterprise (Louis was soon to leave the family). Not as prolific progenitors as their father, Alexander, Adolf and Hermann didn't produce many descendants, but Simon did, and his progeny, which would become known as the "Magdeburg branch," would constitute the next Blumenfeld generation of circus directors.

Rosa Strassburger gave Simon eleven children: Betty (1880-1932), who married her uncle Hermann; Emanuel, known as Alex (1885-1942); Alfons (1887-1942), who married his cousin [[The Konyöt Family|Olympia Konyöt]]; Arthur (1889-1910), who married his cousin Victoria, daughter of Jansly Blumenfeld; Alfred (1891-1945); Eugen (1893-1937); Alice (1895-1942); Jeanette (Netty, 1897-1969); Willy (1898-1942); Fritz (Friedrich, 1899-1945), and Erich (1901-1943), who married [[The Houcke Dynasty|Fanny Houcke]]).

The Blumenfelds had an excellent reputation among their audiences and among the artists who worked for them. They were known as a warm, welcoming family, always ready to help, and always respectful of their fellow performers—for they were indeed performers themselves: In a 1898 program, one could see Hermann and Betty riding in ''haute-école'', Louis and Setta performing a pas-de-deux on horseback, and Alexandre presenting the liberty acts. Coming up, the next generation was trained in all circus disciplines to perform alongside their elders as acrobats, equestrians, and animal trainers, and eventually replace them.

[[File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Poster.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (1906)]]By 1897, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld, which had been one of the earliest German circuses to perform under a big top instead of a wooden ''construction'' or as visitors in a circus building (of which there were indeed many at the time), had become too big to continue using horse-power transportation, and it switched to travel by rail. In their advertising, the Blumenfelds boosted no less than 180 horses, 28 wagons, and even their own traveling electric plant, which was quite high-tech at the turn of the twentieth century! As they reminded their potential audiences in the press, theirs was not a cheap tenting operation: It was a modern, elegant, and comfortable first-class traveling circus.

Their shows often ended with spectacular equestrian pantomimes (known as "hippodramas") in which they could display their magnificent horses. As the [[The Knie Dynasty|Knies]] and some others would do much later, the Blumenfelds invited the public to watch their training sessions. At a time when horses still held an important place in everyday life and the public at large was fascinated by great horsemanship, this was excellent publicity indeed—especially for a circus where horsemanship was still served with outstanding talent.

In 1911, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld celebrated its 100th anniversary. Emanuel's circus had been created in 1867, after the death of Cerf Blumenfeld and, although it may have been considered the continuation of Cerf's circus, the date of its creation was around 1840. None of these anniversaries worked, so the date chosen for this advertising stunt was the year of Emanuel's birth, 1811. Be that as it may, it worked, and this pseudo-centennial was duly celebrated with special events, banquets with city representatives in attendance, and other festivities—a good indication that the Blumenfelds were seen as important circus owners.

[[File:Barnum_and_Bailey_-_Germany.png|thumb|right|300px|Barnum & Bailey Poster for its German Tour (1900)]]Meanwhile, [[Wilhelm Hagenbeck]], the son of German wild animal importer [[The Hagenbeck Dynasty|Carl Hagenbeck]] (1844-1913), the most important animal dealer of his time (he provided animals to zoos and circuses worldwide), had started a traveling circus in 1887 that included an important menagerie of exotic and wild animals—some of which were presented performing in the show—as well of exhibitions of exotic tribes from the "mysterious" lands of Africa, Asia, and even America (with tribes of Native Americans).

Ten years later, in 1897, the giant American [[Barnum and Bailey Circus]] began an extended European tour that lasted until 1905. Its enormous menagerie impressed European audiences at a time when colonial expansion had intensified public fascination with everything exotic, particularly animals. It encouraged German circuses and traveling menagerie owners such as [[Carl Krone]] to follow Hagenbeck's example and develop into the circus-menagerie enterprises that would characterize the German circus industry until World War II.

The Blumenfelds were no exception to this trend. In 1912, the brothers added a menagerie to their previously equestrian circus and began to present animal acts other than horses. They acquired four elephants and a collection of exotic and wild animals that included a hippopotamus, but they refrained from presenting cage acts in their programs until 1936. Their important stables were still full, and their renowned equestrian acts remained their circus's main attraction.

Then, on June 28, 1914, a Serb nationalist assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. This led Austria-Hungary to declare war to Serbia one month later, on July 28. Russia then entered the conflict to support Serbia, which led to a domino effect in the complicated system of European alliances: France and England joined the war on Russia's side, followed by Italy, and Germany did the same on Austria-Hungary's side with Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire. This situation had disastrous repercussions, and the circus industry experienced them the hard way.

The Blumenfelds had a special relation with the Military: They considered their duty, as German citizens, to serve in the army, and several of Simon's sons enlisted wholeheartedly. Many circus workers did the same, or were drafted, and foreign artists from enemy countries had to leave Germany or had been interned. Then, the Army, which still relied largely on horse-powered transport, requisitioned the Blumenfelds’ horses, as well as their tents. Under these conditions, and with rail travel strictly regulated to give priority to army transports, touring had become impossible, and the Blumenfelds closed their traveling circus. They had, however, a safe retreat.

===The Great War and The Magdeburg Circus===

Magdeburg was the capital of Saxony. Located in what today is Saxony-Anhalt, it was an important city that had hosted several circus buildings over the years. Nothing exceptional there, since major German cities had circus buildings, but Magdeburg location was relatively central in the German Empire, which could make it a good base for a traveling circus. In 1896, an entrepreneur named Hahn built a new circus in the city. Already, in 1886, Hahn had acquired [[August Krembser]]'s circus building in Berlin, which he rented out to major circus companies such as [[Gotthold Schumann]]'s—before Schumann opened his own circus building in the Prussian capital. A master-carpenter, he had already erected a wooden "construction" in Madgeburg in 1892.

[[File:Magdeburg_Circus.jpg|left|thumb|400px|The Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)]]Hahn was not a circus man, but a businessman and landlord who rented out his facilities to circus companies and other tenants. His new Magdeburg circus, located on Kaizer Wilhelm Platz (today's Universitätsplatz) and Köningstraße 62/63 (today's Walther-Rathenau-Straße), a major thoroughfare, was a large building: With a surface area of nearly 4,000 m2 (approximately 154 x 266 feet), it included not only the circus itself, which could be fitted with a removable stage for concerts and theatrical productions and boasted a capacity of 2,800, but also a restaurant, wardrobe shops, a saddlery, a prop workshop, stables for 110 horses, and a small variety theater. It opened on September 30, 1896, with [[Circus Renz]] as a tenant.

The Blumenfelds performed there in 1904, 1911, and 1913. Since 1907, the building had been used principally as a movie theater, and by 1913, it was in disrepair. After Hahn's death, it had passed to his daughter, who was eager to sell. The Blumenfelds had long wanted to move their winter quarters from Gurhau to a more central location, and Magdeburg suited their needs. During their visit in 1913, they offered to buy and restore the property, and Ms. Hahn accepted; then they secured a thirty-year lease with the city, which owned the land, and they could finally move their operations to Magdeburg in 1914. After adding a large foyer to the circus, they were ready to use it for their winter seasons.

Thus, in March 1914, after World War I had broken out and the Blumenfelds had effectively lost their traveling enterprise, they went to their new home in Magdeburg. Since the European theater of war was soon confined to a line of fortified trenches stretching from the English Channel to Switzerland, Germany’s interior remained unaffected. The Blumenfelds were able to rent out the building, though for purposes other than circus performances; they even re-converted it into a movie theater.

During that time of circus inactivity, the directors of the third generation disappeared or retired. Adolf had died in Dresden in 1913, Alexander and Hermann called it quits (they would pass away in 1921 and 1933 respectively), and finally, Simon, the father of the "Magdeburg Line," died in Magdeburg on July 22, 1918, shortly before war's end. The war over, the Gurhau winter quarters were sold, and with the Magdeburg building used for unrelated activities, it could have been the end of the ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld''.

===The Postwar Period===

With seven brothers pretending to be Simon’s successors, not to mention Simon’s four daughters and the children of his brothers, reviving the Zirkus E. Blumenfeld could have led to unforeseen problems. Therefore, in the summer of 1919, Simon’s sons Alex, Alfons, and Arthur purchased the former ''Zircus E. Blumenfeld Wwe.'' company from the family. Then, they announced the creation of a new touring company called ''Zirkus Gebr. Blumenfeld''. They also let it known that they remained co-owners of the Magdeburg circus and set 1920 as the date for the debut of their traveling circus. It wasn’t an easy task: They had to rebuild their entire touring operation from scratch!

[[File:Geb._Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1920)]]They purchased a large two-pole circus tent, 44 meters in diameter (approximately 144 feet) and with a capacity of 2,000 people. This made their circus a major enterprise—although it would soon pale in comparison to giants like [[Circus Krone|Krone]], [[Circus Sarrasani|Sarrasani]], [[Circus Gleich|Gleich]], and even the circus of their Strassburger cousins. Alex, Alfons, and Arthur Blumenfeld could rely on their large family for support: Their brothers, Fritz and Alfred, took care of the administrative aspects of the circus, and Eugen supervised the always important concessions department. Other family members were also available to help and perform in the show.

The new Blumenfeld Circus made its debut in Dessau, not far from Magdeburg, on April 3, 1920. The show featured many family members: Alfons presented liberty acts with Amanda Lorch. Willy appeared in a high-school presentation with his sister-in-law and cousin Victoria (Arthur’s wife), and also doubled as the clown Kucki. Arthur, riding a horse, presented two trained bulls. Of course, there were also many hired performers in the show, including a team of acrobats and a motorcycle stunt act. In November, the Blumenfeld brothers returned to their circus in Magdeburg for the winter season, which at long last returned to hosting circus shows.

The years immediately following the war were marked by the Spanish flu pandemic, which claimed the lives of about fifty million people worldwide, and Europe was not spared. Yet, after a long and devastating war that killed around twenty million people, European audiences were eager for escapist entertainment. Pandemic or not, the interwar years proved to be exceptionally favorable for circuses and variety shows. The Blumenfelds, like other circus owners, benefited from this sudden enthusiasm. However, the interwar years also brought major economic problems.

During the war, Germany had experienced severe inflation, with prices doubling almost instantly. To address this problem, the Kaiser’s government abandoned its gold-backed currency, expecting that Germany would win the war. That was not the outcome however, and the postwar Weimar government had to pay considerable reparations to the Allies in gold-backed currency. This led to an economic domino effect resulting in hyperinflation: The Mark collapsed, and by 1922, prices had risen by 700%!

[[File:Zirkus_Blumenfeld_in_Magdeburg.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Zirkus Blumenfeld in Magdeburg (1914)]]However, after years of successful touring and well-organized performances, the Magdeburg Blumenfelds had become relatively wealthy. Like most European traveling circus families, they didn’t keep all their money in the bank. They followed the traditional practice of converting their wealth into gold or diamonds, which they kept hidden in their mobile homes. But if the depreciation of the Mark didn’t affect their accumulated wealth, then the money they earned in Germany was worthless. For many German circuses, the solution was to travel abroad to replenish their coffers. Sarrasani went to South America, Krone and Gleich traveled throughout Europe...

Similarly, the Blumenfelds looked beyond Germany. They visited the Baltic States and rented out some of their animal and equestrian acts abroad. In 1925-1926, they even toured their animal acts in Russia's circus buildings. Since circuses, like all performing arts, were nationalized by the new Soviet government in 1919, Russia’s ten resident circuses—including two in Moscow—needed artists to fill their programs. With a shortage of Russian performers (the new State Circus and Variety College hadn’t yet produced many of them), the Soviet Committee for the Arts turned to Germany, one of the few countries with which Russia still maintained good relations. The Blumenfelds seized this opportunity.

After a rewarding tour in Russia, the Blumenfelds purchased new wagons and tents. Their menagerie now consisted of forty-five horses, two elephants, four camels, three llamas, and two bulls. However, the political situation in Germany was changing. In the mid-1920s, the NSDAP (Nazi Party), which had until then been a small right-wing movement, began to compete in elections, aiming to undermine the German democratic government of the Weimar Republic. They also began to gain power through grassroots campaigning, propaganda, and political violence. This led to a rise in antisemitism. The Nazis blamed Jews and communists for many of Germany’s postwar problems, and they called for a strong Germany free of Jews, starting with boycotting Jewish businesses.

[[File:Magdeburg_Zirkus.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Interior of the Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)]]“Gau Anhalt-North Saxony” was established by the Nazis in 1926 in order to streamline their party organization. Two years later, it was renamed “Gau Magdeburg-Anhalt”, making Magdeburg a major center for Nazi activities. The Nazi-led boycott of Jewish businesses, often carried out through intimidation, hit the Blumenfelds during a time when Germany was also facing a severe financial crisis. The Nazis exploited this situation to intensify antisemitism. The resulting hardships became evident during the 1927 tour. After trying various measures such as offering ticket discounts and other promotional activities, the Blumenfelds announced that, “Due to the unfavorable financial situation, the circus has decided to discontinue its activities.”

To be sure, they were not the only circus to quit the business: Between 1926 and 1930, no less than seven German circuses went bankrupt. However, the Blumenfelds were a powerful circus family with a permanent base in a major German city. They had always been respected citizens there, but unfortunately, Magdeburg became increasingly hostile under Nazi influence, and their circus building, like their touring show, became unprofitable. To recoup their losses, they tried to sell the building to the municipality.

It seems that there were various forces involved to undermine any potential deal. The plan failed, and the Blumenfelds were forced into bankruptcy in 1927. The building wasn’t sold until ten years later, and even then, the proceeds went directly into the bankruptcy estate. Meanwhile, the bankruptcy trustees continued to rent the building out for purposes other than circus. The bankruptcy was finalized in 1940, but the once respected ''Zirkus Geb. Blumenfeld jun.'' had already ceased to exist. As for the Magdeburg circus building, it never resumed its circus activities and was eventually destroyed in the January 16, 1945 of the Allied bombing of the city.

===The Nazi Era===

The large Magdeburg Blumenfeld family, including Alfons, Alex and Arthur, began to look for engagements in other circuses. Alex found jobs as an animal trainer and artistic director in Scandinavian circuses, Alfons became the deputy manager and artistic director of [[Circus Medrano-Swoboda]], Austria's leading circus, where he also performed as a high-school rider with his daughter Ruth and presented liberty acts; Alfred Blumenfeld went to work as manager of [[Circus Dominik Althoff]], then presented liberty horses on tour with his brother Arthur at [[Circus Adolf Fischer]], another German circus, of which Eugen Blumenfeld had become the artistic director.

Erich Blumenfeld went to France, where he married Fanny Houcke and became a member of the Houcke family (which would soon relocate in neutral Sweden). Fritz Blumenfeld worked in the administration of several circuses and became the private secretary of [[Julius Gleich]], then of Dominik Althoff, and in 1939-40, of the Dutch circus impresario [[Franz Mikkenie]], who will help the Strassburgers to survive the Nazis in The Netherlands. Willy continued to be the clown Kucki in the circus of their cousins Strassburger before they were forced to sell it to [[Paula Busch]]; he would later commit suicide in Auschwitz.

Hitler came to power in 1933, and the Nazi Party now ruled Germany. Circus performers’ unions and directors’ organizations disappeared, and circus and variety artists had to join the newly created, Nazi-controlled ''Artistik'' union if they wanted to work. Several circus owners joined the Nazi Party to protect their interests, with the notable exceptions of [[Hans-Stosch Sarrasani]]—although his son would do so after his father’s death—and Dominik Althoff and his children. In 1935, the Nazi government announced the Nuremberg Laws, which formalized its racial theories; by 1937-1938, Jews were forced to identify themselves, notably by wearing the infamous yellow Star of David, further segregating them from the rest of the German population.

[[File:Blumenfeld_memorial.jpg|thumb|left| 450pix|Blumenfelds' commemorative Stumbling Stones in Magdeburg]]All Jewish performers (among whom the many Blumenfelds still living in Germany) began to be victims of the Nazis' violent antisemitism. Several Blumenfelds went to perform in Scandinavia, England or America, where they settled; a large group of them sailed with Circus Sarrasani to Brazil in 1934. When Simon Blumenfeld's family purchased the Magdeburg circus in 1914, the city became home to other members of the large Blumenfeld family. Louis and Setta Blumenfeld had settled in Magdeburg with the Gerausch family; in 1940 they were forced to move in a so-called "Jewish House."

They were then deported to the Theresienstadt Ghetto in Terezin, Czechoslovakia. Louis died there in 1942. Setta was later transferred to Auschwitz, where she was killed. Other Magdeburg residents, Setta's daughter, Amanda Gerausch, and Ulrich Blumenfeld, a son of Hermann and Betty Blumenfeld, were also deported that year. Rosa Strassburger-Blumenfeld, Simon's widow, died in the Theresienstadt Ghetto in 1943, and seven of her children died in deportation; her daughter Alice committed suicide to avoid deportation.

Obviously, Alex, Alfons and Arthur Blumenfeld, the former directors of the ''Zirkus Geb. Blumenfeld jun.'', were not immune to these attacks. In 1937, Alex was in engagement in Denmark, and from there he moved first to Belgium, and then to France, where he tried to obtain a permit to enter neutral Sweden or Great Britain. Before he could see any positive outcome, the war broke out and France was occupied by Nazi Germany. The old Marshall Pétain, now France's president, and his Vichy government were as much rabidly antisemitic as the occupant, and foreign Jews were the first to be prosecuted.

Alex was arrested as an "enemy alien" and interned in the camp of Saint Cyprien, in Dordogne (southwest France). His wife, Eugenie, had remained in Belgium, and the fact she was of Italian descent (Cardinale) protected her. Alex could correspond with her, but he was soon moved to the notorious internment camp of Drancy, in the Paris suburbs, which was a gateway to Auschwitz; he was sent there in August 1942, never to return.

Alfons Blumenfeld also emigrated to Paris in December 1938, together with his wife Olympia, née Könyot. Like his brother Alex, Alfons was there with his wife when the war broke out and Germany occupied France. They were immediately arrested by the French police; Olympia was interned in the camp of Rivesaltes, near Perpignan in southwestern France, and Alfons was interned in the concentration camp of Bram, near Carcassonne, and later transferred to Drancy. Both were finally sent to Auschwitz, where they were killed.

Their daughter Ruth, who had married to [[The Berousek Family|Ludwig Berouzek]], scion of a famous Czech circus dynasty, was deported to Auschwitz, where she was killed in 1942. (Ludwig, whom she had divorced, had emigrated to the United States.) Before being arrested, Ruth had put their daughter, Vardia, in the care of a French family: Vardia survived the war.

Arthur Blumenfeld and his wife Victoria (also born Blumenfeld) and his two daughters Rita and Eva, settled in Berlin in 1933. Playing with the unusual similarity of their family names, Victoria managed to register herself as an adopted child of unknown Aryan origin. Their union became therefore a "mixed marriage," which made the family safe from deportation, even though the German authorities subjected Arthur to the usual discrimination, like forced labor and the wearing of the Jewish yellow star. But they survived...

Many other members of the extended Blumenfeld family were killed during this dark period: According to various sources, up to 150 members of the entire family were killed between 1933 and 1945. Arthur Blumenfeld lost nine brothers and sisters during that time: He and his sister Jeanette, who lived in England, were the only survivors of Simon and Rosa Blumenfeld's eleven children!

===Epilogue===

After the end of World War II, Arthur and Victoria tried to restart the Circus Blumenfeld. With the help of the Soviet authorities, which controlled East Germany and most of Berlin, they managed to acquire the equipment of the bankrupt circus of [[Circus Brumbach|Gustav Brumbach]], which included a four-pole big top and all its paraphernalia. They quickly repainted the old wagons to a Blumenfeld livery, put their name on the façade, and began to perform in Berlin in October 1945, touring the four sectors of the destroyed city.

[[File:Circus_Arthur_Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Circus Blumenfeld in Berlin (1946)]]At first, Arthur presented the circus’s only four horses, and the modest program featured a hand-to-hand trio, a perch-pole balancing act, and a magician—nothing exceptional, but fitting for the times. The circus was making money, however, and by December Victoria could report that they "already had four bears, six horses, and several buffalos." In September 1948, Arthur marked his fifty years in the ring, though there were no public celebrations: The Circus Blumenfeld of 1948 was no longer the eminent circus of the pre-Nazi era, and it performed primarily for Allied troops and charitable organizations such as orphanages.

By then, there were already two resident circuses in Barlin: Paula Busch had just opened a circus in the old planetarium of the Zoological Gardens in West Berlin, and [[Harry Barlay]] had erected a large "construction" on Friedrichstraße, among the ruins of Berlin Mitte, then located in the Soviet zone of Berlin. Yet, the Blumenfelds, who were touring within the city—which didn't go without its share of problems—were very competent circus directors and could have prospered enough to take the road again.

Unfortunately, the Blockade of Berlin started on June 23, 1948, and, in an already uneasy situation, major problems began to arise, notably to find food for the animals—for which the three circuses had to resort to a very expensive black market. Eventually, some animals had to be given away, and a few horses had even to be killed. The financial situation of the three circuses was dismal, even more so for the Blumenfelds, who had re-started from scratch and didn't have the resources of Paula Busch or Harry Barley.

Arthur Blumenfeld staged his final show in 1949 at the Berlin Zoo, where he had set up his circus. Apart from the few horses he had managed to keep, the program was largely a variety show, and its income was not enough to sustain the enterprise. The once prosperous and celebrated ''Zirkus Blumenfeld'' gave its last performance in June of that year. Arthur sold his equipment and the few animals he had left to Paula Busch. With that, the Blumenfeld name forever disappeared from the roster of German circuses.

Only a few surviving Blumenfeld performers reappeared after the war, and the family name gradually vanished from postwar German circus life. Arthur died in Berlin on December 17, 1951, at age sixty-two; some sources say he took his own life. Victoria lived for many more years, passing away on August 6, 1990, at age ninety-two. They are buried with their daughter Eva in the Jewish cemetery of Weissensee, Berlin.

'''NOTE''': '''''The general outline of this biography was adapted from an article by Dietmar Winkler published in three installments in the defunct German magazine ''Planet Circus'' in 2013. Several other sources were consulted for its redaction, including the books listed below.'''''

==Suggested Reading==

* Marline Otte, ''Jewish Identities in German Popular Entertainment'' (New York, Cambridge University Press, 2006) — ISBN 978-0-521-856-30-0
* Gisela and Dietmar Winkler, ''Die Blumenfelds – Schicksale einer jüdischen Zirkusfamilie'' (Gransee, Edition Schwarzdruck, 2012) — ISBN 978-3-935194-50-1

==Image Gallery==

<Gallery>
File:Meyer_Blumenfeld.png|Meyer Blumenfeld (c.1850)
File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld_-_full_image.jpg|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1850)
File:Cerf_Blumenfeld_Ad.png|Cerf Blumenfeld's Ad (c.1856)
File:Leopold_Blumenfeld.jpg|Leopold Blumenfeld (1858)
File:Jansly_and_Wilhelmina_Blumenfeld.jpg|Jansly & Wilhelmina Blumenfeld (c.1880)
File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld.jpg|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1885)
File:Blumenfeld_postcard_1890.png|Advertising postcard for Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. (c.1890)
File:Blumenfeld_Gurhau_Poster.jpg|Poster showing the Gruhau winter quarters (c.1891)
File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Wwe_poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (1891)
File:Circus_Jansly_Postcard.png|Advertising Postcard for Circus Jansly (c.1895)
File:Simon_Blumenfeld_Family.jpg|Simon Blumenfeld and his family (c.1900)
File:5_Blumenfelds_Poster.jpg|"The 5 Blumenfelds" Poster (c.1900)
File:Barnum_and_Bailey_-_Germany.png|Barnum & Bailey German Tour Poster (1900)
File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (1906)
File:Magdeburg_Circus.jpg|The Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)
File:Magdeburg_Zirkus.jpg|Magdeburg Circus Auditorium (c.1910)
File:Blumenfeld_Elephants.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (c.1912)
File:Blumenfeld_Llamas.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (c.1913)
File:Geb._Blumenfeld_-_Bulls.jpg|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1913)
File:Blumenfeld_lion-elephant_poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (c.1913)
File:Zirkus_Blumenfeld_in_Magdeburg.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld in Magdeburg (1914)
The_5_Sailors_(Blumenfeld).png|The 5 Sailors (Blumenfeld) (c.1915)
File:Geb._Blumenfeld.jpg|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1920)
File:Circus_Arthur_Blumenfeld.jpg|Circus Arthur Blumenfeld in Berlin (1946)
File:Arthur_Blumenfeld_Program_1.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld Program in Berlin (1946)
File:Circus_Blumenfeld_Program_in_Berlin_2.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld Program in Berlin (1946)
File:Blumenfeld_memorial.jpg|Commemorative Stumbling Stones in Magdeburg (2022)
</Gallery>

[[Category:History|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Circus Owner and Directors|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Equestrians|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Artists and Acts|The Blumenfeld Family]]

Main Page

2026-09-06T05:35:24Z

Djando:

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<div style="top:+0.2em; font-size:98%;"> ''Circopedia is an independent educational website, initially created as a project of the original, non-profit [[Big Apple Circus]]''.</div><br/>
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==In The Spotlight==

===THE BLUMENFELD FAMILY===
[[File:5_Blumenfelds_Poster.jpg|right|300px]]The huge Blumenfeld family holds an important place in German and European circus history. One of the three major German-Jewish circus dynasties before World War II—along with the Strassburgers and the Lorches—the Blumenfelds were driven to bankruptcy and then brutally decimated by the Nazis. Before that tragedy, they had been a highly respected family of talented acrobats, aerialists, equestrians, and circus owners. Although some members of the family resurfaced after World War II, the Blumenfelds were never able to reclaim the position they had once held in the circus world.

The Blumenfelds are allied with several other prominent Jewish families, such as the Goldkettes (Brönett), the Strassburgers, the Lorches, and the Könyots. They always married within their faith and, at times, like the Rothschilds, within their family—with perhaps the notable exceptions of Erich Blumenfeld, the youngest son of Simon Blumenfeld, who married Fanny Houcke, from the Franco-Swedish Houcke family, and his brother Alex, whose wife, Eugenie, came from an old Italian circus family, the Cardinales.

Since Hirsch Blumenfeld (1788-1867), founder of the dynasty, created his circus in the mid-nineteenth century, many of his descendants have operated several different circuses under the Blumenfeld name. Hirsch had a large family that developed many branches, and it can be sometimes difficult to determine which branch a given Blumenfeld belonged to. The Blumenfeld circus owners, however, shared one defining trait: they were equestrians who served the equestrian circus tradition with distinction, even as the circus-menagerie was becoming the norm in Germany by the beginning of the twentieth century.

Hirsch Blumenfeld was born Hirsch Levy in 1788 in Isenburg, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, one of the many German states. His parents were Levy Wolf (1770-1828), a Jewish cantor, and his wife Rosa (Rösgen), née Cahn (?-1840). The Blumenfeld patronym came later: Under Jewish naming tradition, a son took his father’s given name as a patronym, so Hirsch, as Levy’s son, became Hirsch Levy. Hirsch didn't embrace his father's calling: He became instead a traveling entertainer, an occupation that had attracted many of his coreligionists over the centuries..... ([[The Blumenfeld Family|more...]])

==New Essays and Biographies==

* [[The Blumenfeld Family]], circus owners, artists
* [[Émilien Bouglione/fr|Émilien Bouglione]], French version
* [[Kremo Family]], icarists
* [[The Ziratron]], Israel's first Circus
* [[Carlos Guity]], Acrobat

==New Videos==

* [[Fumagalli_Video_(2003)|Fumagalli & Daris]], clown entrée (2006)
* [[Ariz_Bros_Video_(1983)|The Ariz Brothers]], banquine (1983)
* [[Les_Chicky_Video_(1983)|Les Chicky]], clown entrée (1983)
* [[The_Astoris_Video_(1975)|The Astoris]], Aerial Perch (1975)
* [[Evelyn_and_André_Interview_(2025)|Evelyn & André]] Interview by the Fővárosi Nagycirkusz (2025)

==New Oral Histories==

* [[Evelyn_and_André_Interview_(2025)|Evelyn & André]] Interview by the Fővárosi Nagycirkusz (2025)
* [[Bouglione_Video_(2013)|The Bouglione Family]] France 3 TV documentary (2013)
* [[Gneushev_Video_(c.1990)|Valentin Gneushev interview]] on Russian Television (c.1990)
* [[Dominique_Jando_Video_(2025)|Dominique Jando interview]] by the Circus Historical Society (2025)
* [[Evelyn_and_Andre_Video_(2015)|Evelyn & André Interview]] on Blikk TV (2015)

==Circopedia Books==

* [[Circopedia Books|Philip Astley & The Horsemen who invented the Circus]], by Dominique Jando (2018)

==A Message from the Founder==

''CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus, maintained by reliable circus historians and specialists. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to [[Circopedia:Contact|contact us]]: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.''

:'''Dominique Jando'''
:Founder and Curator

Fumagalli

2026-09-06T05:32:59Z

Djando: /* See also */

[[File:Fumagalli.jpeg|right|400px]]
==Clown==

''By Dominique Jando''

Fumagalli was born Natalino Giovanni (Gianni) Huesca on Christmas day, 1956, in Genoa, Italy. His father didn't come from a circus background: an Austrian of Jewish descent, he had left his hometown of Gratz when the Nazi came to power, and took refuge in Italy. There he worked as a clown under the name of Enrico ("Enrichetto") Fumagalli with Circo [[Liana Orfei|Liana, Nando e Rinaldo Orfei]], which was until the 1970s one of the major postwar Italian circuses (the siblings later ended their association and ran separate circuses), and other circuses. Like many Italian clowns, Enrico Fumagalli appeared in Federico Fellini's movie, ''I Clowns'' (1970), and then he retired from performing. Gianni's mother, Daisy Huesca (b. 1920), on the other hand, was born into the circus, to a family of Spanish descent that had settled in Italy, and was related to two other famous Italian circus families, [[The Canastrelli Family|Canestrelli]] and Larible. Gianni's uncle, [[Francesco "Nené" Huesca]], was himself a renowned clown in Italy.

Gianni and his brother, Daris (b. May 15, 1952 in Morbegno, Italy), were trained in all acrobatic disciplines by their brother-in-law, [[Hans Bruckson]]. They performed with him in a remarkable tight-wire act, the [[Feller Boys]], which combined all sorts of balancing feats with teeterboard on the wire. For many years, the Feller Boys enjoyed a brilliant international career. Gianni, however, had a knack for comedy and performed clown reprises and comic acrobatic routines from time to time with Daris.

===From Gianni Huesca To Fumagalli===

[[File:Daris_and_Fumagalli_(2011).jpg|thumb|left|400px|Fumagalli & Daris (2011)]]In 1994, [[Bernhard Paul]], the director of the famous German circus [[Circus Roncalli|Roncalli]], (and also its resident star auguste, under the name of Zippo), hired Gianni Huesca to replace his former clowning partner, [[Angelo Muñoz]]. It is at Circus Roncalli that Gianni took his father's name, Fumagalli, and learned the arcane of classic clowning with a master, the legendary Italian whiteface clown, [[Francesco Caroli]]. Fumagalli's silhouette, with its signature three-pointed hairdo, was suggested to Bernhard Paul by [[Frédy Knie]]. Fumagalli also replaced [[Tino Fratellini]] (who had fallen ill and passed away that same year) in other comedy acts such as a parody of old-time circus acrobats that would become the [[Fuma Boys]]. Then and there, Fumagalli became an overnight sensation. (Bernhard Paul, a great "discoverer" of clown talent, also launched at Circus Roncalli the careers of [[Pic]], [[Jean-Paul]], [[David Shiner]] and [[Peter Schub]], among other famous clowns.)

Fumagalli remained at Circus Roncalli until 2000. In January 2001, he was invited to the [[International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo]], where he won the prestigious Silver Clown award. That same year, he toured in Germany with the short-lived Circus Fumagalli, which he ran with his brother for one season. After that, Daris Huesca and Fumagalli limited their activities to clowning and starred in some of the world's most prestigious circuses, including [[Cirkus Benneweis]]; [[Circus Knie]]; the [[Cirque d'Hiver]]-[[The Bouglione Family|Bouglione]] in Paris; [[Circus Carré]] in Amsterdam; and the [[Big Apple Circus]], as well as in several variety shows. They also became frequent guests on the hit French television variety show, ''Le plus grand cabaret du monde''. In 2015, Fumagalli and Daris won the coveted Gold Clown at the 39th [[International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo]]—the most prestigious award in the circus world.

Fumagalli is married to [[The Fossett Dynasty|Angela Fossett]], a member of the great Irish circus dynasty. Their two sons, Giovanni and Nikolai, performed a Risley act as the [[Huesca Brothers]], until Giovanni's untimely death in 2013.

==See also==

* Video: [[Fuma_Boys_Video_(2001)|The Fuma Boys, comedy acrobatics]], at Circus Fumagalli (2001)
* Video: [[Fuma_Boys_Monte_Carlo_Video_(2001)|The Fuma Boys, comedy acrobatics]], at the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (2001)
* Video: [[Fumagalli_Video_(2003)|Fumagalli & Daris, table entrée]], at the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (2006)
* Video: [[Fumagalli Interview 2007| Fumagalli Interview]] with Dominique Jando (2007)
* Video: [[Fumagalli and Davis Little Bee BAC Video 2007|Fumagalli & Davis, "Little Bee" entrée]], at the Big Apple Circus (2007)
* Video: [[Fumagalli and Davis Table BAC Video 2007|Fumagalli & Davis, Table Act]], at the Big Apple Circus (2007)
* Video: [[Fumagalli_Video_(2015)|Fumagalli & Davis, "Little Bee" entrée]], at the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (2015)
* Video: [[Fuma_Boys_Video_(2015)|The Fuma Boys, comedy acrobatics]], at the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (2015)

==Image Gallery==

<Gallery>
File:Larible,_Popov,_Fumagalli.jpg|David Larible, Oleg Popov, Stephanie de Monaco, Fumagalli (2005)
Image:Cirque_d'Hiver_Program_(2006).jpg|Fumagalli at the Cirque d'Hiver (2006)
File:Daris_and_Fumagalli.jpg|Daris & Fumagalli (c.2010)
File:Daris_and_Fumagalli_(2011).jpg|Daris & Fumagalli (2011)
File:Fumagalli.jpeg|Fumagalli (c.2015)
</Gallery>

[[Category:Artists and Acts]]
[[Category:Clowns]]

Fumagalli Video (2003)

2026-09-06T05:30:01Z

Djando: Created page with "Fumagalli & Daris, table entrée, at the 30th International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (2003) — ''Document: FR3 – France Televisions'' {{#ev:vimeo|1224120521|..."

Fumagalli & Daris, table entrée, at the 30th [[International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo]] (2003) — ''Document: FR3 – France Televisions''

{{#ev:vimeo|1224120521|740}}

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Fumagalli]]

[[Category:Video Archive|Fumagalli]]

Bertram Mills Circus

2026-09-03T22:57:15Z

Djando: /* Image Gallery */

==Suggested Reading==

* A. Stanley Williamson, ''On The Road With Bertram Mills'' (London, Chatto & Windus, 1937)
* Robert Aylwin, ''The Bertram Mills Book Of The Circus'' (London, Naldrett, 1954)
* Cyril Bertram Mills, ''Bertram Mills Circus — Its Story'' (London, Hutchinson, 1967; paperback reprint published by Ashgrove Press, Bath, in 1983) — ISBN 0-906798-22-1
* David Jamieson, ''Bertram Mills — The Circus That Travelled By Train'' (Little Hormead, Aardvark Publishing, 1998) — ISBN 1-872904-11-4
* Steven B. Richley, ''The Posters of Bertram Mills' Circus'' (Double Crown Books, 2014) — ISBN 978-1-872904-51-1

==See Also==

* Biographies: [[Bertram Mills]], [[Cyril Mills]]
* Video: [[Bertram_Mills_Video_(1934)|Bertram Mills Circus]] on the Road and at Olympia (1934)
* Video: [[Bertram_Mills_Circus_Video_(1946)|Reopening of Bertram Mills Circus]] after WWII (1946)
* Video: [[Bertram_Mills_Video_(1959)|Royal Family Visit]] to Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1959)

==Image Gallery==

<Gallery>
File:Bertram_Mills.jpg|Bertram W. Mills (1923)
File:Bertram_Mills_25-26_.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1925)
File:Mills_26-27.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1926)
File:Mills_May_Wirth.jpeg|Poster featuring May Wirth (1926)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_Olympia_1927.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1927)
File:Mills_Poster_-_Olympia_1928.jpeg|Poster for Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1928)
File:Carmo_tenting_circus_%2B_queue.jpg|The Carmo/Mills Circus (1929)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_Program_1929-30.JPG|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1929)
File:Bertram_Mills_Program_32-32.jpeg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1931)
File:Bertram_Mills_-_Seago.jpeg|Bertam Mills Circus at Olympia by Edward Seago (1932)
File:Bertram_Mills_-_Kaden.jpg|Poster featuring Alfred Kaden (1932)
File:Bertram_Mills_-_Holiday_(1932).jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1932)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus.jpg|Bertram Mills Circus on tour (1932)
File:Bertram_Mills_1934.png|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1934)
File:Bertram_Mills_in_(c.1935).jpg|Bertram W. Mills (c.1935)
File:Bertram_Mill_Circus_1935.png|Poster for Bertram Mills Circus on tour (1935)
File:Bombayo_-_Bertram_Mills_Circus.jpeg|Poster featuring Kannan Bombayo (1935)
File:Bertram_Mills_at_Olympia_1937.jpg|Bertram Mills backstage at London's Olympia (1937)
File:Mills_1938.jpg|Poster featuring Koringa (1939)
File:Bertram_Mills_-_Koringa.jpg|Poster featuring Koringa (1939)
File:Mills_Program_1939.jpg|Program Cover featuring Koringa for Bertram Mills Circus on Tour (1939)
File:Bertram_Mills_Tour_1939.jpg|Promotional Flyer, Bertram Mills Circus on Tour (1939)
File:Bertram_Mills_Olympia_1946.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1946)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_Tour_47.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus on Tour (1947)
File:Bertram_Mills_1947.jpeg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1947)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_1949.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1949)
File:Bernard_and_Cyril_Mills_.jpg|Bernard and Cyril Mills (c.1950)
File:Mills_Elephants_(1950).jpeg|Bertram Mills Circus's elephants at London's Olympia (1950)
File:Bertram_Mills_Olympia_1950.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1950)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_Prog._1951_s.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus on Tour (1951)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_program_1951.jpeg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1951)
File:Bertram-Mills-poster-1952.jpg|Poster for Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1952)
File:Mills_Olumpia_1959.jpeg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1952)
File:Mills_Entrance_1952.jpeg|Bertram Mills Circus' main entrance (1952)
File:Mills_Circus_Cambridge.jpeg|Bertram Mills Circus in Cambridge (1953)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_1953.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1953)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_Prog._1954_s.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus on Tour (1954)
File:Bertrams_Mills_55-56.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1955)
File:Mills_Circus_Leeds.jpg|Bertram Mills Circus in Leeds (c.1955)
File:Mills_Advertising_Van.jpg|Bertram Mills Circus advertisiing van (c.1955)
File:Cyril_%26_Bernard_Mills_with_Elizabeth_II_.jpg|Cyril and Bernard Mills with the Royal Family (c.1955)
File:Bertram_Mills_Postcard_(1957).jpeg|Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia: Advertising Postcard (1957)
File:Bertram_Mills_1957.png|Program cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1957)
File:Bertram_Mills_at_Murrayfield_(1957).jpg|Bertram Mills Circus in Edinburgh (1957)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_Prog._1957_s.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus on Tour (1957)
File:Mohawks_Mills.jpg|Poster featuring The Mohawks (1958)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_1958-1.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1958)
File:Mills_Program_1959.png|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1959)
File:Mills_Olympia_60-61.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1960)
File:Gosta_Kruse_Mills.jpg|Gösta Kruse and Mills's elephants (c.1960)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_Tour_61.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus on Tour (1961)
File:Nadia_Houcke_at_Bertram_Mills_Circus.jpeg|Nadia Houcke at Bertram Mills Circus (1962)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_62.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1962)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_Tour_63.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus on Tour (1963)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_63.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1963)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_1964.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1964)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_1965.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1965)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_66.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1966)
</Gallery>

[[Category:Circuses|Bertram Mills]]

Bertram Mills Circus

2026-09-03T22:56:24Z

Djando: /* Image Gallery */

==Suggested Reading==

* A. Stanley Williamson, ''On The Road With Bertram Mills'' (London, Chatto & Windus, 1937)
* Robert Aylwin, ''The Bertram Mills Book Of The Circus'' (London, Naldrett, 1954)
* Cyril Bertram Mills, ''Bertram Mills Circus — Its Story'' (London, Hutchinson, 1967; paperback reprint published by Ashgrove Press, Bath, in 1983) — ISBN 0-906798-22-1
* David Jamieson, ''Bertram Mills — The Circus That Travelled By Train'' (Little Hormead, Aardvark Publishing, 1998) — ISBN 1-872904-11-4
* Steven B. Richley, ''The Posters of Bertram Mills' Circus'' (Double Crown Books, 2014) — ISBN 978-1-872904-51-1

==See Also==

* Biographies: [[Bertram Mills]], [[Cyril Mills]]
* Video: [[Bertram_Mills_Video_(1934)|Bertram Mills Circus]] on the Road and at Olympia (1934)
* Video: [[Bertram_Mills_Circus_Video_(1946)|Reopening of Bertram Mills Circus]] after WWII (1946)
* Video: [[Bertram_Mills_Video_(1959)|Royal Family Visit]] to Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1959)

==Image Gallery==

<Gallery>
File:Bertram_Mills.jpg|Bertram W. Mills (1923)
File:Bertram_Mills_25-26_.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1925)
File:Mills_26-27.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1926)
File:Mills_May_Wirth.jpeg|Poster featuring May Wirth (1926)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_Olympia_1927.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1927)
File:Mills_Poster_-_Olympia_1928.jpeg|Poster for Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1928)
File:Carmo_tenting_circus_%2B_queue.jpg|The Carmo/Mills Circus (1929)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_Program_1929-30.JPG|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1929)
File:Bertram_Mills_Program_32-32.jpeg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1931)
File:Bertram_Mills_-_Seago.jpeg|Bertam Mills Circus at Olympia by Edward Seago (1932)
File:Bertram_Mills_-_Kaden.jpg|Poster featuring Alfred Kaden (1932)
File:Bertram_Mills_-_Holiday_(1932).jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1932)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus.jpg|Bertram Mills Circus on tour (1932)
File:Bertram_Mills_-_Kaden.jpg
File:Bertram_Mills_1934.png|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1934)
File:Bertram_Mills_in_(c.1935).jpg|Bertram W. Mills (c.1935)
File:Bertram_Mill_Circus_1935.png|Poster for Bertram Mills Circus on tour (1935)
File:Bombayo_-_Bertram_Mills_Circus.jpeg|Poster featuring Kannan Bombayo (1935)
File:Bertram_Mills_at_Olympia_1937.jpg|Bertram Mills backstage at London's Olympia (1937)
File:Mills_1938.jpg|Poster featuring Koringa (1939)
File:Bertram_Mills_-_Koringa.jpg|Poster featuring Koringa (1939)
File:Mills_Program_1939.jpg|Program Cover featuring Koringa for Bertram Mills Circus on Tour (1939)
File:Bertram_Mills_Tour_1939.jpg|Promotional Flyer, Bertram Mills Circus on Tour (1939)
File:Bertram_Mills_Olympia_1946.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1946)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_Tour_47.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus on Tour (1947)
File:Bertram_Mills_1947.jpeg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1947)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_1949.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1949)
File:Bernard_and_Cyril_Mills_.jpg|Bernard and Cyril Mills (c.1950)
File:Mills_Elephants_(1950).jpeg|Bertram Mills Circus's elephants at London's Olympia (1950)
File:Bertram_Mills_Olympia_1950.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1950)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_Prog._1951_s.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus on Tour (1951)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_program_1951.jpeg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1951)
File:Bertram-Mills-poster-1952.jpg|Poster for Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1952)
File:Mills_Olumpia_1959.jpeg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1952)
File:Mills_Entrance_1952.jpeg|Bertram Mills Circus' main entrance (1952)
File:Mills_Circus_Cambridge.jpeg|Bertram Mills Circus in Cambridge (1953)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_1953.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1953)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_Prog._1954_s.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus on Tour (1954)
File:Bertrams_Mills_55-56.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1955)
File:Mills_Circus_Leeds.jpg|Bertram Mills Circus in Leeds (c.1955)
File:Mills_Advertising_Van.jpg|Bertram Mills Circus advertisiing van (c.1955)
File:Cyril_%26_Bernard_Mills_with_Elizabeth_II_.jpg|Cyril and Bernard Mills with the Royal Family (c.1955)
File:Bertram_Mills_Postcard_(1957).jpeg|Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia: Advertising Postcard (1957)
File:Bertram_Mills_1957.png|Program cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1957)
File:Bertram_Mills_at_Murrayfield_(1957).jpg|Bertram Mills Circus in Edinburgh (1957)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_Prog._1957_s.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus on Tour (1957)
File:Mohawks_Mills.jpg|Poster featuring The Mohawks (1958)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_1958-1.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1958)
File:Mills_Program_1959.png|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1959)
File:Mills_Olympia_60-61.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1960)
File:Gosta_Kruse_Mills.jpg|Gösta Kruse and Mills's elephants (c.1960)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_Tour_61.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus on Tour (1961)
File:Nadia_Houcke_at_Bertram_Mills_Circus.jpeg|Nadia Houcke at Bertram Mills Circus (1962)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_62.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1962)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_Tour_63.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus on Tour (1963)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_63.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1963)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_1964.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1964)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_1965.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1965)
File:Bertram_Mills_Circus_66.jpg|Program Cover, Bertram Mills Circus at Olympia (1966)
</Gallery>

[[Category:Circuses|Bertram Mills]]

File:Bertram Mills - Kaden.jpg

2026-09-03T22:54:56Z

Djando:

Bertram Mills Circus poster for the 1932-1933 season at Olympia (London) featuring Alfred Kaden (1932) — ''Victoria & Albert Museum, London''

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Alfred Kaden]]
* Circuses: [[Bertram Mills Circus]]

[[Category:Art Gallery|Bertram Mills Circus]]

File:Bertram Mills - Kaden.jpg

2026-09-03T22:53:24Z

Djando: Bertram Mills Circus poster for the 1932-1933 season at Olympia (London) featuring Alfred Kaden (1932) — ''Victoria & Albert Museum, London''

Bertram Mills Circus poster for the 1932-1933 season at Olympia (London) featuring Alfred Kaden (1932) — ''Victoria & Albert Museum, London''

The Gruss Dynasty

2026-09-03T21:28:08Z

Djando: /* Image Gallery */

==Equestrians, Animal Trainers, Circus Owners==

* Video: [[Philippe_Gruss_Video_(1965)|Philippe Gruss, leopard act]], at Cirque Jean Richard (1965)
* Video: [[190780303|Arlette Gruss, leopard act]], at the Cirque d'Hiver in Paris (1969)
* Video: [[Alexis_Gruss_Sr_Video_(1971)|Alexis Gruss, Sr., liberty act]], at the CIrque Municipal in Amiens (1971)
* Video: [[Lucien_Gruss_-_Camels_Video_(1973)|Lucien Gruss, camel act]], at the Cirque Jean Richard (1973)
* Video: [[Alexis_Gruss_Sr_Liberty_Act_(1975)|Alexis Gruss, Sr., Liberty Act]], at the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (1975)
* Video: [[Lucien_Gruss_Haute_Ecole_Video_(1975)|Lucien Gruss, high school act]], at the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (1975)
* Video: [[Lucien_Gruss_Haute_Ecole_Video_(1976)|Lucien Gruss, high school act]], at Paris's Cirque d'Hiver (1976)
* Video: [[Martine_Gruss_Video_(1977)|Martine Gruss, ballerina on horseback]], at Cirque Gruss in Paris (1977)
* Video: [[Gruss_Jockey_Video_(1977)|Alexis, Jr., Patrick & Martine Gruss, triple jockey act]], at the Cirque Gruss in Paris (1977)
* Video: [[Gruss_Benac_Video_(1977)|Alexis Gruss, Jr. & Marie-Pierre Bénac, ''Les Poses Équestres'']], at the Cirque Gruss in Paris (1977)
* Video: [[Armand_Gruss_and_Toffy_(1984)_Video|Armand Gruss and Toffy, elephant act]], at the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain (1985)
* Video: [[Stephan_Gruss_Juggling_on_Horseback_1985|Stephan Gruss, juggling on horseback]], at the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain (1985)
* Video: [[Lucien_Gruss_Video_(1987)|Lucien Gruss, liberty act]], at the Intenational Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (1987)
* Video: [[Gruss_Family_Jockeys_Video_(1990)|Martine, Stephan, Armand & Firmin Gruss, jockey act]], at the Festival d'Avignon (1990)
* Video: [[Gipsy_et_Maud_Gruss_Video_(2001)|Gipsy & Maud Gruss, haute-école]], at the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (2001)
* Video: [[Alexis_Gruss_-_Liberty_Video_(2001)|Alexis Gruss, liberty act]], at the 25th International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (2001)
* Video: [[Bella_Ringenbach_Video_(2002)|Bella Ringenbach-Gruss and her tiger Gilliak]] at the International Circus Festival of Massy (2002)
* Video: [[Gruss_and_Togni_Video_(2016)|Alexis Gruss, Jr. and Flavio Togni, liberty act]], at the 40th International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (2016)
* Video: [[Alexis_Gruss_Liberty_Video_(2022)|Alexis Gruss, Jr., liberty presentation]], in ''Les Folies Gruss'' (2022)
* Video: [[Gruss_Brothers_-_Juggling_Video_(2024)|Alexandre & Charles Gruss, jugglers on horseback]], at the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (2024)
* Video: [[Gruss_Family_Video_(2024)|The Gruss Family, ''Grand Tableau Équestre'']], at the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (2024)

==See Also==

* Biographies: [[Alexis Gruss, Jr.]], [[Gipsy Gruss]], [[Stephan Gruss]], [[Firmin Gruss]], [[Armand Gruss]], [[Philippe Gruss]], [[Lucien Gruss]], [[Arlette Gruss]]

==Suggested Reading==

* Noël Devaulx, ''Le Cirque à l'ancienne'' (Paris, Henri Veyrier, 1977) — ISBN 978-2-8519-9152-2
* Annie Lorenzo, ''Les fous du cirque'' (Paris, Ch. Massin, 1990) — ISBN 2-7072-0104-9
* Florence Vergnes, photographies de Béatrice Le Grand, ''Les Chevaux de la Balle'' (Paris, Éditions Lamarre, 1991) — ISBN 2-85030-103-5
* Pierre Fenouillet, ''Jean Richard et son cirque'' (Vieux Boucau, Les Éditions du Nez Rouge, 1998)
* Alexis Gruss & Joëlle Chabert, ''Rêver les yeux ouverts'' (Paris, Desclée de Brouwer, 2002) — ISBN 2-220-05181-1
* Jacques Godot, ''Arlette Gruss — Le Cirque'' (Sarreguemines, Editions Pierron, 2002) — ISBN 2-7085-0282-4
* Gipsy Gruss-Bouglione, ''Sur le fil de ma vie'' (Pont-Saint-Esprit, La Mirandole, 2005) — ISBN 2-909282-91-0
* Christian Boner, ''Radio Télé Circus — L'âge d'or du cirque de la radio et de la télévision'' (Paris, Le Masque, 2009) — ISBN 2-9518301-6-5
* Lucien Gruss, Laurent Desprez, ''Pour la beauté du cheval'' (Vauvert, Au diable vauvert, 2018) ISBN 979-1030701395
* Natalie Petiteau, ''Les bâtisseurs de l'éphémère – Histoire de la compagnie Alexis Gruss des origines à nos jours'' (Nîmes, Print Team, 2018)
* Alexis Gruss, Stephan Gruss, Nathalie Petiteau, ''Ex Nihilo'' (Avignon, Éditions Universitaires d'Avignon, 2022)
* Alexis Gruss (avec Laurence Monsénégro), ''Le dictionnaire de ma vie'' (Paris, Calmann-Lévy, 2022) — ISBN 978-2-7021-6964-3

==Image Gallery==

<Gallery>
File:Gruss-Jeannet_44.jpg|The Cirque Gruss-Jeannet at its debut (1944)
File:Alexis_Gruss_Sr_-_Clown.jpg|Cirque Gruss-Jeannet poster featuring Alexis Gruss, Sr. (c.1945)
File:Gruss-Jeannet_Dede.png|Cirque Gruss-Jeannet poster featuring Dédé Gruss (c.1945)
File:Dede_Gruss.jpg|Dédé Gruss (c.1950)
File:Poster_Radio_Circus_-_Kossmayer.jpeg|Radio-Circus Poster (1953)
File:Radio_Circus_1954.png|Radio-Circus program cover (1954)
File:Philippe_Gruss_and_Thoas.jpg|Philippe Gruss (1955)
File:Gruss_Juniors_Rodeo.jpg|The Gruss children at the Radio Circus (1955)
File:Philippe_Gruss_-_Radio_Circus.jpg|Philippe Gruss at the Radio Circus (1955)
File:Alexis_Gruss_Radio_Circus.jpg|Alexis Gruss, Sr. (1955)
File:Medrano_G-J.jpg|Cirque Gruss-Jeannet under the Medrano title (1956)
File:Medrano_Gruss-Jeannet_Poster.jpg|Poster for Cirque Gruss-Jeannet under Medrano title (1956)
File:Medrano-Gruss_Poster_Belgium.jpg|Poster for Cirque Medrano's Belgian tour (1956)
File:Jean_Richard_Paris.jpg|Cirque Gruss-Jeannet under the Jean Richard title (1957)
File:Gruss_Rodeo.jpg|The young generation of the Gruss-Jeannet tribe in ''Le Cirque des Juniors'' (1957)
File:Philippe_Gruss_-_Mills_(1960).jpeg|Philippe Gruss (1960)
File:Poster_Philippe_Gruss.jpg|Poster featuring Philippe Gruss (c.1960)
File:Philippe_Gruss_-_Arlette_Jeannet.jpg|Mireille and Philippe Gruss, Arlette Jeannet, and Tonino Zavatta (1960)
File:Dédé_Gruss_Poster.jpg|Poster featuring Dédé Gruss (c.1960)
File:Alexis_Gruss_and_Mahomet.jpg|Alexis Gruss Sr. and ''Mahomet'' (1960)
File:The_Gruss_Juniors.jpg|Patrick, Bella, and Alexis Gruss, Jr. (1964)
File:Dédé_Gruss.jpg|André Gruss as Dédé (c.1978)
File:Alexis_Gruss_Sr.jpg|Alexis Gruss, Sr. (1983)
File:Lucien_Gruss.jpg|Lucien Gruss (c.2000)
File:Cirque_Arlette_Gruss.jpg|Cirque Arlette Gruss (c.2015)
File:Folies_Gruss_Poster.jpg|Poster for ''Les Folies Gruss'' (2022)
File:Folies_Gruss_Beziers.jpg|Poster for ''Les Folies Gruss'' (2024)
File:Arlette_Gruss_-_Bordeaux.jpg|Cirque Arlette Gruss in Bordeaux (2024)
File:Arlette_Gruss_Poster_2025.jpg|Poster for Cirque Arlette Gruss (2025)
</Gallery>

[[Category:History|Gruss Dynasty, The]][[Category:Equestrians|Gruss Dynasty, The]][[Category:Circus Owners and Directors|Gruss Dynasty, The]]

File:Alexis Gruss Sr - Clown.jpg

2026-09-03T21:26:51Z

Djando:

[[Cirque Gruss-Jeannet]] poster signed Ello featuring Alexis Gruss, Sr. as a white-face clown (c.1945) — ''Joel Rhede Collection''

==See Also==

* Biography: [[The Gruss Dynasty]]

File:Alexis Gruss Sr - Clown.jpg

2026-09-03T21:26:03Z

Djando: Cirque Gruss-Jeannet poster signed Ello featuring Alexis Gruss, Sr. as a white-face clown (c.1945) — ''Joel Rhede Collection''

Cirque Gruss-Jeannet poster signed Ello featuring Alexis Gruss, Sr. as a white-face clown (c.1945) — ''Joel Rhede Collection''

Main Page

2026-09-01T23:55:07Z

Djando:

__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__

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<br><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Welcome! ✫ Bienvenue! ✫ Willkommen! ✫ Добро Пожаловать!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Bienvenida! ✫ Benvenuto! ✫ 歡迎 ! ✫ Vítejte! ✫ Καλώς ήρθατ
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<div style="top:+0.2em; font-size:98%;"> ''Circopedia is an independent educational website, initially created as a project of the original, non-profit [[Big Apple Circus]]''.</div><br/>
|}
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==In The Spotlight==

===THE BLUMENFELD FAMILY===
[[File:5_Blumenfelds_Poster.jpg|right|300px]]The huge Blumenfeld family holds an important place in German and European circus history. One of the three major German-Jewish circus dynasties before World War II—along with the Strassburgers and the Lorches—the Blumenfelds were driven to bankruptcy and then brutally decimated by the Nazis. Before that tragedy, they had been a highly respected family of talented acrobats, aerialists, equestrians, and circus owners. Although some members of the family resurfaced after World War II, the Blumenfelds were never able to reclaim the position they had once held in the circus world.

The Blumenfelds are allied with several other prominent Jewish families, such as the Goldkettes (Brönett), the Strassburgers, the Lorches, and the Könyots. They always married within their faith and, at times, like the Rothschilds, within their family—with perhaps the notable exceptions of Erich Blumenfeld, the youngest son of Simon Blumenfeld, who married Fanny Houcke, from the Franco-Swedish Houcke family, and his brother Alex, whose wife, Eugenie, came from an old Italian circus family, the Cardinales.

Since Hirsch Blumenfeld (1788-1867), founder of the dynasty, created his circus in the mid-nineteenth century, many of his descendants have operated several different circuses under the Blumenfeld name. Hirsch had a large family that developed many branches, and it can be sometimes difficult to determine which branch a given Blumenfeld belonged to. The Blumenfeld circus owners, however, shared one defining trait: they were equestrians who served the equestrian circus tradition with distinction, even as the circus-menagerie was becoming the norm in Germany by the beginning of the twentieth century.

Hirsch Blumenfeld was born Hirsch Levy in 1788 in Isenburg, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, one of the many German states. His parents were Levy Wolf (1770-1828), a Jewish cantor, and his wife Rosa (Rösgen), née Cahn (?-1840). The Blumenfeld patronym came later: Under Jewish naming tradition, a son took his father’s given name as a patronym, so Hirsch, as Levy’s son, became Hirsch Levy. Hirsch didn't embrace his father's calling: He became instead a traveling entertainer, an occupation that had attracted many of his coreligionists over the centuries..... ([[The Blumenfeld Family|more...]])

==New Essays and Biographies==

* [[The Blumenfeld Family]], circus owners, artists
* [[Émilien Bouglione/fr|Émilien Bouglione]], French version
* [[Kremo Family]], icarists
* [[The Ziratron]], Israel's first Circus
* [[Carlos Guity]], Acrobat

==New Videos==

* [[Ariz_Bros_Video_(1983)|The Ariz Brothers]], banquine (1983)
* [[Les_Chicky_Video_(1983)|Les Chicky]], clown entrée (1983)
* [[The_Astoris_Video_(1975)|The Astoris]], Aerial Perch (1975)
* [[Evelyn_and_André_Interview_(2025)|Evelyn & André]] Interview by the Fővárosi Nagycirkusz (2025)
* [[Merkys_Video_(1964)|The 3 Merkys]], horizontal bars (1964)

==New Oral Histories==

* [[Evelyn_and_André_Interview_(2025)|Evelyn & André]] Interview by the Fővárosi Nagycirkusz (2025)
* [[Bouglione_Video_(2013)|The Bouglione Family]] France 3 TV documentary (2013)
* [[Gneushev_Video_(c.1990)|Valentin Gneushev interview]] on Russian Television (c.1990)
* [[Dominique_Jando_Video_(2025)|Dominique Jando interview]] by the Circus Historical Society (2025)
* [[Evelyn_and_Andre_Video_(2015)|Evelyn & André Interview]] on Blikk TV (2015)

==Circopedia Books==

* [[Circopedia Books|Philip Astley & The Horsemen who invented the Circus]], by Dominique Jando (2018)

==A Message from the Founder==

''CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus, maintained by reliable circus historians and specialists. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to [[Circopedia:Contact|contact us]]: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.''

:'''Dominique Jando'''
:Founder and Curator

Main Page

2026-09-01T23:54:33Z

Djando:

__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__

{| id="mp-topbanner" style="width:100%; background:#fcfcfc; margin-top:1.2em; border:1px solid #ccc;"
|style="width:56%; color:#0000"| 
{| style="width:100%; border:solid 0px; background:none;"
|style="width:500px; text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; color:#000;"|
<br><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Welcome! ✫ Bienvenue! ✫ Willkommen! ✫ Добро Пожаловать!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Bienvenida! ✫ Benvenuto! ✫ 歡迎 ! ✫ Vítejte! ✫ Καλώς ήρθατ
ε!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Üdvözöljük! ✫ Добре Дошли! ✫ Welkom! ✫ Ласкаво Просимо!</div><div style="font-size:165%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Velkommen! ✫ Tervetuloa! ✫ Дабро Запрашаем! ✫ Välkommen!</div><br/>
<div style="top:+0.2em; font-size:98%;"> ''Circopedia is an independent educational website, initially created as a project of the original, non-profit [[Big Apple Circus]]''.</div><br/>
|}
|}
==In The Spotlight==

===THE BLUMENFELD FAMILY===
[[File:5_Blumenfelds_Poster.jpg|right|300px]]The huge Blumenfeld family holds an important place in German and European circus history. One of the three major German-Jewish circus dynasties before World War II—along with the Strassburgers and the Lorches—the Blumenfelds were driven to bankruptcy and then brutally decimated by the Nazis. Before that tragedy, they had been a highly respected family of talented acrobats, aerialists, equestrians, and circus owners. Although some members of the family resurfaced after World War II, the Blumenfelds were never able to reclaim the position they had once held in the circus world.

The Blumenfelds are allied with several other prominent Jewish families, such as the Goldkettes (Brönett), the Strassburgers, the Lorches, and the Könyots. They always married within their faith and, at times, like the Rothschilds, within their family—with perhaps the notable exceptions of Erich Blumenfeld, the youngest son of Simon Blumenfeld, who married Fanny Houcke, from the Franco-Swedish Houcke family, and his brother Alex, whose wife, Eugenie, came from an old Italian circus family, the Cardinales.

Since Hirsch Blumenfeld (1788-1867), founder of the dynasty, created his circus in the mid-nineteenth century, many of his descendants have operated several different circuses under the Blumenfeld name. Hirsch had a large family that developed many branches, and it can be sometimes difficult to determine which branch a given Blumenfeld belonged to. The Blumenfeld circus owners, however, shared one defining trait: they were equestrians who served the equestrian circus tradition with distinction, even as the circus-menagerie was becoming the norm in Germany by the beginning of the twentieth century.

Hirsch Blumenfeld was born Hirsch Levy in 1788 in Isenburg, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, one of the many German states. His parents were Levy Wolf (1770-1828), a Jewish cantor, and his wife Rosa (Rösgen), née Cahn (?-1840). The Blumenfeld patronym came later: Under Jewish naming tradition, a son took his father’s given name as a patronym, so Hirsch, as Levy’s son, became Hirsch Levy. Hirsch didn't embrace his father's calling: He became instead a traveling entertainer, an occupation that had attracted many of his coreligionists over the centuries..... ([[The Blumenfeld Family|more...]])

==New Essays and Biographies==

* [[The Blumenfeld Family]], circus owners, artists
* [[Émilien Bouglione/fr|Émilien Bouglione]], French version
* [[Kremo Family]], icarists
* [[The Ziratron]], Israel's first Circus
* [[Carlos Guity]], Acrobat

==New Videos==

* [[/Ariz_Bros_Video_(1983)|The Ariz Brothers]], banquine (1983)
* [[Les_Chicky_Video_(1983)|Les Chicky]], clown entrée (1983)
* [[The_Astoris_Video_(1975)|The Astoris]], Aerial Perch (1975)
* [[Evelyn_and_André_Interview_(2025)|Evelyn & André]] Interview by the Fővárosi Nagycirkusz (2025)
* [[Merkys_Video_(1964)|The 3 Merkys]], horizontal bars (1964)

==New Oral Histories==

* [[Evelyn_and_André_Interview_(2025)|Evelyn & André]] Interview by the Fővárosi Nagycirkusz (2025)
* [[Bouglione_Video_(2013)|The Bouglione Family]] France 3 TV documentary (2013)
* [[Gneushev_Video_(c.1990)|Valentin Gneushev interview]] on Russian Television (c.1990)
* [[Dominique_Jando_Video_(2025)|Dominique Jando interview]] by the Circus Historical Society (2025)
* [[Evelyn_and_Andre_Video_(2015)|Evelyn & André Interview]] on Blikk TV (2015)

==Circopedia Books==

* [[Circopedia Books|Philip Astley & The Horsemen who invented the Circus]], by Dominique Jando (2018)

==A Message from the Founder==

''CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus, maintained by reliable circus historians and specialists. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to [[Circopedia:Contact|contact us]]: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.''

:'''Dominique Jando'''
:Founder and Curator

Ariz Brothers

2026-09-01T23:53:08Z

Djando: Created page with "==Acrobats== * Video: The Ariz Brothers, banquine, at the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (1983) Category:Artists and Acts|Ariz Bro..."

==Acrobats==

* Video: [[Ariz_Bros_Video_(1983)|The Ariz Brothers, banquine]], at the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (1983)

[[Category:Artists and Acts|Ariz Brothers]][[Category:Acrobats|Ariz Brothers]][[Category:Banquine|Ariz Brothers]]

Ariz Bros Video (1983)

2026-09-01T23:50:35Z

Djando: Created page with "The Ariz Brothers, banquine act, at the 9th International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (1983) — ''Document: FR3 – France Televisions'' {{#ev:vimeo|1222889069|74..."

The Ariz Brothers, banquine act, at the 9th [[International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo]] (1983) — ''Document: FR3 – France Televisions''

{{#ev:vimeo|1222889069|740}}

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Ariz Brothers]]

[[Category:Video Archive|Ariz Brothers]]

Dolly Jacobs

2026-09-01T21:01:20Z

Djando: /* Image Gallery */

[[File:Dolly_Jacobs.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Dolly Jacobs (c.1980)]]
==Roman Rings==

''By Dominique Jando''

Dolly Jacobs was born to a circus family: her father, the celebrated clown [[Lou Jacobs]] (1903-1992), was for decades associated with [[Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey]], where he performed from 1925 to 1985. Her mother was born Jean Rockwell. An adventurous woman, she was a photographer, a published writer, a model and cover girl, and even held a pilot's license—all this at a time when women were supposedly destined to become homemakers regardless of their own inclinations.

In 1948, Jean ran away and joined the circus. She became a showgirl with the Ringling Bros. This was still the era of the giant traveling big tops and circus trains, and the job not only meant dancing, but also riding elephants, parading in elaborate costumes, and participating in ensemble aerial presentations. Jean's circus career was short-lived. On May 5, 1948, a few days after her debut at Madison Square Garden, she fell from an aerial revolving ladder while working in the aerial ballet. Lou Jacobs visited the beautiful aerialist in the hospital as often as he could. When Jean recovered, they married. They had two daughters, [[Lou Ann Jacobs|Lou Ann]] and Dolly Jean.

Born in Sarasota, Florida, winter home of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey until 1958, Dolly, like many other circus children in the area, began training at Sailor's Circus, the Sarasota High School's youth circus. After graduating from Sarasota High, she followed in her mother's footsteps and, at age thirteen, joined the Ringling show's battalion of showgirls, which allowed her to be near her father.

===From Showgirl To Star Aerialist===

[[File:Margie_Geiger.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Margie Geiger (c.1960)]]While in the show, Dolly began developing an act of her own. She first tried the tight wire, but preferred the freedom of aerial work and eventually decided on an aerial act. Her godmother, Margie Geiger, came to help. Margie was married to Joe Geiger, a member of the original [[Wallendas]], and she was herself a former aerialist who had enjoyed a brilliant career in North America with a Roman Rings act, which was partially performed in full swing: It was something rarely seen in Roman Rings acts, which were usually performed in a static version.

After attempting to develop a trapeze act for Dolly, Margie took her old rings from their box and, during the summer of 1976, in three hot months of unrelenting work, the two women managed to create a presentable first version of Dolly's Roman Rings act—just in time to audition for Ringling Brother's new show. Dolly's act was accepted, and she debuted it in the 1976 edition of ''The Greatest Show On Earth''.

At first, of course, Dolly's was just another act in a show that, at the time, featured dozens of acts. But she had all the qualities of a circus star: a hardworking perfectionist, she had ambition and a keen artistic sense, and she never took no for an answer. Moreover, she was strikingly beautiful and had a charismatic personality. In 1977, [[Irvin Feld]] sent her to the [[International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo]]. Dolly came back with the coveted ''Dame du Cirque'' award. Even so, she felt she had gone there unprepared, and decided to return to Monaco one day with an act that could win the highest awards of the Festival—a Gold or a Silver Clown.

For the next two years, Dolly worked on fine-tuning her act. She also trained on the flying trapeze with Armando Farfan, whose act, the [[Flying Farfans]], was one of the show's highlights. This came in handy when Joe Geiger thought of an idea for Dolly's finale: he had seen an aerialist, Frank Sheppard, who, at the end of his act, jumped from his trapeze to catch a vertical rope. Even though Sheppard actually killed himself doing this trick (his rope's attachment broke one day under the shock of his catch), Dolly thought it was worth a try.

She began practicing Sheppard's trick with the help of high-wire walker [[Carillo Brothers|Pedro Carillo]] and bear trainer [[Wally Naghtin]]. The first step was to find the right distance between her release point and the rope. Then she improved on Sheppard's flight by transforming it into a layout somersault instead of a straight flight. She presented her new act in 1979 to Irvin Feld, who gave her a solo spot above the center ring in the new production of ''The Greatest Show On Earth''. Dolly Jacobs was an immediate sensation: a star was born.

===Silver Clown and Circus Sarasota===

[[File:Dolly_Jacobs_and_Pedro_Reis.jpg|Dolly Jacobs & Pedro Reis at Circus Sarasota|thumb|right|400px]]In 1984, Dolly left Ringling and joined the [[Big Apple Circus]], with which she performed until 1985, and again in 1987 and 1988. She then returned to the International Circus festival of Monte Carlo. This time, she won a Silver Clown.

Dolly met South African aerialist [[Pedro Reis]] when he joined the Ringling show in 1984 with his aerial act, The Survivors. They were smitten with each other. Although they worked in different shows, they managed to develop a strong bond. In 1990, Pedro, who was then featured at the Big Apple Circus as a solo performer with a Cloud Swing act, proposed to Dolly. It was July 4. Two days later, he had an accident that grounded him for a long time. The marriage was put off for a startling length of time—until October 26, 2007. Meanwhile, in 1994, after Pedro had fully recovered, he and Dolly began performing an aerial duet together, titled ''On Wings Of Love''.

Then, in 1997, Dolly and Pedro created [[Circus Sarasota]], a non-profit organization devoted to teaching circus arts and celebrating Sarasota's rich circus heritage through high-quality circus performances. In spite of its short winter season, Circus Sarasota has become one of the most respected circuses in the United States, and Dolly appears regularly in its shows. In 2010, Circus Sarasota inherited Sarasota's very own Sailor Circus, one of the oldest and most successful youth circuses in the US, created in 1948. In 2013, Pedro and Dolly renamed their organization "The Circus Arts Consevatory", thus embracing all its activities: performance, circus education, and various outreach activities.

Rightly considered one of the brightest stars of the American circus, Dolly Jacobs was honored in 1997 by a plaque on the [[Circus Ring of Fame]] at St. Armands Circle in Sarasota. The following year, she was honored by Sarasota's [http://www.ringling.org| John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art]. In 2015, she was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts.

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Lou Jacobs]]
* Video: [[Dolly Jacobs BAC Video 1985|Dolly Jacobs]] at the Big Apple Circus, 1985
* Video: [[Flying_Caceres_PBS_Video_1985|Dolly Jacobs with the Flying Caceres]] at the Big Apple Circus (1985)
* Video: [[Dolly Jacobs BAC Video 1987|Dolly Jacobs]] in the Big Apple Circus production of ''1001 Arabian Nights'' (1987)
* Video: [[Dolly_Jacobs_Video_(1990)|Dolly Jacobs]] on ''The Ronn Lucas Show'' (1990)
* Video: [[Dolly_Jacobs_Interview_Video_(2018)|Dolly Jacobs Interview]] at The Ringling (2018)

==Image Gallery==

<gallery>
File:Margie_Geiger.jpg|Margie Geiger (c.1960)
File:Lou_Jacobs_and_family.jpg|Dolly Jacobs (3rd from left) with father Lou, mother Jean, and sister Lou Ann (c.1970)
File:Lou_Jacobs_and_daughters.jpg|Dolly Jacobs with her father, Lou, and her sister, Lou Ann (1975)
Image:Jacobs_family.jpg|Dolly Jacobs with her parents, Lou and Jean (c.1980)
File:Dolly_Jacobs_-_Hamilton_Plate.jpg|Collectible plate featuring Dolly Jacobs (c.1980)
File:Dolly_Jacobs_RBBB_(c.1980).jpg|Dolly Jacobs (c.1980)
File:Lou_Jacobs,_Dolly,_Feld.jpeg|Dolly, Lou, Irvin Feld (c.1980)
File:Dolly_Jacobs.jpg|Dolly Jacobs (c.1980)
File:Dolly_Jacobs_BAC.jpg|Dolly Jacobs at the Big Apple Circus (1985)
Image:Dolly_Jacobs_and_Pedro_Reis.jpg|Dolly Jacobs & Pedro Reis at Circus Sarasota
File:Dolly_Jacobs_(c.2010).jpeg|Dolly Jacobs (c.2010)
File:Pedro_Reis_and_Dolly_Jacobs_(2014).jpg|Pedro Reis & Dolly Jacobs (2014)
File:Dolly_Jacobs_(2016).jpeg|Dolly Jacobs (2016)
</gallery>

[[Category:Artists and Acts|Jacobs, Dolly]]
[[Category:Aerialists|Jacobs, Dolly]]
[[Category:Roman Rings|Jacobs, Dolly]]

Dolly Jacobs

2026-09-01T21:00:21Z

Djando: /* Silver Clown and Circus Sarasota */

[[File:Dolly_Jacobs.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Dolly Jacobs (c.1980)]]
==Roman Rings==

''By Dominique Jando''

Dolly Jacobs was born to a circus family: her father, the celebrated clown [[Lou Jacobs]] (1903-1992), was for decades associated with [[Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey]], where he performed from 1925 to 1985. Her mother was born Jean Rockwell. An adventurous woman, she was a photographer, a published writer, a model and cover girl, and even held a pilot's license—all this at a time when women were supposedly destined to become homemakers regardless of their own inclinations.

In 1948, Jean ran away and joined the circus. She became a showgirl with the Ringling Bros. This was still the era of the giant traveling big tops and circus trains, and the job not only meant dancing, but also riding elephants, parading in elaborate costumes, and participating in ensemble aerial presentations. Jean's circus career was short-lived. On May 5, 1948, a few days after her debut at Madison Square Garden, she fell from an aerial revolving ladder while working in the aerial ballet. Lou Jacobs visited the beautiful aerialist in the hospital as often as he could. When Jean recovered, they married. They had two daughters, [[Lou Ann Jacobs|Lou Ann]] and Dolly Jean.

Born in Sarasota, Florida, winter home of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey until 1958, Dolly, like many other circus children in the area, began training at Sailor's Circus, the Sarasota High School's youth circus. After graduating from Sarasota High, she followed in her mother's footsteps and, at age thirteen, joined the Ringling show's battalion of showgirls, which allowed her to be near her father.

===From Showgirl To Star Aerialist===

[[File:Margie_Geiger.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Margie Geiger (c.1960)]]While in the show, Dolly began developing an act of her own. She first tried the tight wire, but preferred the freedom of aerial work and eventually decided on an aerial act. Her godmother, Margie Geiger, came to help. Margie was married to Joe Geiger, a member of the original [[Wallendas]], and she was herself a former aerialist who had enjoyed a brilliant career in North America with a Roman Rings act, which was partially performed in full swing: It was something rarely seen in Roman Rings acts, which were usually performed in a static version.

After attempting to develop a trapeze act for Dolly, Margie took her old rings from their box and, during the summer of 1976, in three hot months of unrelenting work, the two women managed to create a presentable first version of Dolly's Roman Rings act—just in time to audition for Ringling Brother's new show. Dolly's act was accepted, and she debuted it in the 1976 edition of ''The Greatest Show On Earth''.

At first, of course, Dolly's was just another act in a show that, at the time, featured dozens of acts. But she had all the qualities of a circus star: a hardworking perfectionist, she had ambition and a keen artistic sense, and she never took no for an answer. Moreover, she was strikingly beautiful and had a charismatic personality. In 1977, [[Irvin Feld]] sent her to the [[International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo]]. Dolly came back with the coveted ''Dame du Cirque'' award. Even so, she felt she had gone there unprepared, and decided to return to Monaco one day with an act that could win the highest awards of the Festival—a Gold or a Silver Clown.

For the next two years, Dolly worked on fine-tuning her act. She also trained on the flying trapeze with Armando Farfan, whose act, the [[Flying Farfans]], was one of the show's highlights. This came in handy when Joe Geiger thought of an idea for Dolly's finale: he had seen an aerialist, Frank Sheppard, who, at the end of his act, jumped from his trapeze to catch a vertical rope. Even though Sheppard actually killed himself doing this trick (his rope's attachment broke one day under the shock of his catch), Dolly thought it was worth a try.

She began practicing Sheppard's trick with the help of high-wire walker [[Carillo Brothers|Pedro Carillo]] and bear trainer [[Wally Naghtin]]. The first step was to find the right distance between her release point and the rope. Then she improved on Sheppard's flight by transforming it into a layout somersault instead of a straight flight. She presented her new act in 1979 to Irvin Feld, who gave her a solo spot above the center ring in the new production of ''The Greatest Show On Earth''. Dolly Jacobs was an immediate sensation: a star was born.

===Silver Clown and Circus Sarasota===

[[File:Dolly_Jacobs_and_Pedro_Reis.jpg|Dolly Jacobs & Pedro Reis at Circus Sarasota|thumb|right|400px]]In 1984, Dolly left Ringling and joined the [[Big Apple Circus]], with which she performed until 1985, and again in 1987 and 1988. She then returned to the International Circus festival of Monte Carlo. This time, she won a Silver Clown.

Dolly met South African aerialist [[Pedro Reis]] when he joined the Ringling show in 1984 with his aerial act, The Survivors. They were smitten with each other. Although they worked in different shows, they managed to develop a strong bond. In 1990, Pedro, who was then featured at the Big Apple Circus as a solo performer with a Cloud Swing act, proposed to Dolly. It was July 4. Two days later, he had an accident that grounded him for a long time. The marriage was put off for a startling length of time—until October 26, 2007. Meanwhile, in 1994, after Pedro had fully recovered, he and Dolly began performing an aerial duet together, titled ''On Wings Of Love''.

Then, in 1997, Dolly and Pedro created [[Circus Sarasota]], a non-profit organization devoted to teaching circus arts and celebrating Sarasota's rich circus heritage through high-quality circus performances. In spite of its short winter season, Circus Sarasota has become one of the most respected circuses in the United States, and Dolly appears regularly in its shows. In 2010, Circus Sarasota inherited Sarasota's very own Sailor Circus, one of the oldest and most successful youth circuses in the US, created in 1948. In 2013, Pedro and Dolly renamed their organization "The Circus Arts Consevatory", thus embracing all its activities: performance, circus education, and various outreach activities.

Rightly considered one of the brightest stars of the American circus, Dolly Jacobs was honored in 1997 by a plaque on the [[Circus Ring of Fame]] at St. Armands Circle in Sarasota. The following year, she was honored by Sarasota's [http://www.ringling.org| John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art]. In 2015, she was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts.

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Lou Jacobs]]
* Video: [[Dolly Jacobs BAC Video 1985|Dolly Jacobs]] at the Big Apple Circus, 1985
* Video: [[Flying_Caceres_PBS_Video_1985|Dolly Jacobs with the Flying Caceres]] at the Big Apple Circus (1985)
* Video: [[Dolly Jacobs BAC Video 1987|Dolly Jacobs]] in the Big Apple Circus production of ''1001 Arabian Nights'' (1987)
* Video: [[Dolly_Jacobs_Video_(1990)|Dolly Jacobs]] on ''The Ronn Lucas Show'' (1990)
* Video: [[Dolly_Jacobs_Interview_Video_(2018)|Dolly Jacobs Interview]] at The Ringling (2018)

==Image Gallery==

<gallery>
File:Lou_Jacobs_and_family.jpg|Dolly Jacobs (3rd from left) with father Lou, mother Jean, and sister Lou Ann (c.1970)
File:Lou_Jacobs_and_daughters.jpg|Dolly Jacobs with her father, Lou, and her sister, Lou Ann (1975)
Image:Jacobs_family.jpg|Dolly Jacobs with her parents, Lou and Jean (c.1980)
File:Dolly_Jacobs_-_Hamilton_Plate.jpg|Collectible plate featuring Dolly Jacobs (c.1980)
File:Dolly_Jacobs_RBBB_(c.1980).jpg|Dolly Jacobs (c.1980)
File:Lou_Jacobs,_Dolly,_Feld.jpeg|Dolly, Lou, Irvin Feld (c.1980)
File:Dolly_Jacobs.jpg|Dolly Jacobs (c.1980)
File:Dolly_Jacobs_BAC.jpg|Dolly Jacobs at the Big Apple Circus (1985)
Image:Dolly_Jacobs_and_Pedro_Reis.jpg|Dolly Jacobs & Pedro Reis at Circus Sarasota
File:Dolly_Jacobs_(c.2010).jpeg|Dolly Jacobs (c.2010)
File:Pedro_Reis_and_Dolly_Jacobs_(2014).jpg|Pedro Reis & Dolly Jacobs (2014)
File:Dolly_Jacobs_(2016).jpeg|Dolly Jacobs (2016)
</gallery>

[[Category:Artists and Acts|Jacobs, Dolly]]
[[Category:Aerialists|Jacobs, Dolly]]
[[Category:Roman Rings|Jacobs, Dolly]]

Dolly Jacobs

2026-09-01T21:00:05Z

Djando: /* From Showgirl To Star Aerialist */

[[File:Dolly_Jacobs.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Dolly Jacobs (c.1980)]]
==Roman Rings==

''By Dominique Jando''

Dolly Jacobs was born to a circus family: her father, the celebrated clown [[Lou Jacobs]] (1903-1992), was for decades associated with [[Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey]], where he performed from 1925 to 1985. Her mother was born Jean Rockwell. An adventurous woman, she was a photographer, a published writer, a model and cover girl, and even held a pilot's license—all this at a time when women were supposedly destined to become homemakers regardless of their own inclinations.

In 1948, Jean ran away and joined the circus. She became a showgirl with the Ringling Bros. This was still the era of the giant traveling big tops and circus trains, and the job not only meant dancing, but also riding elephants, parading in elaborate costumes, and participating in ensemble aerial presentations. Jean's circus career was short-lived. On May 5, 1948, a few days after her debut at Madison Square Garden, she fell from an aerial revolving ladder while working in the aerial ballet. Lou Jacobs visited the beautiful aerialist in the hospital as often as he could. When Jean recovered, they married. They had two daughters, [[Lou Ann Jacobs|Lou Ann]] and Dolly Jean.

Born in Sarasota, Florida, winter home of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey until 1958, Dolly, like many other circus children in the area, began training at Sailor's Circus, the Sarasota High School's youth circus. After graduating from Sarasota High, she followed in her mother's footsteps and, at age thirteen, joined the Ringling show's battalion of showgirls, which allowed her to be near her father.

===From Showgirl To Star Aerialist===

[[File:Margie_Geiger.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Margie Geiger (c.1960)]]While in the show, Dolly began developing an act of her own. She first tried the tight wire, but preferred the freedom of aerial work and eventually decided on an aerial act. Her godmother, Margie Geiger, came to help. Margie was married to Joe Geiger, a member of the original [[Wallendas]], and she was herself a former aerialist who had enjoyed a brilliant career in North America with a Roman Rings act, which was partially performed in full swing: It was something rarely seen in Roman Rings acts, which were usually performed in a static version.

After attempting to develop a trapeze act for Dolly, Margie took her old rings from their box and, during the summer of 1976, in three hot months of unrelenting work, the two women managed to create a presentable first version of Dolly's Roman Rings act—just in time to audition for Ringling Brother's new show. Dolly's act was accepted, and she debuted it in the 1976 edition of ''The Greatest Show On Earth''.

At first, of course, Dolly's was just another act in a show that, at the time, featured dozens of acts. But she had all the qualities of a circus star: a hardworking perfectionist, she had ambition and a keen artistic sense, and she never took no for an answer. Moreover, she was strikingly beautiful and had a charismatic personality. In 1977, [[Irvin Feld]] sent her to the [[International Circus Festival of Monte-Carlo]]. Dolly came back with the coveted ''Dame du Cirque'' award. Even so, she felt she had gone there unprepared, and decided to return to Monaco one day with an act that could win the highest awards of the Festival—a Gold or a Silver Clown.

For the next two years, Dolly worked on fine-tuning her act. She also trained on the flying trapeze with Armando Farfan, whose act, the [[Flying Farfans]], was one of the show's highlights. This came in handy when Joe Geiger thought of an idea for Dolly's finale: he had seen an aerialist, Frank Sheppard, who, at the end of his act, jumped from his trapeze to catch a vertical rope. Even though Sheppard actually killed himself doing this trick (his rope's attachment broke one day under the shock of his catch), Dolly thought it was worth a try.

She began practicing Sheppard's trick with the help of high-wire walker [[Carillo Brothers|Pedro Carillo]] and bear trainer [[Wally Naghtin]]. The first step was to find the right distance between her release point and the rope. Then she improved on Sheppard's flight by transforming it into a layout somersault instead of a straight flight. She presented her new act in 1979 to Irvin Feld, who gave her a solo spot above the center ring in the new production of ''The Greatest Show On Earth''. Dolly Jacobs was an immediate sensation: a star was born.

===Silver Clown and Circus Sarasota===

[[File:Dolly_Jacobs_and_Pedro_Reis.jpg|Dolly Jacobs & Pedro Reis at Circus Sarasota|thumb|left|400px]]In 1984, Dolly left Ringling and joined the [[Big Apple Circus]], with which she performed until 1985, and again in 1987 and 1988. She then returned to the International Circus festival of Monte Carlo. This time, she won a Silver Clown.

Dolly met South African aerialist [[Pedro Reis]] when he joined the Ringling show in 1984 with his aerial act, The Survivors. They were smitten with each other. Although they worked in different shows, they managed to develop a strong bond. In 1990, Pedro, who was then featured at the Big Apple Circus as a solo performer with a Cloud Swing act, proposed to Dolly. It was July 4. Two days later, he had an accident that grounded him for a long time. The marriage was put off for a startling length of time—until October 26, 2007. Meanwhile, in 1994, after Pedro had fully recovered, he and Dolly began performing an aerial duet together, titled ''On Wings Of Love''.

Then, in 1997, Dolly and Pedro created [[Circus Sarasota]], a non-profit organization devoted to teaching circus arts and celebrating Sarasota's rich circus heritage through high-quality circus performances. In spite of its short winter season, Circus Sarasota has become one of the most respected circuses in the United States, and Dolly appears regularly in its shows. In 2010, Circus Sarasota inherited Sarasota's very own Sailor Circus, one of the oldest and most successful youth circuses in the US, created in 1948. In 2013, Pedro and Dolly renamed their organization "The Circus Arts Consevatory", thus embracing all its activities: performance, circus education, and various outreach activities.

Rightly considered one of the brightest stars of the American circus, Dolly Jacobs was honored in 1997 by a plaque on the [[Circus Ring of Fame]] at St. Armands Circle in Sarasota. The following year, she was honored by Sarasota's [http://www.ringling.org| John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art]. In 2015, she was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts.

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Lou Jacobs]]
* Video: [[Dolly Jacobs BAC Video 1985|Dolly Jacobs]] at the Big Apple Circus, 1985
* Video: [[Flying_Caceres_PBS_Video_1985|Dolly Jacobs with the Flying Caceres]] at the Big Apple Circus (1985)
* Video: [[Dolly Jacobs BAC Video 1987|Dolly Jacobs]] in the Big Apple Circus production of ''1001 Arabian Nights'' (1987)
* Video: [[Dolly_Jacobs_Video_(1990)|Dolly Jacobs]] on ''The Ronn Lucas Show'' (1990)
* Video: [[Dolly_Jacobs_Interview_Video_(2018)|Dolly Jacobs Interview]] at The Ringling (2018)

==Image Gallery==

<gallery>
File:Lou_Jacobs_and_family.jpg|Dolly Jacobs (3rd from left) with father Lou, mother Jean, and sister Lou Ann (c.1970)
File:Lou_Jacobs_and_daughters.jpg|Dolly Jacobs with her father, Lou, and her sister, Lou Ann (1975)
Image:Jacobs_family.jpg|Dolly Jacobs with her parents, Lou and Jean (c.1980)
File:Dolly_Jacobs_-_Hamilton_Plate.jpg|Collectible plate featuring Dolly Jacobs (c.1980)
File:Dolly_Jacobs_RBBB_(c.1980).jpg|Dolly Jacobs (c.1980)
File:Lou_Jacobs,_Dolly,_Feld.jpeg|Dolly, Lou, Irvin Feld (c.1980)
File:Dolly_Jacobs.jpg|Dolly Jacobs (c.1980)
File:Dolly_Jacobs_BAC.jpg|Dolly Jacobs at the Big Apple Circus (1985)
Image:Dolly_Jacobs_and_Pedro_Reis.jpg|Dolly Jacobs & Pedro Reis at Circus Sarasota
File:Dolly_Jacobs_(c.2010).jpeg|Dolly Jacobs (c.2010)
File:Pedro_Reis_and_Dolly_Jacobs_(2014).jpg|Pedro Reis & Dolly Jacobs (2014)
File:Dolly_Jacobs_(2016).jpeg|Dolly Jacobs (2016)
</gallery>

[[Category:Artists and Acts|Jacobs, Dolly]]
[[Category:Aerialists|Jacobs, Dolly]]
[[Category:Roman Rings|Jacobs, Dolly]]

File:Margie Geiger.jpg

2026-09-01T20:58:56Z

Djando:

Margie Geiger, aerialist (c.1960) — ''Document: Dolly Jacobs Archive''

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Margie Geiger]]

[[Category:Photo Archive|Geiger, Margie]]

File:Margie Geiger.jpg

2026-09-01T20:57:54Z

Djando: Margie Geiger, aerialist (c.1960) — ''Document: Dolly Jacobs Archive''

Margie Geiger, aerialist (c.1960) — ''Document: Dolly Jacobs Archive''

The Blumenfeld Family

2026-09-01T05:53:47Z

Djando:

[[File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Wwe_poster.jpg|right|300px]]
==Circus Owners, Equestrians, Animal Trainers, Artists==

''By Dominique Jando''

The huge Blumenfeld family holds an important place in German and European circus history. One of the three major German-Jewish circus dynasties before World War II—along with the [[Circus Strassburger|Strassburgers]] and the [[The Lorch Family|Lorches]]—the Blumenfelds were driven to bankruptcy and then brutally decimated by the Nazis. Before that tragedy, they had been a highly respected family of talented acrobats, aerialists, equestrians, and circus owners. Although some members of the family resurfaced after World War II, the Blumenfelds were never able to reclaim the position they had once held in the circus world.

The Blumenfelds are allied with several other prominent Jewish families, such as the Goldkettes ([[The Brönett Family|Brönett]]), the Strassburgers, the Lorches, and the [[The Könyot Family|Könyots]]. They always married within their faith and, at times, like the Rothschilds, within their family—with perhaps the notable exceptions of Erich Blumenfeld, the youngest son of Simon Blumenfeld, who married Fanny Houcke, from the Franco-Swedish [[The Houcke Dynasty|Houcke]] family, and his brother Alex, whose wife, Eugenie, came from an old Italian circus family, the Cardinales.

Since Hirsch Blumenfeld (1788-1867), founder of the dynasty, created his circus in the mid-nineteenth century, many of his descendants have operated several different circuses under the Blumenfeld name. Hirsch had a large family that developed many branches, and it can be sometimes difficult to determine which branch a given Blumenfeld belonged to. The Blumenfeld circus owners, however, shared one defining trait: they were equestrians who served the equestrian circus tradition with distinction, even as the circus-menagerie was becoming the norm in Germany by the beginning of the twentieth century.

===Cerf Blumenfeld===

[[File:Cerf_Blumenfeld_Ad.png|thumb|left|300px|Cerf Blumenfeld'sCircus National Ad (c.1856)]]Hirsch Blumenfeld was born Hirsch Levy in 1788 in Isenburg, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, one of the many German states. His parents were Levy Wolf (1770-1828), a Jewish cantor, and his wife Rosa (Rösgen), née Cahn (?-1840). The Blumenfeld patronym came later: Under Jewish naming tradition, a son took his father’s given name as a patronym, so Hirsch, as Levy’s son, became Hirsch Levy. Hirsch didn't embrace his father's calling: He became instead a traveling entertainer, an occupation that had attracted many of his coreligionists over the centuries.

Hirsch Levy married Henrietta (Jetta) Jonas (1789-1853), a native of Neuwied, in the Rhineland Palatinate, south of Bonn. Hirsch and Jetta raised a large family of eight children: Emanuel (1811-1885), Meyer (1815-1894), Sophia (1816-?), David (1818-1893), Joseph (1820-1820), Mina (1821-?), Moritz (1825-1895), and Simon (1828-1911)—starting a tradition of exceptionally large families among their descendants.

Later, in 1846, a regulation was introduced in Prussia, where the family had settled, demanding that Jewish families adopt a steady patronymic. Family lore tells us that, when Hirsch declared the name ''Bumenfeld'' to the Prussian authorities, he chose his new patronymic because he saw a field full of flowers (or ''blumen Feld'' in German) through the clerk's window: Hence the Blumenfeld family was born. ''Si non è vero, è bien trovato!'' (Even if not true, it's a good story).

Hirsch Blumenfeld eventually moved from traveling entertainer to traveling circus owner. For reasons unknown, he professionally adopted Cerf (Stag), the French translation of Hirsch, as his first name, and he became known to the circus world as Cerf Blumenfeld. The year of his first circus creation was probably in 1845: On April 9 of that year, a Bonn chronicle announced the opening of "the Equestrian Circus of Mr. Cerf from Combahn with 17 horses" (Combahn is a village on the Rhine, south of Bonn, where the Blumenfelds had settled). This is the earliest known reference to a Blumenfeld circus. From the outset, it was a true equestrian circus, establishing a tradition the family would continue to uphold.

After Jetta’s death in 1853, Hirsch remarried to Sara von Geldern (1817–1896), with whom he had two more sons, Emil (1855–1895) and Aron Alexander (1861–1942). The marriage brought the family to a considerable size: Hirsch now had seven surviving sons, many of whom would go on to found large families of their own, thus giving rise to the numerous branches of the Blumenfeld dynasty.

Cerf Blumenfeld's large family provided the backbone of his programs, which appear to have been of good quality, and the circus grew steadily. The first written review of the show came from the town of Hanau, in Hesse: "An aesthetic treat, as it has been missed here for many years, is now provided by the equestrian company of Mr. Blumenfeld. [...] Stylish costumes and beautiful horses are also a treat for the spectator's eyes." By then, the company had 32 performers and 24 horses.

Cerf Blumenfeld passed awy on August 16, 1867, in Eberstadt, near Darmstadt in Hesse, where his circus may have been performing at the time. It is unclear whether some of his sons took over their father’s circus after his death or had already left to establish circuses of their own. It is known that in 1866, one year before Cerf's death, there was a ''Cirque Equestre'' managed by the Blumenfeld Brothers, which could have been either their father's circus, or a new one.

===The Many Blumenfeld Circuses===

[[File:Meyer_Blumenfeld.png|thumb|right|300px|Meyer Blumenfeld (c.1850)]]Be that as it may, the family eventually dispersed, and several circuses bearing the Blumenfeld name appeared across Germany with varying degrees of success. Some became major German traveling circuses of their times—including Emanuel Blumenfeld’s circus, which survived him under the management of his widow and then his sons; it was to become the Circus Blumenfeld of reference and will be treated later. Nevertheless, many others ''Circus Blumenfeld'' are worth mentioning.

''Zirkus Blumenfeld & Söhne'', created by Meyer Blumenfeld, Emanuel's younger brother, was active between 1884 and 1892, and was a major German circus. Meyer had married twice. His first wife was Setta Hartog (1814-1852), the sister of Jetta Hartog, Emanuel's wife: both brothers married the same day, on January 24, 1839. Meyer and Setta had five children, Leopold (1841-1901), Minna (b. 1843), Josef (b.1845), Nathan (1846-1852), and Sofia; then, after Setta's death, Meyer married Gundula Sara Jonas (b.1812), who gave him another son, Jansly (Samson) (1853-1935). In turn, Jansly and Leopold created two major traveling circuses.

In 1884, Jansly Blumenfeld, who had married his cousin Wilhelmina (1861-1910), daughter of his uncle David, operated ''Circus Jansly & Leo'' with his brother Leopold. It became ''Circus Jansly'' the following year, when Leopold left to establish his own circus. Successfully active from 1885 to 1901, Circus Jansly suffered a devastating train accident and a stable fire in 1900, which killed many of its horses. After a run of forty-six years, the circus could not survive these catastrophes and closed in Berlin in 1901.

Leopold Blumenfeld created his circus in 1885, and it survived his 1901 death—initially under the management of his widow, Bertha Blumenfeld. Bertha was Leopold's third wife. He had married first Lisette Gutschmidt, followed in 1868 by Caroline Hirsch (1850–1883), and after Caroline's death, Bertha Halmschlag (1854-1913). Leopold had one son with Lisette Gutschmidt, Hartwig (1867-1927), and six more children with Caroline Hirsch: Lisette (Setta, 1871-1943), Emil (1874-1952), Adolf (1876-1933), Max (1879-1916), Wilhelm (Willy, 1881-1955), and Gerhard (Georg, 1878-?).

[[File:Leopold_Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Leopold Blumenfeld (c.1850)]]Because Leopold had no children with Bertha, her claim to the circus became uncertain. Caroline’s children—Adolf, Emil, and Lisette—reclaimed it, and it eventually came under the sole management of Lisette (Setta) Blumenfeld. At the time, Setta was married to the circus performer August Gerausch, known as Varinelli, with whom she had four children: Leo Ludwig (1890-1964), Amanda (1905-1942), Arthur (1911-1919), and Alfons. Later, probably in the early 1920s, she formed a couple with her cousin Louis Blumenfeld (1866-1943), a son of Emanuel Blumenfeld; together they had a daughter, also named Lisette.

Setta Blumenfeld's circus had a long and rich career. It traveled under the title ''Großer Zirkus Blumenfeld'', and sometimes as ''Circus Louis Blumenfeld'', although Louis never held part ownership of the circus. The circus eventually passed under the management of Setta's elder son, Leo Gerausch, who closed it in 1926, while Germany was still under the Weimar Republic, because of the financial difficulties caused by a dire economic period. Leopold's other sons, Hartwig, Willy, and Gerhard also exploited smaller circuses in the 1920s, and Cerf Blumenfeld's third son, David, toured a circus for some time.

Another son of Cerf Blumenfeld, Moritz, also became an important circus owner. Moritz had married Sara Haymann (1833-1901) with whom he had no less than thirteen children: Ludwig (1854-1928), Helene (1855-1933), Diena (b.1859), Rosina (1860-1931), Amanda (1864-1935), Karl (1866-1940), Hermann (1868-1916), Adele (1871-1906), Rudolf (1875-1942), Virginia, Bertha, Kätchen, and Ernestine. This was to form a solid backbone for his circus company! He created his circus in 1865, and was successful enough to retire comfortably in 1886, at age sixty-one. Two years before, he had handed the management of his circus to his son Ludwig, who exploited it for only three years before auctioning it in 1887. He too retired comfortably, at age thirty-four!

All these Blumenfeld circuses presented a wide range of high-quality equestrian acts, particularly original liberty displays, which became the hallmark of the Blumenfeld name and were often featured in the winter programs of Europe's resident circuses. The larger Blumenfeld circuses also offered rich and varied productions that included popular equestrian pantomimes such as the inescapable ''Mazeppa'', alongside other large-scale spectacles.

Large families such as that of Moritz Blumenfeld produced outstanding acrobatic and aerial performers, whose acts were held in high demand. Contemporary photographs reveal another characteristic of the dynasty: The Blumenfelds were invariably elegant, both in and out of the ring. In every sense, they embodied the aristocracy of the circus world.

==Zirkus E. Blumenfeld==

[[File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld_-_full_image.jpg|thumb|300px|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1840)]]Emanuel Blumenfeld created the most successful and longest lasting of all the Blumenfeld circuses. As the eldest of Cerf's children, he may well have been his father's successor, since his own ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld'' appeared in August 1867, around the date of his father's death. Born March 1, 1811, in Bremke, a small village near Göttingen, in southern Lower Saxony, he was twenty-eight when he married Jette (Hitzelchen) Hartog (1817-c.1850) on January 24, 1839, in a dual ceremony with his brother Meyer, who married Jette's sister Setta.

Like his brother Moritz, Emanuel would eventually preside over an exceptionally large family. His first wife, Jetta, bore him five children: Moritz (b. 1844), Leopold (b. 1845), Meyer (1847-1892), Wolf (1849-1906), and Wilhelmine (Minna, b. 1850). When Jetta died unexpectedly around 1850, perhaps soon after Minna's birth, Emanuel was left with five very young children and no one to mother them. He found a second wife in Jeanette Stein (1831-1896), who was twenty years his junior.

Jeanette gave Emanuel ten more children: Olympia (b.1852), Henriette (1853-1914, who married [[The Könyot Dynasty|Leopold Könyot]]), Max (b.1855), Jonas (1855-1859), Simon (1857-1918, who married [[The Strassburger Family|Rosa Strassburger]]), Alexander (Simson, 1859-1921), Adolf David (1863-1913), Louis (1866-1943, who married his cousin Setta Blumenfeld-Gerausch), Hermann (1868-1933, who married his niece Betty Blumenfeld, daughter of his brother Simon), and Amanda. In 1881, a journalist described Jeanette Blumenfeld as "a truly Jewish woman with iron strength and a heart of gold, [who] kept her sons and daughters, her daughter-in-law and grandchildren in strict discipline."

Emanuel established his circus’s base in the province of Westphalia, in Prussia, and during its early years ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld'' toured the Kingdom of Prussia exclusively. The Franco-Prussian War of 1870 brought a major disruption: Emanuel’s elder sons Moritz, Leopold, and Meyer, enrolled in the army. Their military service may have encouraged a greater sense of independence, and they eventually left the family circus. Emanuel died on May 23, 1885 in Tilsit, where the circus was performing. Jeanette, whose strength of character suggests that she had likely been involved in managing the circus alongside her husband despite her many duties as a mother, took over its direction.

[[File:Blumenfeld_Gurhau_Poster.jpg|thumb|left|450px|The Gurhau Winter Quarters (c.1891)]]Jeanette came from a circus family, and she had brought her family's circus into her marriage: Consequently, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld had grown in importance, but with such a large family, Jeanette had the support she needed to run it. Simon, Alexander, and Louis oversaw day-to-day operations; Adolf became general manager; and Hermann, as advance man, organized the tours. Under her management, the circus continued to grow, and its stables—always a distinctive Blumenfeld asset—doubled in size. The circus also changed its name to ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld Wwe'' (Circus E. Blumenfeld Widow). In 1891, the family moved to much-needed larger winter quarters in the town of Gurhau, in Lower Silesia (today Góra, in Poland), where they had found a large ensemble of abandoned military stables.

Jeanette Blumenfeld died in Gurhau on April 30, 1896, at age sixty-one. Her death might have led to the breakup of the enterprise and a new proliferation of Blumenfeld circuses, but Emanuel and Jeanette had foreseen that possibility: They wrote a will in 1872 that established a clear succession, both for the circus business and for the family’s responsibilities. It not only defined the siblings' positions and tasks in the running of the circus—which, it specified, couldn't be dismantled or split between them—but also, their commitment to their family and to their Jewish faith. Jeanette's strong hand is apparent in such a strictly ordered will, and its provisions were duly followed by her descendants.

===Enter The Magdeburg Generation===

[[File:Simon_Blumenfeld_Family.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Simon and Rosa's Blumenfeld's family (c.1900)]]Under Jeanette's ownership, the circus had been managed by Simon, Alexander, Adolf, and Hermann, and the four brothers remained at the helm of the enterprise (Louis was soon to leave the family). Not as prolific progenitors as their father, Alexander, Adolf and Hermann didn't produce many descendants, but Simon did, and his progeny, which would become known as the "Magdeburg branch," would constitute the next Blumenfeld generation of circus directors.

Rosa Strassburger gave Simon eleven children: Betty (1880-1932), who married her uncle Hermann; Emanuel, known as Alex (1885-1942); Alfons (1887-1942), who married his cousin [[The Konyöt Family|Olympia Konyöt]]; Arthur (1889-1910), who married his cousin Victoria, daughter of Jansly Blumenfeld; Alfred (1891-1945); Eugen (1893-1937); Alice (1895-1942); Jeanette (Netty, 1897-1969); Willy (1898-1942); Fritz (Friedrich, 1899-1945), and Erich (1901-1943), who married [[The Houcke Dynasty|Fanny Houcke]]).

The Blumenfelds had an excellent reputation among their audiences and among the artists who worked for them. They were known as a warm, welcoming family, always ready to help, and always respectful of their fellow performers—for they were indeed performers themselves: In a 1898 program, one could see Hermann and Betty riding in ''haute-école'', Louis and Setta performing a pas-de-deux on horseback, and Alexandre presenting the liberty acts. Coming up, the next generation was trained in all circus disciplines to perform alongside their elders as acrobats, equestrians, and animal trainers, and eventually replace them.

[[File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Poster.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (1906)]]By 1897, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld, which had been one of the earliest German circuses to perform under a big top instead of a wooden ''construction'' or as visitors in a circus building (of which there were indeed many at the time), had become too big to continue using horse-power transportation, and it switched to travel by rail. In their advertising, the Blumenfelds boosted no less than 180 horses, 28 wagons, and even their own traveling electric plant, which was quite high-tech at the turn of the twentieth century! As they reminded their potential audiences in the press, theirs was not a cheap tenting operation: It was a modern, elegant, and comfortable first-class traveling circus.

Their shows often ended with spectacular equestrian pantomimes (known as "hippodramas") in which they could display their magnificent horses. As the [[The Knie Dynasty|Knies]] and some others would do much later, the Blumenfelds invited the public to watch their training sessions. At a time when horses still held an important place in everyday life and the public at large was fascinated by great horsemanship, this was excellent publicity indeed—especially for a circus where horsemanship was still served with outstanding talent.

In 1911, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld celebrated its 100th anniversary. Emanuel's circus had been created in 1867, after the death of Cerf Blumenfeld and, although it may have been considered the continuation of Cerf's circus, the date of its creation was around 1840. None of these anniversaries worked, so the date chosen for this advertising stunt was the year of Emanuel's birth, 1811. Be that as it may, it worked, and this pseudo-centennial was duly celebrated with special events, banquets with city representatives in attendance, and other festivities—a good indication that the Blumenfelds were seen as important circus owners.

[[File:Barnum_and_Bailey_-_Germany.png|thumb|right|300px|Barnum & Bailey Poster for its German Tour (1900)]]Meanwhile, [[Wilhelm Hagenbeck]], the son of German wild animal importer [[The Hagenbeck Dynasty|Carl Hagenbeck]] (1844-1913), the most important animal dealer of his time (he provided animals to zoos and circuses worldwide), had started a traveling circus in 1887 that included an important menagerie of exotic and wild animals—some of which were presented performing in the show—as well of exhibitions of exotic tribes from the "mysterious" lands of Africa, Asia, and even America (with tribes of Native Americans).

Ten years later, in 1897, the giant American [[Barnum and Bailey Circus]] began an extended European tour that lasted until 1905. Its enormous menagerie impressed European audiences at a time when colonial expansion had intensified public fascination with everything exotic, particularly animals. It encouraged German circuses and traveling menagerie owners such as Carl Krone to follow Hagenbeck's example and develop into the circus-menagerie enterprises that would characterize the German circus industry until World War II.

The Blumenfelds were no exception to this trend. In 1912, the brothers added a menagerie to their previously equestrian circus and began to present animal acts other than horses. They acquired four elephants and a collection of exotic and wild animals that included a hippopotamus, but they refrained from presenting cage acts in their programs until 1936. Their important stables were still full, and their renowned equestrian acts remained their circus's main attraction.

Then, on June 28, 1914, a Serb nationalist assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. This led Austria-Hungary to declare war to Serbia one month later, on July 28. Russia then entered the conflict to support Serbia, which led to a domino effect in the complicated system of European alliances: France and England joined the war on Russia's side, followed by Italy, and Germany did the same on Austria-Hungary's side with Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire. This situation had disastrous repercussions, and the circus industry experienced them the hard way.

The Blumenfelds had a special relation with the Military: They considered their duty, as German citizens, to serve in the army, and several of Simon's sons enlisted wholeheartedly. Many circus workers did the same, or were drafted, and foreign artists from enemy countries had to leave Germany or had been interned. Then, the Army, which still relied largely on horse-powered transport, requisitioned the Blumenfelds’ horses, as well as their tents. Under these conditions, and with rail travel strictly regulated to give priority to army transports, touring had become impossible, and the Blumenfelds closed their traveling circus. They had, however, a safe retreat.

===The Great War and The Magdeburg Circus===

Magdeburg was the capital of Saxony. Located in what today is Saxony-Anhalt, it was an important city that had hosted several circus buildings over the years. Nothing exceptional there, since major German cities had circus buildings, but Magdeburg location was relatively central in the German Empire, which could make it a good base for a traveling circus. In 1896, an entrepreneur named Hahn built a new circus in the city. Already, in 1886, Hahn had acquired [[August Krembser]]'s circus building in Berlin, which he rented out to major circus companies such as [[Gotthold Schumann]]'s—before Schumann opened his own circus building in the Prussian capital. A master-carpenter, he had already erected a wooden "construction" in Madgeburg in 1892.

[[File:Magdeburg_Circus.jpg|left|thumb|400px|The Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)]]Hahn was not a circus man, but a businessman and landlord who rented out his facilities to circus companies and other tenants. His new Magdeburg circus, located on Kaizer Wilhelm Platz (today's Universitätsplatz) and Köningstraße 62/63 (today's Walther-Rathenau-Straße), a major thoroughfare, was a large building: With a surface area of nearly 4,000 m2 (approximately 154 x 266 feet), it included not only the circus itself, which could be fitted with a removable stage for concerts and theatrical productions and boasted a capacity of 2,800, but also a restaurant, wardrobe shops, a saddlery, a prop workshop, stables for 110 horses, and a small variety theater. It opened on September 30, 1896, with [[Circus Renz]] as a tenant.

The Blumenfelds performed there in 1904, 1911, and 1913. Since 1907, the building had been used principally as a movie theater, and by 1913, it was in disrepair. After Hahn's death, it had passed to his daughter, who was eager to sell. The Blumenfelds had long wanted to move their winter quarters from Gurhau to a more central location, and Magdeburg suited their needs. During their visit in 1913, they offered to buy and restore the property, and Ms. Hahn accepted; then they secured a thirty-year lease with the city, which owned the land, and they could finally move their operations to Magdeburg in 1914. After adding a large foyer to the circus, they were ready to use it for their winter seasons.

Thus, in March 1914, after World War I had broken out and the Blumenfelds had effectively lost their traveling enterprise, they went to their new home in Magdeburg. Since the European theater of war was soon confined to a line of fortified trenches stretching from the English Channel to Switzerland, Germany’s interior remained unaffected. The Blumenfelds were able to rent out the building, though for purposes other than circus performances; they even re-converted it into a movie theater.

During that time of circus inactivity, the directors of the third generation disappeared or retired. Adolf had died in Dresden in 1913, Alexander and Hermann called it quits (they would pass away in 1921 and 1933 respectively), and finally, Simon, the father of the "Magdeburg Line," died in Magdeburg on July 22, 1918, shortly before war's end. The war over, the Gurhau winter quarters were sold, and with the Magdeburg building used for unrelated activities, it could have been the end of the ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld''.

===The Postwar Period===

With seven brothers pretending to be Simon’s successors, not to mention Simon’s four daughters and the children of his brothers, reviving the Zirkus E. Blumenfeld could have led to unforeseen problems. Therefore, in the summer of 1919, Simon’s sons Alex, Alfons, and Arthur purchased the former ''Zircus E. Blumenfeld Wwe.'' company from the family. Then, they announced the creation of a new touring company called ''Zirkus Gebr. Blumenfeld''. They also let it known that they remained co-owners of the Magdeburg circus and set 1920 as the date for the debut of their traveling circus. It wasn’t an easy task: They had to rebuild their entire touring operation from scratch!

[[File:Geb._Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1920)]]They purchased a large two-pole circus tent, 44 meters in diameter (approximately 144 feet) and with a capacity of 2,000 people. This made their circus a major enterprise—although it would soon pale in comparison to giants like [[Circus Krone|Krone]], [[Circus Sarrasani|Sarrasani]], [[Circus Gleich|Gleich]], and even the circus of their Strassburger cousins. Alex, Alfons, and Arthur Blumenfeld could rely on their large family for support: Their brothers, Fritz and Alfred, took care of the administrative aspects of the circus, and Eugen supervised the always important concessions department. Other family members were also available to help and perform in the show.

The new Blumenfeld Circus made its debut in Dessau, not far from Magdeburg, on April 3, 1920. The show featured many family members: Alfons presented liberty acts with Amanda Lorch. Willy appeared in a high-school presentation with his sister-in-law and cousin Victoria (Arthur’s wife), and also doubled as the clown Kucki. Arthur, riding a horse, presented two trained bulls. Of course, there were also many hired performers in the show, including a team of acrobats and a motorcycle stunt act. In November, the Blumenfeld brothers returned to their circus in Magdeburg for the winter season, which at long last returned to hosting circus shows.

The years immediately following the war were marked by the Spanish flu pandemic, which claimed the lives of about fifty million people worldwide, and Europe was not spared. Yet, after a long and devastating war that killed around twenty million people, European audiences were eager for escapist entertainment. Pandemic or not, the interwar years proved to be exceptionally favorable for circuses and variety shows. The Blumenfelds, like other circus owners, benefited from this sudden enthusiasm. However, the interwar years also brought major economic problems.

During the war, Germany had experienced severe inflation, with prices doubling almost instantly. To address this problem, the Kaiser’s government abandoned its gold-backed currency, expecting that Germany would win the war. That was not the outcome however, and the postwar Weimar government had to pay considerable reparations to the Allies in gold-backed currency. This led to an economic domino effect resulting in hyperinflation: The Mark collapsed, and by 1922, prices had risen by 700%!

[[File:Zirkus_Blumenfeld_in_Magdeburg.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Zirkus Blumenfeld in Magdeburg (1914)]]However, after years of successful touring and well-organized performances, the Magdeburg Blumenfelds had become relatively wealthy. Like most European traveling circus families, they didn’t keep all their money in the bank. They followed the traditional practice of converting their wealth into gold or diamonds, which they kept hidden in their mobile homes. But if the depreciation of the Mark didn’t affect their accumulated wealth, then the money they earned in Germany was worthless. For many German circuses, the solution was to travel abroad to replenish their coffers. Sarrasani went to South America, Krone and Gleich traveled throughout Europe...

Similarly, the Blumenfelds looked beyond Germany. They visited the Baltic States and rented out some of their animal and equestrian acts abroad. In 1925-1926, they even toured their animal acts in Russia's circus buildings. Since circuses, like all performing arts, were nationalized by the new Soviet government in 1919, Russia’s ten resident circuses—including two in Moscow—needed artists to fill their programs. With a shortage of Russian performers (the new State Circus and Variety College hadn’t yet produced many of them), the Soviet Committee for the Arts turned to Germany, one of the few countries with which Russia still maintained good relations. The Blumenfelds seized this opportunity.

After a rewarding tour in Russia, the Blumenfelds purchased new wagons and tents. Their menagerie now consisted of forty-five horses, two elephants, four camels, three llamas, and two bulls. However, the political situation in Germany was changing. In the mid-1920s, the NSDAP (Nazi Party), which had until then been a small right-wing movement, began to compete in elections, aiming to undermine the German democratic government of the Weimar Republic. They also began to gain power through grassroots campaigning, propaganda, and political violence. This led to a rise in antisemitism. The Nazis blamed Jews and communists for many of Germany’s postwar problems, and they called for a strong Germany free of Jews, starting with boycotting Jewish businesses.

[[File:Magdeburg_Zirkus.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Interior of the Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)]]“Gau Anhalt-North Saxony” was established by the Nazis in 1926 in order to streamline their party organization. Two years later, it was renamed “Gau Magdeburg-Anhalt”, making Magdeburg a major center for Nazi activities. The Nazi-led boycott of Jewish businesses, often carried out through intimidation, hit the Blumenfelds during a time when Germany was also facing a severe financial crisis. The Nazis exploited this situation to intensify antisemitism. The resulting hardships became evident during the 1927 tour. After trying various measures such as offering ticket discounts and other promotional activities, the Blumenfelds announced that, “Due to the unfavorable financial situation, the circus has decided to discontinue its activities.”

To be sure, they were not the only circus to quit the business: Between 1926 and 1930, no less than seven German circuses went bankrupt. However, the Blumenfelds were a powerful circus family with a permanent base in a major German city. They had always been respected citizens there, but unfortunately, Magdeburg became increasingly hostile under Nazi influence, and their circus building, like their touring show, became unprofitable. To recoup their losses, they tried to sell the building to the municipality.

It seems that there were various forces involved to undermine any potential deal. The plan failed, and the Blumenfelds were forced into bankruptcy in 1927. The building wasn’t sold until ten years later, and even then, the proceeds went directly into the bankruptcy estate. Meanwhile, the bankruptcy trustees continued to rent the building out for purposes other than circus. The bankruptcy was finalized in 1940, but the once respected ''Zirkus Geb. Blumenfeld jun.'' had already ceased to exist. As for the Magdeburg circus building, it never resumed its circus activities and was eventually destroyed in the January 16, 1945 of the Allied bombing of the city.

===The Nazi Era===

The large Magdeburg Blumenfeld family, including Alfons, Alex and Arthur, began to look for engagements in other circuses. Alex found jobs as an animal trainer and artistic director in Scandinavian circuses, Alfons became the deputy manager and artistic director of [[Circus Medrano-Swoboda]], Austria's leading circus, where he also performed as a high-school rider with his daughter Ruth and presented liberty acts; Alfred Blumenfeld went to work as manager of [[Circus Dominik Althoff]], then presented liberty horses on tour with his brother Arthur at [[Circus Adolf Fischer]], another German circus, of which Eugen Blumenfeld had become the artistic director.

Erich Blumenfeld went to France, where he married Fanny Houcke and became a member of the Houcke family (which would soon relocate in neutral Sweden). Fritz Blumenfeld worked in the administration of several circuses and became the private secretary of [[Julius Gleich]], then of Dominik Althoff, and in 1939-40, of the Dutch circus impresario [[Franz Mikkenie]], who will help the Strassburgers to survive the Nazis in The Netherlands. Willy continued to be the clown Kucki in the circus of their cousins Strassburger before they were forced to sell it to [[Paula Busch]]; he would later commit suicide in Auschwitz.

Hitler came to power in 1933, and the Nazi Party now ruled Germany. Circus performers’ unions and directors’ organizations disappeared, and circus and variety artists had to join the newly created, Nazi-controlled ''Artistik'' union if they wanted to work. Several circus owners joined the Nazi Party to protect their interests, with the notable exceptions of [[Hans-Stosch Sarrasani]]—although his son would do so after his father’s death—and Dominik Althoff and his children. In 1935, the Nazi government announced the Nuremberg Laws, which formalized its racial theories; by 1937-1938, Jews were forced to identify themselves, notably by wearing the infamous yellow Star of David, further segregating them from the rest of the German population.

[[File:Blumenfeld_memorial.jpg|thumb|left| 450pix|Blumenfelds' commemorative Stumbling Stones in Magdeburg]]All Jewish performers (among whom the many Blumenfelds still living in Germany) began to be victims of the Nazis' violent antisemitism. Several Blumenfelds went to perform in Scandinavia, England or America, where they settled; a large group of them sailed with Circus Sarrasani to Brazil in 1934. When Simon Blumenfeld's family purchased the Magdeburg circus in 1914, the city became home to other members of the large Blumenfeld family. Louis and Setta Blumenfeld had settled in Magdeburg with the Gerausch family; in 1940 they were forced to move in a so-called "Jewish House."

They were then deported to the Theresienstadt Ghetto in Terezin, Czechoslovakia. Louis died there in 1942. Setta was later transferred to Auschwitz, where she was killed. Other Magdeburg residents, Setta's daughter, Amanda Gerausch, and Ulrich Blumenfeld, a son of Hermann and Betty Blumenfeld, were also deported that year. Rosa Strassburger-Blumenfeld, Simon's widow, died in the Theresienstadt Ghetto in 1943, and seven of her children died in deportation; her daughter Alice committed suicide to avoid deportation.

Obviously, Alex, Alfons and Arthur Blumenfeld, the former directors of the ''Zirkus Geb. Blumenfeld jun.'', were not immune to these attacks. In 1937, Alex was in engagement in Denmark, and from there he moved first to Belgium, and then to France, where he tried to obtain a permit to enter neutral Sweden or Great Britain. Before he could see any positive outcome, the war broke out and France was occupied by Nazi Germany. The old Marshall Pétain, now France's president, and his Vichy government were as much rabidly antisemitic as the occupant, and foreign Jews were the first to be prosecuted.

Alex was arrested as an "enemy alien" and interned in the camp of Saint Cyprien, in Dordogne (southwest France). His wife, Eugenie, had remained in Belgium, and the fact she was of Italian descent (Cardinale) protected her. Alex could correspond with her, but he was soon moved to the notorious internment camp of Drancy, in the Paris suburbs, which was a gateway to Auschwitz; he was sent there in August 1942, never to return.

Alfons Blumenfeld also emigrated to Paris in December 1938, together with his wife Olympia, née Könyot. Like his brother Alex, Alfons was there with his wife when the war broke out and Germany occupied France. They were immediately arrested by the French police; Olympia was interned in the camp of Rivesaltes, near Perpignan in southwestern France, and Alfons was interned in the concentration camp of Bram, near Carcassonne, and later transferred to Drancy. Both were finally sent to Auschwitz, where they were killed.

Their daughter Ruth, who had married to [[The Berousek Family|Ludwig Berouzek]], scion of a famous Czech circus dynasty, was deported to Auschwitz, where she was killed in 1942. (Ludwig, whom she had divorced, had emigrated to the United States.) Before being arrested, Ruth had put their daughter, Vardia, in the care of a French family: Vardia survived the war.

Arthur Blumenfeld and his wife Victoria (also born Blumenfeld) and his two daughters Rita and Eva, settled in Berlin in 1933. Playing with the unusual similarity of their family names, Victoria managed to register herself as an adopted child of unknown Aryan origin. Their union became therefore a "mixed marriage," which made the family safe from deportation, even though the German authorities subjected Arthur to the usual discrimination, like forced labor and the wearing of the Jewish yellow star. But they survived...

Many other members of the extended Blumenfeld family were killed during this dark period: According to various sources, up to 150 members of the entire family were killed between 1933 and 1945. Arthur Blumenfeld lost nine brothers and sisters during that time: He and his sister Jeanette, who lived in England, were the only survivors of Simon and Rosa Blumenfeld's eleven children!

===Epilogue===

After the end of World War II, Arthur and Victoria tried to restart the Circus Blumenfeld. With the help of the Soviet authorities, which controlled East Germany and most of Berlin, they managed to acquire the equipment of the bankrupt circus of [[Circus Brumbach|Gustav Brumbach]], which included a four-pole big top and all its paraphernalia. They quickly repainted the old wagons to a Blumenfeld livery, put their name on the façade, and began to perform in Berlin in October 1945, touring the four sectors of the destroyed city.

[[File:Circus_Arthur_Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Circus Blumenfeld in Berlin (1946)]]At first, Arthur presented the circus’s only four horses, and the modest program featured a hand-to-hand trio, a perch-pole balancing act, and a magician—nothing exceptional, but fitting for the times. The circus was making money, however, and by December Victoria could report that they "already had four bears, six horses, and several buffalos." In September 1948, Arthur marked his fifty years in the ring, though there were no public celebrations: The Circus Blumenfeld of 1948 was no longer the eminent circus of the pre-Nazi era, and it performed primarily for Allied troops and charitable organizations such as orphanages.

By then, there were already two resident circuses in Barlin: Paula Busch had just opened a circus in the old planetarium of the Zoological Gardens in West Berlin, and [[Harry Barlay]] had erected a large "construction" on Friedrichstraße, among the ruins of Berlin Mitte, then located in the Soviet zone of Berlin. Yet, the Blumenfelds, who were touring within the city—which didn't go without its share of problems—were very competent circus directors and could have prospered enough to take the road again.

Unfortunately, the Blockade of Berlin started on June 23, 1948, and, in an already uneasy situation, major problems began to arise, notably to find food for the animals—for which the three circuses had to resort to a very expensive black market. Eventually, some animals had to be given away, and a few horses had even to be killed. The financial situation of the three circuses was dismal, even more so for the Blumenfelds, who had re-started from scratch and didn't have the resources of Paula Busch or Harry Barley.

Arthur Blumenfeld staged his final show in 1949 at the Berlin Zoo, where he had set up his circus. Apart from the few horses he had managed to keep, the program was largely a variety show, and its income was not enough to sustain the enterprise. The once prosperous and celebrated ''Zirkus Blumenfeld'' gave its last performance in June of that year. Arthur sold his equipment and the few animals he had left to Paula Busch. With that, the Blumenfeld name forever disappeared from the roster of German circuses.

Only a few surviving Blumenfeld performers reappeared after the war, and the family name gradually vanished from postwar German circus life. Arthur died in Berlin on December 17, 1951, at age sixty-two; some sources say he took his own life. Victoria lived for many more years, passing away on August 6, 1990, at age ninety-two. They are buried with their daughter Eva in the Jewish cemetery of Weissensee, Berlin.

'''NOTE''': '''''The general outline of this biography was adapted from an article by Dietmar Winkler published in three installments in the defunct German magazine ''Planet Circus'' in 2013. Several other sources were consulted for its redaction, including the books listed below.'''''

==Suggested Reading==

* Marline Otte, ''Jewish Identities in German Popular Entertainment'' (New York, Cambridge University Press, 2006) — ISBN 978-0-521-856-30-0
* Gisela and Dietmar Winkler, ''Die Blumenfelds – Schicksale einer jüdischen Zirkusfamilie'' (Gransee, Edition Schwarzdruck, 2012) — ISBN 978-3-935194-50-1

==Image Gallery==

<Gallery>
File:Meyer_Blumenfeld.png|Meyer Blumenfeld (c.1850)
File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld_-_full_image.jpg|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1850)
File:Cerf_Blumenfeld_Ad.png|Cerf Blumenfeld's Ad (c.1856)
File:Leopold_Blumenfeld.jpg|Leopold Blumenfeld (1858)
File:Jansly_and_Wilhelmina_Blumenfeld.jpg|Jansly & Wilhelmina Blumenfeld (c.1880)
File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld.jpg|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1885)
File:Blumenfeld_postcard_1890.png|Advertising postcard for Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. (c.1890)
File:Blumenfeld_Gurhau_Poster.jpg|Poster showing the Gruhau winter quarters (c.1891)
File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Wwe_poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (1891)
File:Circus_Jansly_Postcard.png|Advertising Postcard for Circus Jansly (c.1895)
File:Simon_Blumenfeld_Family.jpg|Simon Blumenfeld and his family (c.1900)
File:5_Blumenfelds_Poster.jpg|"The 5 Blumenfelds" Poster (c.1900)
File:Barnum_and_Bailey_-_Germany.png|Barnum & Bailey German Tour Poster (1900)
File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (1906)
File:Magdeburg_Circus.jpg|The Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)
File:Magdeburg_Zirkus.jpg|Magdeburg Circus Auditorium (c.1910)
File:Blumenfeld_Elephants.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (c.1912)
File:Blumenfeld_Llamas.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (c.1913)
File:Geb._Blumenfeld_-_Bulls.jpg|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1913)
File:Blumenfeld_lion-elephant_poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (c.1913)
File:Zirkus_Blumenfeld_in_Magdeburg.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld in Magdeburg (1914)
The_5_Sailors_(Blumenfeld).png|The 5 Sailors (Blumenfeld) (c.1915)
File:Geb._Blumenfeld.jpg|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1920)
File:Circus_Arthur_Blumenfeld.jpg|Circus Arthur Blumenfeld in Berlin (1946)
File:Arthur_Blumenfeld_Program_1.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld Program in Berlin (1946)
File:Circus_Blumenfeld_Program_in_Berlin_2.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld Program in Berlin (1946)
File:Blumenfeld_memorial.jpg|Commemorative Stumbling Stones in Magdeburg (2022)
</Gallery>

[[Category:History|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Circus Owner and Directors|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Equestrians|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Artists and Acts|The Blumenfeld Family]]

Main Page

2026-09-01T05:53:21Z

Djando:

__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__

{| id="mp-topbanner" style="width:100%; background:#fcfcfc; margin-top:1.2em; border:1px solid #ccc;"
|style="width:56%; color:#0000"| 
{| style="width:100%; border:solid 0px; background:none;"
|style="width:500px; text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; color:#000;"|
<br><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Welcome! ✫ Bienvenue! ✫ Willkommen! ✫ Добро Пожаловать!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Bienvenida! ✫ Benvenuto! ✫ 歡迎 ! ✫ Vítejte! ✫ Καλώς ήρθατ
ε!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Üdvözöljük! ✫ Добре Дошли! ✫ Welkom! ✫ Ласкаво Просимо!</div><div style="font-size:165%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Velkommen! ✫ Tervetuloa! ✫ Дабро Запрашаем! ✫ Välkommen!</div><br/>
<div style="top:+0.2em; font-size:98%;"> ''Circopedia is an independent educational website, initially created as a project of the original, non-profit [[Big Apple Circus]]''.</div><br/>
|}
|}
==In The Spotlight==

===THE BLUMENFELD FAMILY===
[[File:5_Blumenfelds_Poster.jpg|right|300px]]The huge Blumenfeld family holds an important place in German and European circus history. One of the three major German-Jewish circus dynasties before World War II—along with the Strassburgers and the Lorches—the Blumenfelds were driven to bankruptcy and then brutally decimated by the Nazis. Before that tragedy, they had been a highly respected family of talented acrobats, aerialists, equestrians, and circus owners. Although some members of the family resurfaced after World War II, the Blumenfelds were never able to reclaim the position they had once held in the circus world.

The Blumenfelds are allied with several other prominent Jewish families, such as the Goldkettes (Brönett), the Strassburgers, the Lorches, and the Könyots. They always married within their faith and, at times, like the Rothschilds, within their family—with perhaps the notable exceptions of Erich Blumenfeld, the youngest son of Simon Blumenfeld, who married Fanny Houcke, from the Franco-Swedish Houcke family, and his brother Alex, whose wife, Eugenie, came from an old Italian circus family, the Cardinales.

Since Hirsch Blumenfeld (1788-1867), founder of the dynasty, created his circus in the mid-nineteenth century, many of his descendants have operated several different circuses under the Blumenfeld name. Hirsch had a large family that developed many branches, and it can be sometimes difficult to determine which branch a given Blumenfeld belonged to. The Blumenfeld circus owners, however, shared one defining trait: they were equestrians who served the equestrian circus tradition with distinction, even as the circus-menagerie was becoming the norm in Germany by the beginning of the twentieth century.

Hirsch Blumenfeld was born Hirsch Levy in 1788 in Isenburg, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, one of the many German states. His parents were Levy Wolf (1770-1828), a Jewish cantor, and his wife Rosa (Rösgen), née Cahn (?-1840). The Blumenfeld patronym came later: Under Jewish naming tradition, a son took his father’s given name as a patronym, so Hirsch, as Levy’s son, became Hirsch Levy. Hirsch didn't embrace his father's calling: He became instead a traveling entertainer, an occupation that had attracted many of his coreligionists over the centuries..... ([[The Blumenfeld Family|more...]])

==New Essays and Biographies==

* [[The Blumenfeld Family]], circus owners, artists
* [[Émilien Bouglione/fr|Émilien Bouglione]], French version
* [[Kremo Family]], icarists
* [[The Ziratron]], Israel's first Circus
* [[Carlos Guity]], Acrobat

==New Videos==

* [[Les_Chicky_Video_(1983)|Les Chicky]], clown entrée (1983)
* [[The_Astoris_Video_(1975)|The Astoris]], Aerial Perch (1975)
* [[Evelyn_and_André_Interview_(2025)|Evelyn & André]] Interview by the Fővárosi Nagycirkusz (2025)
* [[Merkys_Video_(1964)|The 3 Merkys]], horizontal bars (1964)
* [[Davis_Vassallo_Video_(2024)|Davis Vassallo]], clown entrée (2024)

==New Oral Histories==

* [[Evelyn_and_André_Interview_(2025)|Evelyn & André]] Interview by the Fővárosi Nagycirkusz (2025)
* [[Bouglione_Video_(2013)|The Bouglione Family]] France 3 TV documentary (2013)
* [[Gneushev_Video_(c.1990)|Valentin Gneushev interview]] on Russian Television (c.1990)
* [[Dominique_Jando_Video_(2025)|Dominique Jando interview]] by the Circus Historical Society (2025)
* [[Evelyn_and_Andre_Video_(2015)|Evelyn & André Interview]] on Blikk TV (2015)

==Circopedia Books==

* [[Circopedia Books|Philip Astley & The Horsemen who invented the Circus]], by Dominique Jando (2018)

==A Message from the Founder==

''CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus, maintained by reliable circus historians and specialists. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to [[Circopedia:Contact|contact us]]: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.''

:'''Dominique Jando'''
:Founder and Curator

Les Chicky

2026-08-31T21:02:44Z

Djando: /* Image Gallery */

==Clowns==

Bruno Stutz (1938-2015) and Eugen "Chicky" Altenburger (1928-2013).

* Video: [[Chicky_Video_(c.1980)|Les Chicky, ''Broken Mirror'' entrée]], at the [[Kunglig Cirkus (Stockholm)|Kunglig Cirkus]] at the Djurgården in Stockholm (c.1980)
* Video: [[Les_Chicky_Video_(1983)|Les Chicky, balloon entrée]], at the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (1983)

==Image Gallery==

<Gallery>
File:Chicky_Trio.jpg|Les Chicky (c.1980)
File:Les_Chicky.jpg|Les Chicky (c.1980)
</Gallery>

[[Category:Artists and Acts|Chicky, Les]][[Category:Clowns|Chicky, Les]]

File:Chicky Trio.jpg

2026-08-31T21:02:14Z

Djando:

Les Chicky, clowns (c.1980) — ''Photo X''

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Les Chicky]]

[[Category:Photo Archive|Chicky, Les]]

File:Chicky Trio.jpg

2026-08-31T21:01:16Z

Djando: Les Chicky, clowns (c.1980) — ''Photo X''

Les Chicky, clowns (c.1980) — ''Photo X''

Les Chicky

2026-08-31T20:58:34Z

Djando:

==Clowns==

Bruno Stutz (1938-2015) and Eugen "Chicky" Altenburger (1928-2013).

* Video: [[Chicky_Video_(c.1980)|Les Chicky, ''Broken Mirror'' entrée]], at the [[Kunglig Cirkus (Stockholm)|Kunglig Cirkus]] at the Djurgården in Stockholm (c.1980)
* Video: [[Les_Chicky_Video_(1983)|Les Chicky, balloon entrée]], at the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (1983)

==Image Gallery==

<Gallery>
File:Les_Chicky.jpg|Les Chicky (c.1980)
</Gallery>

[[Category:Artists and Acts|Chicky, Les]][[Category:Clowns|Chicky, Les]]

File:Les Chicky.jpg

2026-08-31T20:57:20Z

Djando:

Les Chicky, clowns (c.1980) — ''Photo X''

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Les Chicky]]

[[Category:Photo Archive|Chicky, Les]]

File:Les Chicky.jpg

2026-08-31T20:56:17Z

Djando: Les Chicky, clowns (c.1980) — ''Photo X''

Les Chicky, clowns (c.1980) — ''Photo X''

Main Page

2026-08-31T20:49:52Z

Djando:

__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__

{| id="mp-topbanner" style="width:100%; background:#fcfcfc; margin-top:1.2em; border:1px solid #ccc;"
|style="width:56%; color:#0000"| 
{| style="width:100%; border:solid 0px; background:none;"
|style="width:500px; text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; color:#000;"|
<br><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Welcome! ✫ Bienvenue! ✫ Willkommen! ✫ Добро Пожаловать!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Bienvenida! ✫ Benvenuto! ✫ 歡迎 ! ✫ Vítejte! ✫ Καλώς ήρθατ
ε!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Üdvözöljük! ✫ Добре Дошли! ✫ Welkom! ✫ Ласкаво Просимо!</div><div style="font-size:165%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Velkommen! ✫ Tervetuloa! ✫ Дабро Запрашаем! ✫ Välkommen!</div><br/>
<div style="top:+0.2em; font-size:98%;"> ''Circopedia is an independent educational website, initially created as a project of the original, non-profit [[Big Apple Circus]]''.</div><br/>
|}
|}
==In The Spotlight==

===THE BLUMENFELD FAMILY===
[[File:5_Blumenfelds_Poster.jpg|right|300px]]The huge Blumenfeld family holds an important place in German and European circus history. One of the three major German-Jewish circus dynasties before World War II—along with the Strassburgers and the Lorches—the Blumenfelds were driven to bankruptcy and then brutally decimated by the Nazis. Before that tragedy, they had been a highly respected family of talented acrobats, equestrians, and circus owners. Although some members of the family resurfaced after World War II, the Blumenfelds were never able to reclaim the position they had once held in the circus world.

The Blumenfelds are allied with several other prominent Jewish families, such as the Goldkettes (Brönett), the Strassburgers, the Lorches, and the Könyots. They always married within their faith and, at times, like the Rothschilds, within their family—with perhaps the notable exceptions of Erich Blumenfeld, the youngest son of Simon Blumenfeld, who married Fanny Houcke, from the Franco-Swedish Houcke family, and his brother Alex, whose wife, Eugenie, came from an old Italian circus family, the Cardinales.

Since Hirsch Blumenfeld (1788-1867), founder of the dynasty, created his circus in the mid-nineteenth century, many of his descendants have operated several different circuses under the Blumenfeld name. Hirsch had a large family that developed many branches, and it can be sometimes difficult to determine which branch a given Blumenfeld belonged to. The Blumenfeld circus owners, however, shared one defining trait: they were equestrians who served the equestrian circus tradition with distinction, even as the circus-menagerie was becoming the norm in Germany by the beginning of the twentieth century.

Hirsch Blumenfeld was born Hirsch Levy in 1788 in Isenburg, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, one of the many German states. His parents were Levy Wolf (1770-1828), a Jewish cantor, and his wife Rosa (Rösgen), née Cahn (?-1840). The Blumenfeld patronym came later: Under Jewish naming tradition, a son took his father’s given name as a patronym, so Hirsch, as Levy’s son, became Hirsch Levy. Hirsch didn't embrace his father's calling: He became instead a traveling entertainer, an occupation that had attracted many of his coreligionists over the centuries..... ([[The Blumenfeld Family|more...]])

==New Essays and Biographies==

* [[The Blumenfeld Family]], circus owners, artists
* [[Émilien Bouglione/fr|Émilien Bouglione]], French version
* [[Kremo Family]], icarists
* [[The Ziratron]], Israel's first Circus
* [[Carlos Guity]], Acrobat

==New Videos==

* [[Les_Chicky_Video_(1983)|Les Chicky]], clown entrée (1983)
* [[The_Astoris_Video_(1975)|The Astoris]], Aerial Perch (1975)
* [[Evelyn_and_André_Interview_(2025)|Evelyn & André]] Interview by the Fővárosi Nagycirkusz (2025)
* [[Merkys_Video_(1964)|The 3 Merkys]], horizontal bars (1964)
* [[Davis_Vassallo_Video_(2024)|Davis Vassallo]], clown entrée (2024)

==New Oral Histories==

* [[Evelyn_and_André_Interview_(2025)|Evelyn & André]] Interview by the Fővárosi Nagycirkusz (2025)
* [[Bouglione_Video_(2013)|The Bouglione Family]] France 3 TV documentary (2013)
* [[Gneushev_Video_(c.1990)|Valentin Gneushev interview]] on Russian Television (c.1990)
* [[Dominique_Jando_Video_(2025)|Dominique Jando interview]] by the Circus Historical Society (2025)
* [[Evelyn_and_Andre_Video_(2015)|Evelyn & André Interview]] on Blikk TV (2015)

==Circopedia Books==

* [[Circopedia Books|Philip Astley & The Horsemen who invented the Circus]], by Dominique Jando (2018)

==A Message from the Founder==

''CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus, maintained by reliable circus historians and specialists. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to [[Circopedia:Contact|contact us]]: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.''

:'''Dominique Jando'''
:Founder and Curator

Les Chicky

2026-08-31T20:48:44Z

Djando:

==Clowns==

Bruno Stutz (1938-2015) and Eugen "Chicky" Altenburger (1928-2013).

* Video: [[Chicky_Video_(c.1980)|Les Chicky, ''Broken Mirror'' entrée]], at the [[Kunglig Cirkus (Stockholm)|Kunglig Cirkus]] at the Djurgården in Stockholm (c.1980)
* Video: [[Les_Chicky_Video_(1983)|Les Chicky, balloon entrée]], at the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (1983)

[[Category:Artists and Acts|Chicky, Les]][[Category:Clowns|Chicky, Les]]

Les Chicky

2026-08-31T20:47:37Z

Djando:

==Clowns==

Bruno Stutz (1938-2015) and Eugen Altenburger (?-2013).

* Video: [[Chicky_Video_(c.1980)|Les Chicky, ''Broken Mirror'' entrée]], at the [[Kunglig Cirkus (Stockholm)|Kunglig Cirkus]] at the Djurgården in Stockholm (c.1980)
* Video: [[Les_Chicky_Video_(1983)|Les Chicky, balloon entrée]], at the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (1983)

[[Category:Artists and Acts|Chicky, Les]][[Category:Clowns|Chicky, Les]]

Les Chicky

2026-08-31T20:42:46Z

Djando:

==Clowns==

Bruno Stutz and Chicky Altenburger.

* Video: [[Chicky_Video_(c.1980)|Les Chicky, ''Broken Mirror'' entrée]], at the [[Kunglig Cirkus (Stockholm)|Kunglig Cirkus]] at the Djurgården in Stockholm (c.1980)
* Video: [[Les_Chicky_Video_(1983)|Les Chicky, balloon entrée]], at the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (1983)

[[Category:Artists and Acts|Chicky, Les]][[Category:Clowns|Chicky, Les]]

Les Chicky

2026-08-31T20:42:34Z

Djando:

==Clowns==

Bruno Stutz and Chicky Altenburger.

* Video: [[Chicky_Video_(c.1980)|Les Chicky, ''Broken Mirror'' entrée]], at the [[Kunglig Cirkus (Stockholm)|Kunglig Cirkus]] at the Djurgården in Stockholm (c.1980)
* Video: [[Les_Chicky_Video_(1983)|Les Chicky, balloon entrée, at the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (1983)

[[Category:Artists and Acts|Chicky, Les]][[Category:Clowns|Chicky, Les]]

Les Chicky Video (1983)

2026-08-31T20:41:18Z

Djando:

Les Chicky, balloon entrée, at the 9th [[International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo]] (1983) — ''Document: FR3 – France Televisions''

{{#ev:vimeo|1222815644|740}}

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Les Chicky]]

[[Category:Video Archive|Chicky, Les]]

Les Chicky Video (1983)

2026-08-31T20:40:10Z

Djando: Created page with "Les Chicky, balloon entrée, at the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo (1983) — ''Document: FR3 – France Televisions'' {{#ev:vimeo|1222815644|740}} ==S..."

Les Chicky, balloon entrée, at the [[International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo]] (1983) — ''Document: FR3 – France Televisions''

{{#ev:vimeo|1222815644|740}}

==See Also==

* Biography: [[Les Chicky]]

[[Category:Video Archive|Chicky, Les]]

The Blumenfeld Family

2026-08-31T20:31:26Z

Djando: /* Epilogue */

[[File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Wwe_poster.jpg|right|300px]]
==Circus Owners, Equestrians, Animal Trainers, Artists==

''By Dominique Jando''

The huge Blumenfeld family holds an important place in German and European circus history. One of the three major German-Jewish circus dynasties before World War II—along with the [[Circus Strassburger|Strassburgers]] and the [[The Lorch Family|Lorches]]—the Blumenfelds were driven to bankruptcy and then brutally decimated by the Nazis. Before that tragedy, they had been a highly respected family of talented acrobats, equestrians, and circus owners. Although some members of the family resurfaced after World War II, the Blumenfelds were never able to reclaim the position they had once held in the circus world.

The Blumenfelds are allied with several other prominent Jewish families, such as the Goldkettes ([[The Brönett Family|Brönett]]), the Strassburgers, the Lorches, and the [[The Könyot Family|Könyots]]. They always married within their faith and, at times, like the Rothschilds, within their family—with perhaps the notable exceptions of Erich Blumenfeld, the youngest son of Simon Blumenfeld, who married Fanny Houcke, from the Franco-Swedish [[The Houcke Dynasty|Houcke]] family, and his brother Alex, whose wife, Eugenie, came from an old Italian circus family, the Cardinales.

Since Hirsch Blumenfeld (1788-1867), founder of the dynasty, created his circus in the mid-nineteenth century, many of his descendants have operated several different circuses under the Blumenfeld name. Hirsch had a large family that developed many branches, and it can be sometimes difficult to determine which branch a given Blumenfeld belonged to. The Blumenfeld circus owners, however, shared one defining trait: they were equestrians who served the equestrian circus tradition with distinction, even as the circus-menagerie was becoming the norm in Germany by the beginning of the twentieth century.

===Cerf Blumenfeld===

[[File:Cerf_Blumenfeld_Ad.png|thumb|left|300px|Cerf Blumenfeld'sCircus National Ad (c.1856)]]Hirsch Blumenfeld was born Hirsch Levy in 1788 in Isenburg, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, one of the many German states. His parents were Levy Wolf (1770-1828), a Jewish cantor, and his wife Rosa (Rösgen), née Cahn (?-1840). The Blumenfeld patronym came later: Under Jewish naming tradition, a son took his father’s given name as a patronym, so Hirsch, as Levy’s son, became Hirsch Levy. Hirsch didn't embrace his father's calling: He became instead a traveling entertainer, an occupation that had attracted many of his coreligionists over the centuries.

Hirsch Levy married Henrietta (Jetta) Jonas (1789-1853), a native of Neuwied, in the Rhineland Palatinate, south of Bonn. Hirsch and Jetta raised a large family of eight children: Emanuel (1811-1885), Meyer (1815-1894), Sophia (1816-?), David (1818-1893), Joseph (1820-1820), Mina (1821-?), Moritz (1825-1895), and Simon (1828-1911)—starting a tradition of exceptionally large families among their descendants.

Later, in 1846, a regulation was introduced in Prussia, where the family had settled, demanding that Jewish families adopt a steady patronymic. Family lore tells us that, when Hirsch declared the name ''Bumenfeld'' to the Prussian authorities, he chose his new patronymic because he saw a field full of flowers (or ''blumen Feld'' in German) through the clerk's window: Hence the Blumenfeld family was born. ''Si non è vero, è bien trovato!'' (Even if not true, it's a good story).

Hirsch Blumenfeld eventually moved from traveling entertainer to traveling circus owner. For reasons unknown, he professionally adopted Cerf (Stag), the French translation of Hirsch, as his first name, and he became known to the circus world as Cerf Blumenfeld. The year of his first circus creation was probably in 1845: On April 9 of that year, a Bonn chronicle announced the opening of "the Equestrian Circus of Mr. Cerf from Combahn with 17 horses" (Combahn is a village on the Rhine, south of Bonn, where the Blumenfelds had settled). This is the earliest known reference to a Blumenfeld circus. From the outset, it was a true equestrian circus, establishing a tradition the family would continue to uphold.

After Jetta’s death in 1853, Hirsch remarried to Sara von Geldern (1817–1896), with whom he had two more sons, Emil (1855–1895) and Aron Alexander (1861–1942). The marriage brought the family to a considerable size: Hirsch now had seven surviving sons, many of whom would go on to found large families of their own, thus giving rise to the numerous branches of the Blumenfeld dynasty.

Cerf Blumenfeld's large family provided the backbone of his programs, which appear to have been of good quality, and the circus grew steadily. The first written review of the show came from the town of Hanau, in Hesse: "An aesthetic treat, as it has been missed here for many years, is now provided by the equestrian company of Mr. Blumenfeld. [...] Stylish costumes and beautiful horses are also a treat for the spectator's eyes." By then, the company had 32 performers and 24 horses.

Cerf Blumenfeld passed awy on August 16, 1867, in Eberstadt, near Darmstadt in Hesse, where his circus may have been performing at the time. It is unclear whether some of his sons took over their father’s circus after his death or had already left to establish circuses of their own. It is known that in 1866, one year before Cerf's death, there was a ''Cirque Equestre'' managed by the Blumenfeld Brothers, which could have been either their father's circus, or a new one.

===The Many Blumenfeld Circuses===

[[File:Meyer_Blumenfeld.png|thumb|right|300px|Meyer Blumenfeld (c.1850)]]Be that as it may, the family eventually dispersed, and several circuses bearing the Blumenfeld name appeared across Germany with varying degrees of success. Some became major German traveling circuses of their times—including Emanuel Blumenfeld’s circus, which survived him under the management of his widow and then his sons; it was to become the Circus Blumenfeld of reference and will be treated later. Nevertheless, many others ''Circus Blumenfeld'' are worth mentioning.

''Zirkus Blumenfeld & Söhne'', created by Meyer Blumenfeld, Emanuel's younger brother, was active between 1884 and 1892, and was a major German circus. Meyer had married twice. His first wife was Setta Hartog (1814-1852), the sister of Jetta Hartog, Emanuel's wife: both brothers married the same day, on January 24, 1839. Meyer and Setta had five children, Leopold (1841-1901), Minna (b. 1843), Josef (b.1845), Nathan (1846-1852), and Sofia; then, after Setta's death, Meyer married Gundula Sara Jonas (b.1812), who gave him another son, Jansly (Samson) (1853-1935). In turn, Jansly and Leopold created two major traveling circuses.

In 1884, Jansly Blumenfeld, who had married his cousin Wilhelmina (1861-1910), daughter of his uncle David, operated ''Circus Jansly & Leo'' with his brother Leopold. It became ''Circus Jansly'' the following year, when Leopold left to establish his own circus. Successfully active from 1885 to 1901, Circus Jansly suffered a devastating train accident and a stable fire in 1900, which killed many of its horses. After a run of forty-six years, the circus could not survive these catastrophes and closed in Berlin in 1901.

Leopold Blumenfeld created his circus in 1885, and it survived his 1901 death—initially under the management of his widow, Bertha Blumenfeld. Bertha was Leopold's third wife. He had married first Lisette Gutschmidt, followed in 1868 by Caroline Hirsch (1850–1883), and after Caroline's death, Bertha Halmschlag (1854-1913). Leopold had one son with Lisette Gutschmidt, Hartwig (1867-1927), and six more children with Caroline Hirsch: Lisette (Setta, 1871-1943), Emil (1874-1952), Adolf (1876-1933), Max (1879-1916), Wilhelm (Willy, 1881-1955), and Gerhard (Georg, 1878-?).

[[File:Leopold_Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Leopold Blumenfeld (c.1850)]]Because Leopold had no children with Bertha, her claim to the circus became uncertain. Caroline’s children—Adolf, Emil, and Lisette—reclaimed it, and it eventually came under the sole management of Lisette (Setta) Blumenfeld. At the time, Setta was married to the circus performer August Gerausch, known as Varinelli, with whom she had four children: Leo Ludwig (1890-1964), Amanda (1905-1942), Arthur (1911-1919), and Alfons. Later, probably in the early 1920s, she formed a couple with her cousin Louis Blumenfeld (1866-1943), a son of Emanuel Blumenfeld; together they had a daughter, also named Lisette.

Setta Blumenfeld's circus had a long and rich career. It traveled under the title ''Großer Zirkus Blumenfeld'', and sometimes as ''Circus Louis Blumenfeld'', although Louis never held part ownership of the circus. The circus eventually passed under the management of Setta's elder son, Leo Gerausch, who closed it in 1926, while Germany was still under the Weimar Republic, because of the financial difficulties caused by a dire economic period. Leopold's other sons, Hartwig, Willy, and Gerhard also exploited smaller circuses in the 1920s, and Cerf Blumenfeld's third son, David, toured a circus for some time.

Another son of Cerf Blumenfeld, Moritz, also became an important circus owner. Moritz had married Sara Haymann (1833-1901) with whom he had no less than thirteen children: Ludwig (1854-1928), Helene (1855-1933), Diena (b.1859), Rosina (1860-1931), Amanda (1864-1935), Karl (1866-1940), Hermann (1868-1916), Adele (1871-1906), Rudolf (1875-1942), Virginia, Bertha, Kätchen, and Ernestine. This was to form a solid backbone for his circus company! He created his circus in 1865, and was successful enough to retire comfortably in 1886, at age sixty-one. Two years before, he had handed the management of his circus to his son Ludwig, who exploited it for only three years before auctioning it in 1887. He too retired comfortably, at age thirty-four!

All these Blumenfeld circuses presented a wide range of high-quality equestrian acts, particularly original liberty displays, which became the hallmark of the Blumenfeld name and were often featured in the winter programs of Europe's resident circuses. The larger Blumenfeld circuses also offered rich and varied productions that included popular equestrian pantomimes such as the inescapable ''Mazeppa'', alongside other large-scale spectacles.

Large families such as that of Moritz Blumenfeld produced outstanding acrobatic and aerial performers, whose acts were held in high demand. Contemporary photographs reveal another characteristic of the dynasty: The Blumenfelds were invariably elegant, both in and out of the ring. In every sense, they embodied the aristocracy of the circus world.

==Zirkus E. Blumenfeld==

[[File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld_-_full_image.jpg|thumb|300px|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1840)]]Emanuel Blumenfeld created the most successful and longest lasting of all the Blumenfeld circuses. As the eldest of Cerf's children, he may well have been his father's successor, since his own ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld'' appeared in August 1867, around the date of his father's death. Born March 1, 1811, in Bremke, a small village near Göttingen, in southern Lower Saxony, he was twenty-eight when he married Jette (Hitzelchen) Hartog (1817-c.1850) on January 24, 1839, in a dual ceremony with his brother Meyer, who married Jette's sister Setta.

Like his brother Moritz, Emanuel would eventually preside over an exceptionally large family. His first wife, Jetta, bore him five children: Moritz (b. 1844), Leopold (b. 1845), Meyer (1847-1892), Wolf (1849-1906), and Wilhelmine (Minna, b. 1850). When Jetta died unexpectedly around 1850, perhaps soon after Minna's birth, Emanuel was left with five very young children and no one to mother them. He found a second wife in Jeanette Stein (1831-1896), who was twenty years his junior.

Jeanette gave Emanuel ten more children: Olympia (b.1852), Henriette (1853-1914, who married [[The Könyot Dynasty|Leopold Könyot]]), Max (b.1855), Jonas (1855-1859), Simon (1857-1918, who married [[The Strassburger Family|Rosa Strassburger]]), Alexander (Simson, 1859-1921), Adolf David (1863-1913), Louis (1866-1943, who married his cousin Setta Blumenfeld-Gerausch), Hermann (1868-1933, who married his niece Betty Blumenfeld, daughter of his brother Simon), and Amanda. In 1881, a journalist described Jeanette Blumenfeld as "a truly Jewish woman with iron strength and a heart of gold, [who] kept her sons and daughters, her daughter-in-law and grandchildren in strict discipline."

Emanuel established his circus’s base in the province of Westphalia, in Prussia, and during its early years ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld'' toured the Kingdom of Prussia exclusively. The Franco-Prussian War of 1870 brought a major disruption: Emanuel’s elder sons Moritz, Leopold, and Meyer, enrolled in the army. Their military service may have encouraged a greater sense of independence, and they eventually left the family circus. Emanuel died on May 23, 1885 in Tilsit, where the circus was performing. Jeanette, whose strength of character suggests that she had likely been involved in managing the circus alongside her husband despite her many duties as a mother, took over its direction.

[[File:Blumenfeld_Gurhau_Poster.jpg|thumb|left|450px|The Gurhau Winter Quarters (c.1891)]]Jeanette came from a circus family, and she had brought her family's circus into her marriage: Consequently, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld had grown in importance, but with such a large family, Jeanette had the support she needed to run it. Simon, Alexander, and Louis oversaw day-to-day operations; Adolf became general manager; and Hermann, as advance man, organized the tours. Under her management, the circus continued to grow, and its stables—always a distinctive Blumenfeld asset—doubled in size. The circus also changed its name to ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld Wwe'' (Circus E. Blumenfeld Widow). In 1891, the family moved to much-needed larger winter quarters in the town of Gurhau, in Lower Silesia (today Góra, in Poland), where they had found a large ensemble of abandoned military stables.

Jeanette Blumenfeld died in Gurhau on April 30, 1896, at age sixty-one. Her death might have led to the breakup of the enterprise and a new proliferation of Blumenfeld circuses, but Emanuel and Jeanette had foreseen that possibility: They wrote a will in 1872 that established a clear succession, both for the circus business and for the family’s responsibilities. It not only defined the siblings' positions and tasks in the running of the circus—which, it specified, couldn't be dismantled or split between them—but also, their commitment to their family and to their Jewish faith. Jeanette's strong hand is apparent in such a strictly ordered will, and its provisions were duly followed by her descendants.

===Enter The Magdeburg Generation===

[[File:Simon_Blumenfeld_Family.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Simon and Rosa's Blumenfeld's family (c.1900)]]Under Jeanette's ownership, the circus had been managed by Simon, Alexander, Adolf, and Hermann, and the four brothers remained at the helm of the enterprise (Louis was soon to leave the family). Not as prolific progenitors as their father, Alexander, Adolf and Hermann didn't produce many descendants, but Simon did, and his progeny, which would become known as the "Magdeburg branch," would constitute the next Blumenfeld generation of circus directors.

Rosa Strassburger gave Simon eleven children: Betty (1880-1932), who married her uncle Hermann; Emanuel, known as Alex (1885-1942); Alfons (1887-1942), who married his cousin [[The Konyöt Family|Olympia Konyöt]]; Arthur (1889-1910), who married his cousin Victoria, daughter of Jansly Blumenfeld; Alfred (1891-1945); Eugen (1893-1937); Alice (1895-1942); Jeanette (Netty, 1897-1969); Willy (1898-1942); Fritz (Friedrich, 1899-1945), and Erich (1901-1943), who married [[The Houcke Dynasty|Fanny Houcke]]).

The Blumenfelds had an excellent reputation among their audiences and among the artists who worked for them. They were known as a warm, welcoming family, always ready to help, and always respectful of their fellow performers—for they were indeed performers themselves: In a 1898 program, one could see Hermann and Betty riding in ''haute-école'', Louis and Setta performing a pas-de-deux on horseback, and Alexandre presenting the liberty acts. Coming up, the next generation was trained in all circus disciplines to perform alongside their elders as acrobats, equestrians, and animal trainers, and eventually replace them.

[[File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Poster.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (1906)]]By 1897, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld, which had been one of the earliest German circuses to perform under a big top instead of a wooden ''construction'' or as visitors in a circus building (of which there were indeed many at the time), had become too big to continue using horse-power transportation, and it switched to travel by rail. In their advertising, the Blumenfelds boosted no less than 180 horses, 28 wagons, and even their own traveling electric plant, which was quite high-tech at the turn of the twentieth century! As they reminded their potential audiences in the press, theirs was not a cheap tenting operation: It was a modern, elegant, and comfortable first-class traveling circus.

Their shows often ended with spectacular equestrian pantomimes (known as "hippodramas") in which they could display their magnificent horses. As the [[The Knie Dynasty|Knies]] and some others would do much later, the Blumenfelds invited the public to watch their training sessions. At a time when horses still held an important place in everyday life and the public at large was fascinated by great horsemanship, this was excellent publicity indeed—especially for a circus where horsemanship was still served with outstanding talent.

In 1911, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld celebrated its 100th anniversary. Emanuel's circus had been created in 1867, after the death of Cerf Blumenfeld and, although it may have been considered the continuation of Cerf's circus, the date of its creation was around 1840. None of these anniversaries worked, so the date chosen for this advertising stunt was the year of Emanuel's birth, 1811. Be that as it may, it worked, and this pseudo-centennial was duly celebrated with special events, banquets with city representatives in attendance, and other festivities—a good indication that the Blumenfelds were seen as important circus owners.

[[File:Barnum_and_Bailey_-_Germany.png|thumb|right|300px|Barnum & Bailey Poster for its German Tour (1900)]]Meanwhile, [[Wilhelm Hagenbeck]], the son of German wild animal importer [[The Hagenbeck Dynasty|Carl Hagenbeck]] (1844-1913), the most important animal dealer of his time (he provided animals to zoos and circuses worldwide), had started a traveling circus in 1887 that included an important menagerie of exotic and wild animals—some of which were presented performing in the show—as well of exhibitions of exotic tribes from the "mysterious" lands of Africa, Asia, and even America (with tribes of Native Americans).

Ten years later, in 1897, the giant American [[Barnum and Bailey Circus]] began an extended European tour that lasted until 1905. Its enormous menagerie impressed European audiences at a time when colonial expansion had intensified public fascination with everything exotic, particularly animals. It encouraged German circuses and traveling menagerie owners such as Carl Krone to follow Hagenbeck's example and develop into the circus-menagerie enterprises that would characterize the German circus industry until World War II.

The Blumenfelds were no exception to this trend. In 1912, the brothers added a menagerie to their previously equestrian circus and began to present animal acts other than horses. They acquired four elephants and a collection of exotic and wild animals that included a hippopotamus, but they refrained from presenting cage acts in their programs until 1936. Their important stables were still full, and their renowned equestrian acts remained their circus's main attraction.

Then, on June 28, 1914, a Serb nationalist assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. This led Austria-Hungary to declare war to Serbia one month later, on July 28. Russia then entered the conflict to support Serbia, which led to a domino effect in the complicated system of European alliances: France and England joined the war on Russia's side, followed by Italy, and Germany did the same on Austria-Hungary's side with Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire. This situation had disastrous repercussions, and the circus industry experienced them the hard way.

The Blumenfelds had a special relation with the Military: They considered their duty, as German citizens, to serve in the army, and several of Simon's sons enlisted wholeheartedly. Many circus workers did the same, or were drafted, and foreign artists from enemy countries had to leave Germany or had been interned. Then, the Army, which still relied largely on horse-powered transport, requisitioned the Blumenfelds’ horses, as well as their tents. Under these conditions, and with rail travel strictly regulated to give priority to army transports, touring had become impossible, and the Blumenfelds closed their traveling circus. They had, however, a safe retreat.

===The Great War and The Magdeburg Circus===

Magdeburg was the capital of Saxony. Located in what today is Saxony-Anhalt, it was an important city that had hosted several circus buildings over the years. Nothing exceptional there, since major German cities had circus buildings, but Magdeburg location was relatively central in the German Empire, which could make it a good base for a traveling circus. In 1896, an entrepreneur named Hahn built a new circus in the city. Already, in 1886, Hahn had acquired [[August Krembser]]'s circus building in Berlin, which he rented out to major circus companies such as [[Gotthold Schumann]]'s—before Schumann opened his own circus building in the Prussian capital. A master-carpenter, he had already erected a wooden "construction" in Madgeburg in 1892.

[[File:Magdeburg_Circus.jpg|left|thumb|400px|The Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)]]Hahn was not a circus man, but a businessman and landlord who rented out his facilities to circus companies and other tenants. His new Magdeburg circus, located on Kaizer Wilhelm Platz (today's Universitätsplatz) and Köningstraße 62/63 (today's Walther-Rathenau-Straße), a major thoroughfare, was a large building: With a surface area of nearly 4,000 m2 (approximately 154 x 266 feet), it included not only the circus itself, which could be fitted with a removable stage for concerts and theatrical productions and boasted a capacity of 2,800, but also a restaurant, wardrobe shops, a saddlery, a prop workshop, stables for 110 horses, and a small variety theater. It opened on September 30, 1896, with [[Circus Renz]] as a tenant.

The Blumenfelds performed there in 1904, 1911, and 1913. Since 1907, the building had been used principally as a movie theater, and by 1913, it was in disrepair. After Hahn's death, it had passed to his daughter, who was eager to sell. The Blumenfelds had long wanted to move their winter quarters from Gurhau to a more central location, and Magdeburg suited their needs. During their visit in 1913, they offered to buy and restore the property, and Ms. Hahn accepted; then they secured a thirty-year lease with the city, which owned the land, and they could finally move their operations to Magdeburg in 1914. After adding a large foyer to the circus, they were ready to use it for their winter seasons.

Thus, in March 1914, after World War I had broken out and the Blumenfelds had effectively lost their traveling enterprise, they went to their new home in Magdeburg. Since the European theater of war was soon confined to a line of fortified trenches stretching from the English Channel to Switzerland, Germany’s interior remained unaffected. The Blumenfelds were able to rent out the building, though for purposes other than circus performances; they even re-converted it into a movie theater.

During that time of circus inactivity, the directors of the third generation disappeared or retired. Adolf had died in Dresden in 1913, Alexander and Hermann called it quits (they would pass away in 1921 and 1933 respectively), and finally, Simon, the father of the "Magdeburg Line," died in Magdeburg on July 22, 1918, shortly before war's end. The war over, the Gurhau winter quarters were sold, and with the Magdeburg building used for unrelated activities, it could have been the end of the ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld''.

===The Postwar Period===

With seven brothers pretending to be Simon’s successors, not to mention Simon’s four daughters and the children of his brothers, reviving the Zirkus E. Blumenfeld could have led to unforeseen problems. Therefore, in the summer of 1919, Simon’s sons Alex, Alfons, and Arthur purchased the former ''Zircus E. Blumenfeld Wwe.'' company from the family. Then, they announced the creation of a new touring company called ''Zirkus Gebr. Blumenfeld''. They also let it known that they remained co-owners of the Magdeburg circus and set 1920 as the date for the debut of their traveling circus. It wasn’t an easy task: They had to rebuild their entire touring operation from scratch!

[[File:Geb._Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1920)]]They purchased a large two-pole circus tent, 44 meters in diameter (approximately 144 feet) and with a capacity of 2,000 people. This made their circus a major enterprise—although it would soon pale in comparison to giants like [[Circus Krone|Krone]], [[Circus Sarrasani|Sarrasani]], [[Circus Gleich|Gleich]], and even the circus of their Strassburger cousins. Alex, Alfons, and Arthur Blumenfeld could rely on their large family for support: Their brothers, Fritz and Alfred, took care of the administrative aspects of the circus, and Eugen supervised the always important concessions department. Other family members were also available to help and perform in the show.

The new Blumenfeld Circus made its debut in Dessau, not far from Magdeburg, on April 3, 1920. The show featured many family members: Alfons presented liberty acts with Amanda Lorch. Willy appeared in a high-school presentation with his sister-in-law and cousin Victoria (Arthur’s wife), and also doubled as the clown Kucki. Arthur, riding a horse, presented two trained bulls. Of course, there were also many hired performers in the show, including a team of acrobats and a motorcycle stunt act. In November, the Blumenfeld brothers returned to their circus in Magdeburg for the winter season, which at long last returned to hosting circus shows.

The years immediately following the war were marked by the Spanish flu pandemic, which claimed the lives of about fifty million people worldwide, and Europe was not spared. Yet, after a long and devastating war that killed around twenty million people, European audiences were eager for escapist entertainment. Pandemic or not, the interwar years proved to be exceptionally favorable for circuses and variety shows. The Blumenfelds, like other circus owners, benefited from this sudden enthusiasm. However, the interwar years also brought major economic problems.

During the war, Germany had experienced severe inflation, with prices doubling almost instantly. To address this problem, the Kaiser’s government abandoned its gold-backed currency, expecting that Germany would win the war. That was not the outcome however, and the postwar Weimar government had to pay considerable reparations to the Allies in gold-backed currency. This led to an economic domino effect resulting in hyperinflation: The Mark collapsed, and by 1922, prices had risen by 700%!

[[File:Zirkus_Blumenfeld_in_Magdeburg.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Zirkus Blumenfeld in Magdeburg (1914)]]However, after years of successful touring and well-organized performances, the Magdeburg Blumenfelds had become relatively wealthy. Like most European traveling circus families, they didn’t keep all their money in the bank. They followed the traditional practice of converting their wealth into gold or diamonds, which they kept hidden in their mobile homes. But if the depreciation of the Mark didn’t affect their accumulated wealth, then the money they earned in Germany was worthless. For many German circuses, the solution was to travel abroad to replenish their coffers. Sarrasani went to South America, Krone and Gleich traveled throughout Europe...

Similarly, the Blumenfelds looked beyond Germany. They visited the Baltic States and rented out some of their animal and equestrian acts abroad. In 1925-1926, they even toured their animal acts in Russia's circus buildings. Since circuses, like all performing arts, were nationalized by the new Soviet government in 1919, Russia’s ten resident circuses—including two in Moscow—needed artists to fill their programs. With a shortage of Russian performers (the new State Circus and Variety College hadn’t yet produced many of them), the Soviet Committee for the Arts turned to Germany, one of the few countries with which Russia still maintained good relations. The Blumenfelds seized this opportunity.

After a rewarding tour in Russia, the Blumenfelds purchased new wagons and tents. Their menagerie now consisted of forty-five horses, two elephants, four camels, three llamas, and two bulls. However, the political situation in Germany was changing. In the mid-1920s, the NSDAP (Nazi Party), which had until then been a small right-wing movement, began to compete in elections, aiming to undermine the German democratic government of the Weimar Republic. They also began to gain power through grassroots campaigning, propaganda, and political violence. This led to a rise in antisemitism. The Nazis blamed Jews and communists for many of Germany’s postwar problems, and they called for a strong Germany free of Jews, starting with boycotting Jewish businesses.

[[File:Magdeburg_Zirkus.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Interior of the Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)]]“Gau Anhalt-North Saxony” was established by the Nazis in 1926 in order to streamline their party organization. Two years later, it was renamed “Gau Magdeburg-Anhalt”, making Magdeburg a major center for Nazi activities. The Nazi-led boycott of Jewish businesses, often carried out through intimidation, hit the Blumenfelds during a time when Germany was also facing a severe financial crisis. The Nazis exploited this situation to intensify antisemitism. The resulting hardships became evident during the 1927 tour. After trying various measures such as offering ticket discounts and other promotional activities, the Blumenfelds announced that, “Due to the unfavorable financial situation, the circus has decided to discontinue its activities.”

To be sure, they were not the only circus to quit the business: Between 1926 and 1930, no less than seven German circuses went bankrupt. However, the Blumenfelds were a powerful circus family with a permanent base in a major German city. They had always been respected citizens there, but unfortunately, Magdeburg became increasingly hostile under Nazi influence, and their circus building, like their touring show, became unprofitable. To recoup their losses, they tried to sell the building to the municipality.

It seems that there were various forces involved to undermine any potential deal. The plan failed, and the Blumenfelds were forced into bankruptcy in 1927. The building wasn’t sold until ten years later, and even then, the proceeds went directly into the bankruptcy estate. Meanwhile, the bankruptcy trustees continued to rent the building out for purposes other than circus. The bankruptcy was finalized in 1940, but the once respected ''Zirkus Geb. Blumenfeld jun.'' had already ceased to exist. As for the Magdeburg circus building, it never resumed its circus activities and was eventually destroyed in the January 16, 1945 of the Allied bombing of the city.

===The Nazi Era===

The large Magdeburg Blumenfeld family, including Alfons, Alex and Arthur, began to look for engagements in other circuses. Alex found jobs as an animal trainer and artistic director in Scandinavian circuses, Alfons became the deputy manager and artistic director of [[Circus Medrano-Swoboda]], Austria's leading circus, where he also performed as a high-school rider with his daughter Ruth and presented liberty acts; Alfred Blumenfeld went to work as manager of [[Circus Dominik Althoff]], then presented liberty horses on tour with his brother Arthur at [[Circus Adolf Fischer]], another German circus, of which Eugen Blumenfeld had become the artistic director.

Erich Blumenfeld went to France, where he married Fanny Houcke and became a member of the Houcke family (which would soon relocate in neutral Sweden). Fritz Blumenfeld worked in the administration of several circuses and became the private secretary of [[Julius Gleich]], then of Dominik Althoff, and in 1939-40, of the Dutch circus impresario [[Franz Mikkenie]], who will help the Strassburgers to survive the Nazis in The Netherlands. Willy continued to be the clown Kucki in the circus of their cousins Strassburger before they were forced to sell it to [[Paula Busch]]; he would later commit suicide in Auschwitz.

Hitler came to power in 1933, and the Nazi Party now ruled Germany. Circus performers’ unions and directors’ organizations disappeared, and circus and variety artists had to join the newly created, Nazi-controlled ''Artistik'' union if they wanted to work. Several circus owners joined the Nazi Party to protect their interests, with the notable exceptions of [[Hans-Stosch Sarrasani]]—although his son would do so after his father’s death—and Dominik Althoff and his children. In 1935, the Nazi government announced the Nuremberg Laws, which formalized its racial theories; by 1937-1938, Jews were forced to identify themselves, notably by wearing the infamous yellow Star of David, further segregating them from the rest of the German population.

[[File:Blumenfeld_memorial.jpg|thumb|left| 450pix|Blumenfelds' commemorative Stumbling Stones in Magdeburg]]All Jewish performers (among whom the many Blumenfelds still living in Germany) began to be victims of the Nazis' violent antisemitism. Several Blumenfelds went to perform in Scandinavia, England or America, where they settled; a large group of them sailed with Circus Sarrasani to Brazil in 1934. When Simon Blumenfeld's family purchased the Magdeburg circus in 1914, the city became home to other members of the large Blumenfeld family. Louis and Setta Blumenfeld had settled in Magdeburg with the Gerausch family; in 1940 they were forced to move in a so-called "Jewish House."

They were then deported to the Theresienstadt Ghetto in Terezin, Czechoslovakia. Louis died there in 1942. Setta was later transferred to Auschwitz, where she was killed. Other Magdeburg residents, Setta's daughter, Amanda Gerausch, and Ulrich Blumenfeld, a son of Hermann and Betty Blumenfeld, were also deported that year. Rosa Strassburger-Blumenfeld, Simon's widow, died in the Theresienstadt Ghetto in 1943, and seven of her children died in deportation; her daughter Alice committed suicide to avoid deportation.

Obviously, Alex, Alfons and Arthur Blumenfeld, the former directors of the ''Zirkus Geb. Blumenfeld jun.'', were not immune to these attacks. In 1937, Alex was in engagement in Denmark, and from there he moved first to Belgium, and then to France, where he tried to obtain a permit to enter neutral Sweden or Great Britain. Before he could see any positive outcome, the war broke out and France was occupied by Nazi Germany. The old Marshall Pétain, now France's president, and his Vichy government were as much rabidly antisemitic as the occupant, and foreign Jews were the first to be prosecuted.

Alex was arrested as an "enemy alien" and interned in the camp of Saint Cyprien, in Dordogne (southwest France). His wife, Eugenie, had remained in Belgium, and the fact she was of Italian descent (Cardinale) protected her. Alex could correspond with her, but he was soon moved to the notorious internment camp of Drancy, in the Paris suburbs, which was a gateway to Auschwitz; he was sent there in August 1942, never to return.

Alfons Blumenfeld also emigrated to Paris in December 1938, together with his wife Olympia, née Könyot. Like his brother Alex, Alfons was there with his wife when the war broke out and Germany occupied France. They were immediately arrested by the French police; Olympia was interned in the camp of Rivesaltes, near Perpignan in southwestern France, and Alfons was interned in the concentration camp of Bram, near Carcassonne, and later transferred to Drancy. Both were finally sent to Auschwitz, where they were killed.

Their daughter Ruth, who had married to [[The Berousek Family|Ludwig Berouzek]], scion of a famous Czech circus dynasty, was deported to Auschwitz, where she was killed in 1942. (Ludwig, whom she had divorced, had emigrated to the United States.) Before being arrested, Ruth had put their daughter, Vardia, in the care of a French family: Vardia survived the war.

Arthur Blumenfeld and his wife Victoria (also born Blumenfeld) and his two daughters Rita and Eva, settled in Berlin in 1933. Playing with the unusual similarity of their family names, Victoria managed to register herself as an adopted child of unknown Aryan origin. Their union became therefore a "mixed marriage," which made the family safe from deportation, even though the German authorities subjected Arthur to the usual discrimination, like forced labor and the wearing of the Jewish yellow star. But they survived...

Many other members of the extended Blumenfeld family were killed during this dark period: According to various sources, up to 150 members of the entire family were killed between 1933 and 1945. Arthur Blumenfeld lost nine brothers and sisters during that time: He and his sister Jeanette, who lived in England, were the only survivors of Simon and Rosa Blumenfeld's eleven children!

===Epilogue===

After the end of World War II, Arthur and Victoria tried to restart the Circus Blumenfeld. With the help of the Soviet authorities, which controlled East Germany and most of Berlin, they managed to acquire the equipment of the bankrupt circus of [[Circus Brumbach|Gustav Brumbach]], which included a four-pole big top and all its paraphernalia. They quickly repainted the old wagons to a Blumenfeld livery, put their name on the façade, and began to perform in Berlin in October 1945, touring the four sectors of the destroyed city.

[[File:Circus_Arthur_Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Circus Blumenfeld in Berlin (1946)]]At first, Arthur presented the circus’s only four horses, and the modest program featured a hand-to-hand trio, a perch-pole balancing act, and a magician—nothing exceptional, but fitting for the times. The circus was making money, however, and by December Victoria could report that they "already had four bears, six horses, and several buffalos." In September 1948, Arthur marked his fifty years in the ring, though there were no public celebrations: The Circus Blumenfeld of 1948 was no longer the eminent circus of the pre-Nazi era, and it performed primarily for Allied troops and charitable organizations such as orphanages.

By then, there were already two resident circuses in Barlin: Paula Busch had just opened a circus in the old planetarium of the Zoological Gardens in West Berlin, and [[Harry Barlay]] had erected a large "construction" on Friedrichstraße, among the ruins of Berlin Mitte, then located in the Soviet zone of Berlin. Yet, the Blumenfelds, who were touring within the city—which didn't go without its share of problems—were very competent circus directors and could have prospered enough to take the road again.

Unfortunately, the Blockade of Berlin started on June 23, 1948, and, in an already uneasy situation, major problems began to arise, notably to find food for the animals—for which the three circuses had to resort to a very expensive black market. Eventually, some animals had to be given away, and a few horses had even to be killed. The financial situation of the three circuses was dismal, even more so for the Blumenfelds, who had re-started from scratch and didn't have the resources of Paula Busch or Harry Barley.

Arthur Blumenfeld staged his final show in 1949 at the Berlin Zoo, where he had set up his circus. Apart from the few horses he had managed to keep, the program was largely a variety show, and its income was not enough to sustain the enterprise. The once prosperous and celebrated ''Zirkus Blumenfeld'' gave its last performance in June of that year. Arthur sold his equipment and the few animals he had left to Paula Busch. With that, the Blumenfeld name forever disappeared from the roster of German circuses.

Only a few surviving Blumenfeld performers reappeared after the war, and the family name gradually vanished from postwar German circus life. Arthur died in Berlin on December 17, 1951, at age sixty-two; some sources say he took his own life. Victoria lived for many more years, passing away on August 6, 1990, at age ninety-two. They are buried with their daughter Eva in the Jewish cemetery of Weissensee, Berlin.

'''NOTE''': '''''The general outline of this biography was adapted from an article by Dietmar Winkler published in three installments in the defunct German magazine ''Planet Circus'' in 2013. Several other sources were consulted for its redaction, including the books listed below.'''''

==Suggested Reading==

* Marline Otte, ''Jewish Identities in German Popular Entertainment'' (New York, Cambridge University Press, 2006) — ISBN 978-0-521-856-30-0
* Gisela and Dietmar Winkler, ''Die Blumenfelds – Schicksale einer jüdischen Zirkusfamilie'' (Gransee, Edition Schwarzdruck, 2012) — ISBN 978-3-935194-50-1

==Image Gallery==

<Gallery>
File:Meyer_Blumenfeld.png|Meyer Blumenfeld (c.1850)
File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld_-_full_image.jpg|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1850)
File:Cerf_Blumenfeld_Ad.png|Cerf Blumenfeld's Ad (c.1856)
File:Leopold_Blumenfeld.jpg|Leopold Blumenfeld (1858)
File:Jansly_and_Wilhelmina_Blumenfeld.jpg|Jansly & Wilhelmina Blumenfeld (c.1880)
File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld.jpg|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1885)
File:Blumenfeld_postcard_1890.png|Advertising postcard for Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. (c.1890)
File:Blumenfeld_Gurhau_Poster.jpg|Poster showing the Gruhau winter quarters (c.1891)
File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Wwe_poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (1891)
File:Circus_Jansly_Postcard.png|Advertising Postcard for Circus Jansly (c.1895)
File:Simon_Blumenfeld_Family.jpg|Simon Blumenfeld and his family (c.1900)
File:5_Blumenfelds_Poster.jpg|"The 5 Blumenfelds" Poster (c.1900)
File:Barnum_and_Bailey_-_Germany.png|Barnum & Bailey German Tour Poster (1900)
File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (1906)
File:Magdeburg_Circus.jpg|The Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)
File:Magdeburg_Zirkus.jpg|Magdeburg Circus Auditorium (c.1910)
File:Blumenfeld_Elephants.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (c.1912)
File:Blumenfeld_Llamas.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (c.1913)
File:Geb._Blumenfeld_-_Bulls.jpg|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1913)
File:Blumenfeld_lion-elephant_poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (c.1913)
File:Zirkus_Blumenfeld_in_Magdeburg.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld in Magdeburg (1914)
The_5_Sailors_(Blumenfeld).png|The 5 Sailors (Blumenfeld) (c.1915)
File:Geb._Blumenfeld.jpg|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1920)
File:Circus_Arthur_Blumenfeld.jpg|Circus Arthur Blumenfeld in Berlin (1946)
File:Arthur_Blumenfeld_Program_1.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld Program in Berlin (1946)
File:Circus_Blumenfeld_Program_in_Berlin_2.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld Program in Berlin (1946)
File:Blumenfeld_memorial.jpg|Commemorative Stumbling Stones in Magdeburg (2022)
</Gallery>

[[Category:History|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Circus Owner and Directors|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Equestrians|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Artists and Acts|The Blumenfeld Family]]

The Blumenfeld Family

2026-08-31T20:25:32Z

Djando:

[[File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Wwe_poster.jpg|right|300px]]
==Circus Owners, Equestrians, Animal Trainers, Artists==

''By Dominique Jando''

The huge Blumenfeld family holds an important place in German and European circus history. One of the three major German-Jewish circus dynasties before World War II—along with the [[Circus Strassburger|Strassburgers]] and the [[The Lorch Family|Lorches]]—the Blumenfelds were driven to bankruptcy and then brutally decimated by the Nazis. Before that tragedy, they had been a highly respected family of talented acrobats, equestrians, and circus owners. Although some members of the family resurfaced after World War II, the Blumenfelds were never able to reclaim the position they had once held in the circus world.

The Blumenfelds are allied with several other prominent Jewish families, such as the Goldkettes ([[The Brönett Family|Brönett]]), the Strassburgers, the Lorches, and the [[The Könyot Family|Könyots]]. They always married within their faith and, at times, like the Rothschilds, within their family—with perhaps the notable exceptions of Erich Blumenfeld, the youngest son of Simon Blumenfeld, who married Fanny Houcke, from the Franco-Swedish [[The Houcke Dynasty|Houcke]] family, and his brother Alex, whose wife, Eugenie, came from an old Italian circus family, the Cardinales.

Since Hirsch Blumenfeld (1788-1867), founder of the dynasty, created his circus in the mid-nineteenth century, many of his descendants have operated several different circuses under the Blumenfeld name. Hirsch had a large family that developed many branches, and it can be sometimes difficult to determine which branch a given Blumenfeld belonged to. The Blumenfeld circus owners, however, shared one defining trait: they were equestrians who served the equestrian circus tradition with distinction, even as the circus-menagerie was becoming the norm in Germany by the beginning of the twentieth century.

===Cerf Blumenfeld===

[[File:Cerf_Blumenfeld_Ad.png|thumb|left|300px|Cerf Blumenfeld'sCircus National Ad (c.1856)]]Hirsch Blumenfeld was born Hirsch Levy in 1788 in Isenburg, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, one of the many German states. His parents were Levy Wolf (1770-1828), a Jewish cantor, and his wife Rosa (Rösgen), née Cahn (?-1840). The Blumenfeld patronym came later: Under Jewish naming tradition, a son took his father’s given name as a patronym, so Hirsch, as Levy’s son, became Hirsch Levy. Hirsch didn't embrace his father's calling: He became instead a traveling entertainer, an occupation that had attracted many of his coreligionists over the centuries.

Hirsch Levy married Henrietta (Jetta) Jonas (1789-1853), a native of Neuwied, in the Rhineland Palatinate, south of Bonn. Hirsch and Jetta raised a large family of eight children: Emanuel (1811-1885), Meyer (1815-1894), Sophia (1816-?), David (1818-1893), Joseph (1820-1820), Mina (1821-?), Moritz (1825-1895), and Simon (1828-1911)—starting a tradition of exceptionally large families among their descendants.

Later, in 1846, a regulation was introduced in Prussia, where the family had settled, demanding that Jewish families adopt a steady patronymic. Family lore tells us that, when Hirsch declared the name ''Bumenfeld'' to the Prussian authorities, he chose his new patronymic because he saw a field full of flowers (or ''blumen Feld'' in German) through the clerk's window: Hence the Blumenfeld family was born. ''Si non è vero, è bien trovato!'' (Even if not true, it's a good story).

Hirsch Blumenfeld eventually moved from traveling entertainer to traveling circus owner. For reasons unknown, he professionally adopted Cerf (Stag), the French translation of Hirsch, as his first name, and he became known to the circus world as Cerf Blumenfeld. The year of his first circus creation was probably in 1845: On April 9 of that year, a Bonn chronicle announced the opening of "the Equestrian Circus of Mr. Cerf from Combahn with 17 horses" (Combahn is a village on the Rhine, south of Bonn, where the Blumenfelds had settled). This is the earliest known reference to a Blumenfeld circus. From the outset, it was a true equestrian circus, establishing a tradition the family would continue to uphold.

After Jetta’s death in 1853, Hirsch remarried to Sara von Geldern (1817–1896), with whom he had two more sons, Emil (1855–1895) and Aron Alexander (1861–1942). The marriage brought the family to a considerable size: Hirsch now had seven surviving sons, many of whom would go on to found large families of their own, thus giving rise to the numerous branches of the Blumenfeld dynasty.

Cerf Blumenfeld's large family provided the backbone of his programs, which appear to have been of good quality, and the circus grew steadily. The first written review of the show came from the town of Hanau, in Hesse: "An aesthetic treat, as it has been missed here for many years, is now provided by the equestrian company of Mr. Blumenfeld. [...] Stylish costumes and beautiful horses are also a treat for the spectator's eyes." By then, the company had 32 performers and 24 horses.

Cerf Blumenfeld passed awy on August 16, 1867, in Eberstadt, near Darmstadt in Hesse, where his circus may have been performing at the time. It is unclear whether some of his sons took over their father’s circus after his death or had already left to establish circuses of their own. It is known that in 1866, one year before Cerf's death, there was a ''Cirque Equestre'' managed by the Blumenfeld Brothers, which could have been either their father's circus, or a new one.

===The Many Blumenfeld Circuses===

[[File:Meyer_Blumenfeld.png|thumb|right|300px|Meyer Blumenfeld (c.1850)]]Be that as it may, the family eventually dispersed, and several circuses bearing the Blumenfeld name appeared across Germany with varying degrees of success. Some became major German traveling circuses of their times—including Emanuel Blumenfeld’s circus, which survived him under the management of his widow and then his sons; it was to become the Circus Blumenfeld of reference and will be treated later. Nevertheless, many others ''Circus Blumenfeld'' are worth mentioning.

''Zirkus Blumenfeld & Söhne'', created by Meyer Blumenfeld, Emanuel's younger brother, was active between 1884 and 1892, and was a major German circus. Meyer had married twice. His first wife was Setta Hartog (1814-1852), the sister of Jetta Hartog, Emanuel's wife: both brothers married the same day, on January 24, 1839. Meyer and Setta had five children, Leopold (1841-1901), Minna (b. 1843), Josef (b.1845), Nathan (1846-1852), and Sofia; then, after Setta's death, Meyer married Gundula Sara Jonas (b.1812), who gave him another son, Jansly (Samson) (1853-1935). In turn, Jansly and Leopold created two major traveling circuses.

In 1884, Jansly Blumenfeld, who had married his cousin Wilhelmina (1861-1910), daughter of his uncle David, operated ''Circus Jansly & Leo'' with his brother Leopold. It became ''Circus Jansly'' the following year, when Leopold left to establish his own circus. Successfully active from 1885 to 1901, Circus Jansly suffered a devastating train accident and a stable fire in 1900, which killed many of its horses. After a run of forty-six years, the circus could not survive these catastrophes and closed in Berlin in 1901.

Leopold Blumenfeld created his circus in 1885, and it survived his 1901 death—initially under the management of his widow, Bertha Blumenfeld. Bertha was Leopold's third wife. He had married first Lisette Gutschmidt, followed in 1868 by Caroline Hirsch (1850–1883), and after Caroline's death, Bertha Halmschlag (1854-1913). Leopold had one son with Lisette Gutschmidt, Hartwig (1867-1927), and six more children with Caroline Hirsch: Lisette (Setta, 1871-1943), Emil (1874-1952), Adolf (1876-1933), Max (1879-1916), Wilhelm (Willy, 1881-1955), and Gerhard (Georg, 1878-?).

[[File:Leopold_Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Leopold Blumenfeld (c.1850)]]Because Leopold had no children with Bertha, her claim to the circus became uncertain. Caroline’s children—Adolf, Emil, and Lisette—reclaimed it, and it eventually came under the sole management of Lisette (Setta) Blumenfeld. At the time, Setta was married to the circus performer August Gerausch, known as Varinelli, with whom she had four children: Leo Ludwig (1890-1964), Amanda (1905-1942), Arthur (1911-1919), and Alfons. Later, probably in the early 1920s, she formed a couple with her cousin Louis Blumenfeld (1866-1943), a son of Emanuel Blumenfeld; together they had a daughter, also named Lisette.

Setta Blumenfeld's circus had a long and rich career. It traveled under the title ''Großer Zirkus Blumenfeld'', and sometimes as ''Circus Louis Blumenfeld'', although Louis never held part ownership of the circus. The circus eventually passed under the management of Setta's elder son, Leo Gerausch, who closed it in 1926, while Germany was still under the Weimar Republic, because of the financial difficulties caused by a dire economic period. Leopold's other sons, Hartwig, Willy, and Gerhard also exploited smaller circuses in the 1920s, and Cerf Blumenfeld's third son, David, toured a circus for some time.

Another son of Cerf Blumenfeld, Moritz, also became an important circus owner. Moritz had married Sara Haymann (1833-1901) with whom he had no less than thirteen children: Ludwig (1854-1928), Helene (1855-1933), Diena (b.1859), Rosina (1860-1931), Amanda (1864-1935), Karl (1866-1940), Hermann (1868-1916), Adele (1871-1906), Rudolf (1875-1942), Virginia, Bertha, Kätchen, and Ernestine. This was to form a solid backbone for his circus company! He created his circus in 1865, and was successful enough to retire comfortably in 1886, at age sixty-one. Two years before, he had handed the management of his circus to his son Ludwig, who exploited it for only three years before auctioning it in 1887. He too retired comfortably, at age thirty-four!

All these Blumenfeld circuses presented a wide range of high-quality equestrian acts, particularly original liberty displays, which became the hallmark of the Blumenfeld name and were often featured in the winter programs of Europe's resident circuses. The larger Blumenfeld circuses also offered rich and varied productions that included popular equestrian pantomimes such as the inescapable ''Mazeppa'', alongside other large-scale spectacles.

Large families such as that of Moritz Blumenfeld produced outstanding acrobatic and aerial performers, whose acts were held in high demand. Contemporary photographs reveal another characteristic of the dynasty: The Blumenfelds were invariably elegant, both in and out of the ring. In every sense, they embodied the aristocracy of the circus world.

==Zirkus E. Blumenfeld==

[[File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld_-_full_image.jpg|thumb|300px|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1840)]]Emanuel Blumenfeld created the most successful and longest lasting of all the Blumenfeld circuses. As the eldest of Cerf's children, he may well have been his father's successor, since his own ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld'' appeared in August 1867, around the date of his father's death. Born March 1, 1811, in Bremke, a small village near Göttingen, in southern Lower Saxony, he was twenty-eight when he married Jette (Hitzelchen) Hartog (1817-c.1850) on January 24, 1839, in a dual ceremony with his brother Meyer, who married Jette's sister Setta.

Like his brother Moritz, Emanuel would eventually preside over an exceptionally large family. His first wife, Jetta, bore him five children: Moritz (b. 1844), Leopold (b. 1845), Meyer (1847-1892), Wolf (1849-1906), and Wilhelmine (Minna, b. 1850). When Jetta died unexpectedly around 1850, perhaps soon after Minna's birth, Emanuel was left with five very young children and no one to mother them. He found a second wife in Jeanette Stein (1831-1896), who was twenty years his junior.

Jeanette gave Emanuel ten more children: Olympia (b.1852), Henriette (1853-1914, who married [[The Könyot Dynasty|Leopold Könyot]]), Max (b.1855), Jonas (1855-1859), Simon (1857-1918, who married [[The Strassburger Family|Rosa Strassburger]]), Alexander (Simson, 1859-1921), Adolf David (1863-1913), Louis (1866-1943, who married his cousin Setta Blumenfeld-Gerausch), Hermann (1868-1933, who married his niece Betty Blumenfeld, daughter of his brother Simon), and Amanda. In 1881, a journalist described Jeanette Blumenfeld as "a truly Jewish woman with iron strength and a heart of gold, [who] kept her sons and daughters, her daughter-in-law and grandchildren in strict discipline."

Emanuel established his circus’s base in the province of Westphalia, in Prussia, and during its early years ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld'' toured the Kingdom of Prussia exclusively. The Franco-Prussian War of 1870 brought a major disruption: Emanuel’s elder sons Moritz, Leopold, and Meyer, enrolled in the army. Their military service may have encouraged a greater sense of independence, and they eventually left the family circus. Emanuel died on May 23, 1885 in Tilsit, where the circus was performing. Jeanette, whose strength of character suggests that she had likely been involved in managing the circus alongside her husband despite her many duties as a mother, took over its direction.

[[File:Blumenfeld_Gurhau_Poster.jpg|thumb|left|450px|The Gurhau Winter Quarters (c.1891)]]Jeanette came from a circus family, and she had brought her family's circus into her marriage: Consequently, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld had grown in importance, but with such a large family, Jeanette had the support she needed to run it. Simon, Alexander, and Louis oversaw day-to-day operations; Adolf became general manager; and Hermann, as advance man, organized the tours. Under her management, the circus continued to grow, and its stables—always a distinctive Blumenfeld asset—doubled in size. The circus also changed its name to ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld Wwe'' (Circus E. Blumenfeld Widow). In 1891, the family moved to much-needed larger winter quarters in the town of Gurhau, in Lower Silesia (today Góra, in Poland), where they had found a large ensemble of abandoned military stables.

Jeanette Blumenfeld died in Gurhau on April 30, 1896, at age sixty-one. Her death might have led to the breakup of the enterprise and a new proliferation of Blumenfeld circuses, but Emanuel and Jeanette had foreseen that possibility: They wrote a will in 1872 that established a clear succession, both for the circus business and for the family’s responsibilities. It not only defined the siblings' positions and tasks in the running of the circus—which, it specified, couldn't be dismantled or split between them—but also, their commitment to their family and to their Jewish faith. Jeanette's strong hand is apparent in such a strictly ordered will, and its provisions were duly followed by her descendants.

===Enter The Magdeburg Generation===

[[File:Simon_Blumenfeld_Family.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Simon and Rosa's Blumenfeld's family (c.1900)]]Under Jeanette's ownership, the circus had been managed by Simon, Alexander, Adolf, and Hermann, and the four brothers remained at the helm of the enterprise (Louis was soon to leave the family). Not as prolific progenitors as their father, Alexander, Adolf and Hermann didn't produce many descendants, but Simon did, and his progeny, which would become known as the "Magdeburg branch," would constitute the next Blumenfeld generation of circus directors.

Rosa Strassburger gave Simon eleven children: Betty (1880-1932), who married her uncle Hermann; Emanuel, known as Alex (1885-1942); Alfons (1887-1942), who married his cousin [[The Konyöt Family|Olympia Konyöt]]; Arthur (1889-1910), who married his cousin Victoria, daughter of Jansly Blumenfeld; Alfred (1891-1945); Eugen (1893-1937); Alice (1895-1942); Jeanette (Netty, 1897-1969); Willy (1898-1942); Fritz (Friedrich, 1899-1945), and Erich (1901-1943), who married [[The Houcke Dynasty|Fanny Houcke]]).

The Blumenfelds had an excellent reputation among their audiences and among the artists who worked for them. They were known as a warm, welcoming family, always ready to help, and always respectful of their fellow performers—for they were indeed performers themselves: In a 1898 program, one could see Hermann and Betty riding in ''haute-école'', Louis and Setta performing a pas-de-deux on horseback, and Alexandre presenting the liberty acts. Coming up, the next generation was trained in all circus disciplines to perform alongside their elders as acrobats, equestrians, and animal trainers, and eventually replace them.

[[File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Poster.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (1906)]]By 1897, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld, which had been one of the earliest German circuses to perform under a big top instead of a wooden ''construction'' or as visitors in a circus building (of which there were indeed many at the time), had become too big to continue using horse-power transportation, and it switched to travel by rail. In their advertising, the Blumenfelds boosted no less than 180 horses, 28 wagons, and even their own traveling electric plant, which was quite high-tech at the turn of the twentieth century! As they reminded their potential audiences in the press, theirs was not a cheap tenting operation: It was a modern, elegant, and comfortable first-class traveling circus.

Their shows often ended with spectacular equestrian pantomimes (known as "hippodramas") in which they could display their magnificent horses. As the [[The Knie Dynasty|Knies]] and some others would do much later, the Blumenfelds invited the public to watch their training sessions. At a time when horses still held an important place in everyday life and the public at large was fascinated by great horsemanship, this was excellent publicity indeed—especially for a circus where horsemanship was still served with outstanding talent.

In 1911, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld celebrated its 100th anniversary. Emanuel's circus had been created in 1867, after the death of Cerf Blumenfeld and, although it may have been considered the continuation of Cerf's circus, the date of its creation was around 1840. None of these anniversaries worked, so the date chosen for this advertising stunt was the year of Emanuel's birth, 1811. Be that as it may, it worked, and this pseudo-centennial was duly celebrated with special events, banquets with city representatives in attendance, and other festivities—a good indication that the Blumenfelds were seen as important circus owners.

[[File:Barnum_and_Bailey_-_Germany.png|thumb|right|300px|Barnum & Bailey Poster for its German Tour (1900)]]Meanwhile, [[Wilhelm Hagenbeck]], the son of German wild animal importer [[The Hagenbeck Dynasty|Carl Hagenbeck]] (1844-1913), the most important animal dealer of his time (he provided animals to zoos and circuses worldwide), had started a traveling circus in 1887 that included an important menagerie of exotic and wild animals—some of which were presented performing in the show—as well of exhibitions of exotic tribes from the "mysterious" lands of Africa, Asia, and even America (with tribes of Native Americans).

Ten years later, in 1897, the giant American [[Barnum and Bailey Circus]] began an extended European tour that lasted until 1905. Its enormous menagerie impressed European audiences at a time when colonial expansion had intensified public fascination with everything exotic, particularly animals. It encouraged German circuses and traveling menagerie owners such as Carl Krone to follow Hagenbeck's example and develop into the circus-menagerie enterprises that would characterize the German circus industry until World War II.

The Blumenfelds were no exception to this trend. In 1912, the brothers added a menagerie to their previously equestrian circus and began to present animal acts other than horses. They acquired four elephants and a collection of exotic and wild animals that included a hippopotamus, but they refrained from presenting cage acts in their programs until 1936. Their important stables were still full, and their renowned equestrian acts remained their circus's main attraction.

Then, on June 28, 1914, a Serb nationalist assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. This led Austria-Hungary to declare war to Serbia one month later, on July 28. Russia then entered the conflict to support Serbia, which led to a domino effect in the complicated system of European alliances: France and England joined the war on Russia's side, followed by Italy, and Germany did the same on Austria-Hungary's side with Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire. This situation had disastrous repercussions, and the circus industry experienced them the hard way.

The Blumenfelds had a special relation with the Military: They considered their duty, as German citizens, to serve in the army, and several of Simon's sons enlisted wholeheartedly. Many circus workers did the same, or were drafted, and foreign artists from enemy countries had to leave Germany or had been interned. Then, the Army, which still relied largely on horse-powered transport, requisitioned the Blumenfelds’ horses, as well as their tents. Under these conditions, and with rail travel strictly regulated to give priority to army transports, touring had become impossible, and the Blumenfelds closed their traveling circus. They had, however, a safe retreat.

===The Great War and The Magdeburg Circus===

Magdeburg was the capital of Saxony. Located in what today is Saxony-Anhalt, it was an important city that had hosted several circus buildings over the years. Nothing exceptional there, since major German cities had circus buildings, but Magdeburg location was relatively central in the German Empire, which could make it a good base for a traveling circus. In 1896, an entrepreneur named Hahn built a new circus in the city. Already, in 1886, Hahn had acquired [[August Krembser]]'s circus building in Berlin, which he rented out to major circus companies such as [[Gotthold Schumann]]'s—before Schumann opened his own circus building in the Prussian capital. A master-carpenter, he had already erected a wooden "construction" in Madgeburg in 1892.

[[File:Magdeburg_Circus.jpg|left|thumb|400px|The Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)]]Hahn was not a circus man, but a businessman and landlord who rented out his facilities to circus companies and other tenants. His new Magdeburg circus, located on Kaizer Wilhelm Platz (today's Universitätsplatz) and Köningstraße 62/63 (today's Walther-Rathenau-Straße), a major thoroughfare, was a large building: With a surface area of nearly 4,000 m2 (approximately 154 x 266 feet), it included not only the circus itself, which could be fitted with a removable stage for concerts and theatrical productions and boasted a capacity of 2,800, but also a restaurant, wardrobe shops, a saddlery, a prop workshop, stables for 110 horses, and a small variety theater. It opened on September 30, 1896, with [[Circus Renz]] as a tenant.

The Blumenfelds performed there in 1904, 1911, and 1913. Since 1907, the building had been used principally as a movie theater, and by 1913, it was in disrepair. After Hahn's death, it had passed to his daughter, who was eager to sell. The Blumenfelds had long wanted to move their winter quarters from Gurhau to a more central location, and Magdeburg suited their needs. During their visit in 1913, they offered to buy and restore the property, and Ms. Hahn accepted; then they secured a thirty-year lease with the city, which owned the land, and they could finally move their operations to Magdeburg in 1914. After adding a large foyer to the circus, they were ready to use it for their winter seasons.

Thus, in March 1914, after World War I had broken out and the Blumenfelds had effectively lost their traveling enterprise, they went to their new home in Magdeburg. Since the European theater of war was soon confined to a line of fortified trenches stretching from the English Channel to Switzerland, Germany’s interior remained unaffected. The Blumenfelds were able to rent out the building, though for purposes other than circus performances; they even re-converted it into a movie theater.

During that time of circus inactivity, the directors of the third generation disappeared or retired. Adolf had died in Dresden in 1913, Alexander and Hermann called it quits (they would pass away in 1921 and 1933 respectively), and finally, Simon, the father of the "Magdeburg Line," died in Magdeburg on July 22, 1918, shortly before war's end. The war over, the Gurhau winter quarters were sold, and with the Magdeburg building used for unrelated activities, it could have been the end of the ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld''.

===The Postwar Period===

With seven brothers pretending to be Simon’s successors, not to mention Simon’s four daughters and the children of his brothers, reviving the Zirkus E. Blumenfeld could have led to unforeseen problems. Therefore, in the summer of 1919, Simon’s sons Alex, Alfons, and Arthur purchased the former ''Zircus E. Blumenfeld Wwe.'' company from the family. Then, they announced the creation of a new touring company called ''Zirkus Gebr. Blumenfeld''. They also let it known that they remained co-owners of the Magdeburg circus and set 1920 as the date for the debut of their traveling circus. It wasn’t an easy task: They had to rebuild their entire touring operation from scratch!

[[File:Geb._Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1920)]]They purchased a large two-pole circus tent, 44 meters in diameter (approximately 144 feet) and with a capacity of 2,000 people. This made their circus a major enterprise—although it would soon pale in comparison to giants like [[Circus Krone|Krone]], [[Circus Sarrasani|Sarrasani]], [[Circus Gleich|Gleich]], and even the circus of their Strassburger cousins. Alex, Alfons, and Arthur Blumenfeld could rely on their large family for support: Their brothers, Fritz and Alfred, took care of the administrative aspects of the circus, and Eugen supervised the always important concessions department. Other family members were also available to help and perform in the show.

The new Blumenfeld Circus made its debut in Dessau, not far from Magdeburg, on April 3, 1920. The show featured many family members: Alfons presented liberty acts with Amanda Lorch. Willy appeared in a high-school presentation with his sister-in-law and cousin Victoria (Arthur’s wife), and also doubled as the clown Kucki. Arthur, riding a horse, presented two trained bulls. Of course, there were also many hired performers in the show, including a team of acrobats and a motorcycle stunt act. In November, the Blumenfeld brothers returned to their circus in Magdeburg for the winter season, which at long last returned to hosting circus shows.

The years immediately following the war were marked by the Spanish flu pandemic, which claimed the lives of about fifty million people worldwide, and Europe was not spared. Yet, after a long and devastating war that killed around twenty million people, European audiences were eager for escapist entertainment. Pandemic or not, the interwar years proved to be exceptionally favorable for circuses and variety shows. The Blumenfelds, like other circus owners, benefited from this sudden enthusiasm. However, the interwar years also brought major economic problems.

During the war, Germany had experienced severe inflation, with prices doubling almost instantly. To address this problem, the Kaiser’s government abandoned its gold-backed currency, expecting that Germany would win the war. That was not the outcome however, and the postwar Weimar government had to pay considerable reparations to the Allies in gold-backed currency. This led to an economic domino effect resulting in hyperinflation: The Mark collapsed, and by 1922, prices had risen by 700%!

[[File:Zirkus_Blumenfeld_in_Magdeburg.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Zirkus Blumenfeld in Magdeburg (1914)]]However, after years of successful touring and well-organized performances, the Magdeburg Blumenfelds had become relatively wealthy. Like most European traveling circus families, they didn’t keep all their money in the bank. They followed the traditional practice of converting their wealth into gold or diamonds, which they kept hidden in their mobile homes. But if the depreciation of the Mark didn’t affect their accumulated wealth, then the money they earned in Germany was worthless. For many German circuses, the solution was to travel abroad to replenish their coffers. Sarrasani went to South America, Krone and Gleich traveled throughout Europe...

Similarly, the Blumenfelds looked beyond Germany. They visited the Baltic States and rented out some of their animal and equestrian acts abroad. In 1925-1926, they even toured their animal acts in Russia's circus buildings. Since circuses, like all performing arts, were nationalized by the new Soviet government in 1919, Russia’s ten resident circuses—including two in Moscow—needed artists to fill their programs. With a shortage of Russian performers (the new State Circus and Variety College hadn’t yet produced many of them), the Soviet Committee for the Arts turned to Germany, one of the few countries with which Russia still maintained good relations. The Blumenfelds seized this opportunity.

After a rewarding tour in Russia, the Blumenfelds purchased new wagons and tents. Their menagerie now consisted of forty-five horses, two elephants, four camels, three llamas, and two bulls. However, the political situation in Germany was changing. In the mid-1920s, the NSDAP (Nazi Party), which had until then been a small right-wing movement, began to compete in elections, aiming to undermine the German democratic government of the Weimar Republic. They also began to gain power through grassroots campaigning, propaganda, and political violence. This led to a rise in antisemitism. The Nazis blamed Jews and communists for many of Germany’s postwar problems, and they called for a strong Germany free of Jews, starting with boycotting Jewish businesses.

[[File:Magdeburg_Zirkus.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Interior of the Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)]]“Gau Anhalt-North Saxony” was established by the Nazis in 1926 in order to streamline their party organization. Two years later, it was renamed “Gau Magdeburg-Anhalt”, making Magdeburg a major center for Nazi activities. The Nazi-led boycott of Jewish businesses, often carried out through intimidation, hit the Blumenfelds during a time when Germany was also facing a severe financial crisis. The Nazis exploited this situation to intensify antisemitism. The resulting hardships became evident during the 1927 tour. After trying various measures such as offering ticket discounts and other promotional activities, the Blumenfelds announced that, “Due to the unfavorable financial situation, the circus has decided to discontinue its activities.”

To be sure, they were not the only circus to quit the business: Between 1926 and 1930, no less than seven German circuses went bankrupt. However, the Blumenfelds were a powerful circus family with a permanent base in a major German city. They had always been respected citizens there, but unfortunately, Magdeburg became increasingly hostile under Nazi influence, and their circus building, like their touring show, became unprofitable. To recoup their losses, they tried to sell the building to the municipality.

It seems that there were various forces involved to undermine any potential deal. The plan failed, and the Blumenfelds were forced into bankruptcy in 1927. The building wasn’t sold until ten years later, and even then, the proceeds went directly into the bankruptcy estate. Meanwhile, the bankruptcy trustees continued to rent the building out for purposes other than circus. The bankruptcy was finalized in 1940, but the once respected ''Zirkus Geb. Blumenfeld jun.'' had already ceased to exist. As for the Magdeburg circus building, it never resumed its circus activities and was eventually destroyed in the January 16, 1945 of the Allied bombing of the city.

===The Nazi Era===

The large Magdeburg Blumenfeld family, including Alfons, Alex and Arthur, began to look for engagements in other circuses. Alex found jobs as an animal trainer and artistic director in Scandinavian circuses, Alfons became the deputy manager and artistic director of [[Circus Medrano-Swoboda]], Austria's leading circus, where he also performed as a high-school rider with his daughter Ruth and presented liberty acts; Alfred Blumenfeld went to work as manager of [[Circus Dominik Althoff]], then presented liberty horses on tour with his brother Arthur at [[Circus Adolf Fischer]], another German circus, of which Eugen Blumenfeld had become the artistic director.

Erich Blumenfeld went to France, where he married Fanny Houcke and became a member of the Houcke family (which would soon relocate in neutral Sweden). Fritz Blumenfeld worked in the administration of several circuses and became the private secretary of [[Julius Gleich]], then of Dominik Althoff, and in 1939-40, of the Dutch circus impresario [[Franz Mikkenie]], who will help the Strassburgers to survive the Nazis in The Netherlands. Willy continued to be the clown Kucki in the circus of their cousins Strassburger before they were forced to sell it to [[Paula Busch]]; he would later commit suicide in Auschwitz.

Hitler came to power in 1933, and the Nazi Party now ruled Germany. Circus performers’ unions and directors’ organizations disappeared, and circus and variety artists had to join the newly created, Nazi-controlled ''Artistik'' union if they wanted to work. Several circus owners joined the Nazi Party to protect their interests, with the notable exceptions of [[Hans-Stosch Sarrasani]]—although his son would do so after his father’s death—and Dominik Althoff and his children. In 1935, the Nazi government announced the Nuremberg Laws, which formalized its racial theories; by 1937-1938, Jews were forced to identify themselves, notably by wearing the infamous yellow Star of David, further segregating them from the rest of the German population.

[[File:Blumenfeld_memorial.jpg|thumb|left| 450pix|Blumenfelds' commemorative Stumbling Stones in Magdeburg]]All Jewish performers (among whom the many Blumenfelds still living in Germany) began to be victims of the Nazis' violent antisemitism. Several Blumenfelds went to perform in Scandinavia, England or America, where they settled; a large group of them sailed with Circus Sarrasani to Brazil in 1934. When Simon Blumenfeld's family purchased the Magdeburg circus in 1914, the city became home to other members of the large Blumenfeld family. Louis and Setta Blumenfeld had settled in Magdeburg with the Gerausch family; in 1940 they were forced to move in a so-called "Jewish House."

They were then deported to the Theresienstadt Ghetto in Terezin, Czechoslovakia. Louis died there in 1942. Setta was later transferred to Auschwitz, where she was killed. Other Magdeburg residents, Setta's daughter, Amanda Gerausch, and Ulrich Blumenfeld, a son of Hermann and Betty Blumenfeld, were also deported that year. Rosa Strassburger-Blumenfeld, Simon's widow, died in the Theresienstadt Ghetto in 1943, and seven of her children died in deportation; her daughter Alice committed suicide to avoid deportation.

Obviously, Alex, Alfons and Arthur Blumenfeld, the former directors of the ''Zirkus Geb. Blumenfeld jun.'', were not immune to these attacks. In 1937, Alex was in engagement in Denmark, and from there he moved first to Belgium, and then to France, where he tried to obtain a permit to enter neutral Sweden or Great Britain. Before he could see any positive outcome, the war broke out and France was occupied by Nazi Germany. The old Marshall Pétain, now France's president, and his Vichy government were as much rabidly antisemitic as the occupant, and foreign Jews were the first to be prosecuted.

Alex was arrested as an "enemy alien" and interned in the camp of Saint Cyprien, in Dordogne (southwest France). His wife, Eugenie, had remained in Belgium, and the fact she was of Italian descent (Cardinale) protected her. Alex could correspond with her, but he was soon moved to the notorious internment camp of Drancy, in the Paris suburbs, which was a gateway to Auschwitz; he was sent there in August 1942, never to return.

Alfons Blumenfeld also emigrated to Paris in December 1938, together with his wife Olympia, née Könyot. Like his brother Alex, Alfons was there with his wife when the war broke out and Germany occupied France. They were immediately arrested by the French police; Olympia was interned in the camp of Rivesaltes, near Perpignan in southwestern France, and Alfons was interned in the concentration camp of Bram, near Carcassonne, and later transferred to Drancy. Both were finally sent to Auschwitz, where they were killed.

Their daughter Ruth, who had married to [[The Berousek Family|Ludwig Berouzek]], scion of a famous Czech circus dynasty, was deported to Auschwitz, where she was killed in 1942. (Ludwig, whom she had divorced, had emigrated to the United States.) Before being arrested, Ruth had put their daughter, Vardia, in the care of a French family: Vardia survived the war.

Arthur Blumenfeld and his wife Victoria (also born Blumenfeld) and his two daughters Rita and Eva, settled in Berlin in 1933. Playing with the unusual similarity of their family names, Victoria managed to register herself as an adopted child of unknown Aryan origin. Their union became therefore a "mixed marriage," which made the family safe from deportation, even though the German authorities subjected Arthur to the usual discrimination, like forced labor and the wearing of the Jewish yellow star. But they survived...

Many other members of the extended Blumenfeld family were killed during this dark period: According to various sources, up to 150 members of the entire family were killed between 1933 and 1945. Arthur Blumenfeld lost nine brothers and sisters during that time: He and his sister Jeanette, who lived in England, were the only survivors of Simon and Rosa Blumenfeld's eleven children!

===Epilogue===

After the end of World War II, Arthur and Victoria tried to restart the Circus Blumenfeld. With the help of the Soviet authorities, which controlled East Germany and most of Berlin, they managed to acquire the equipment of the bankrupt circus of [[Circus Brumbach|Gustav Brumbach]], which included a four-pole big top and all its paraphernalia. They quickly repainted the old wagons to a Blumenfeld livery, put their name on the façade, and began to perform in Berlin in October 1945, touring the four sectors of the destroyed city.

[[File:Circus_Arthur_Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Circus Blumenfeld in Berlin (1946)]]At first, Arthur presented the circus’s only four horses, and the modest program featured a hand-to-hand trio, a perch-pole balancing act, and a magician—nothing exceptional, but fitting for the times. The circus was making money, however, and by December Victoria could report that they "already had four bears, six horses, and several buffalos." In September 1948, Arthur marked his fifty years in the ring, though there were no public celebrations: the Circus Blumenfeld of 1948 was no longer the eminent circus of the pre-Nazi era, and it performed primarily for Allied troops and charitable organizations such as orphanages.

By then, there were already two resident circuses in Barlin: Paula Busch had just opened a circus in the old planetarium of the Zoological Gardens in West Berlin, and [[Harry Barlay]] had erected a large "construction" on Friedrichstraße, among the ruins of Berlin Mitte, then located in the Soviet zone of Berlin. Yet, the Blumenfelds, who were touring within the city—which didn't go without its share of problems—were very competent circus directors and could have prospered enough to take the road again.

Unfortunately, the Blockade of Berlin started on June 23, 1948, and, in an already uneasy situation, major problems began to arise, notably to find food for the animals—for which the three circuses had to resort to a very expensive black market. Eventually, some animals had to be given away, and a few horses had even to be killed. The financial situation of the three circuses was dismal, even more so for the Blumenfelds, who had re-started from scratch and didn't have the resources of Paula Busch or Harry Barley.

Arthur Blumenfeld staged his final show in 1949 at the Berlin Zoo, where he had set up his circus. Apart from the few horses he had managed to keep, the program was largely a variety show, and its income was not enough to sustain the enterprise. The once prosperous and celebrated ''Zirkus Blumenfeld'' gave its last performance in June of that year. Arthur sold his equipment and the few animals he had left to Paula Busch. With that, the Blumenfeld name forever disappeared from the roster of German circuses.

Only a few surviving Blumenfeld performers reappeared after the war, and the family name gradually vanished from postwar German circus life. Arthur died in Berlin on December 17, 1951, at age sixty-two; some sources say he took his own life. Victoria lived for many more years, passing away on August 6, 1990, at age ninety-two. They are buried with their daughter Eva in the Jewish cemetery of Weissensee, Berlin.

'''NOTE''': '''''The general outline of this biography was adapted from an article by Dietmar Winkler published in three installments in the defunct German magazine ''Planet Circus'' in 2013. Several other sources were consulted for its redaction, including the books listed below.'''''

==Suggested Reading==

* Marline Otte, ''Jewish Identities in German Popular Entertainment'' (New York, Cambridge University Press, 2006) — ISBN 978-0-521-856-30-0
* Gisela and Dietmar Winkler, ''Die Blumenfelds – Schicksale einer jüdischen Zirkusfamilie'' (Gransee, Edition Schwarzdruck, 2012) — ISBN 978-3-935194-50-1

==Image Gallery==

<Gallery>
File:Meyer_Blumenfeld.png|Meyer Blumenfeld (c.1850)
File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld_-_full_image.jpg|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1850)
File:Cerf_Blumenfeld_Ad.png|Cerf Blumenfeld's Ad (c.1856)
File:Leopold_Blumenfeld.jpg|Leopold Blumenfeld (1858)
File:Jansly_and_Wilhelmina_Blumenfeld.jpg|Jansly & Wilhelmina Blumenfeld (c.1880)
File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld.jpg|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1885)
File:Blumenfeld_postcard_1890.png|Advertising postcard for Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. (c.1890)
File:Blumenfeld_Gurhau_Poster.jpg|Poster showing the Gruhau winter quarters (c.1891)
File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Wwe_poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (1891)
File:Circus_Jansly_Postcard.png|Advertising Postcard for Circus Jansly (c.1895)
File:Simon_Blumenfeld_Family.jpg|Simon Blumenfeld and his family (c.1900)
File:5_Blumenfelds_Poster.jpg|"The 5 Blumenfelds" Poster (c.1900)
File:Barnum_and_Bailey_-_Germany.png|Barnum & Bailey German Tour Poster (1900)
File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (1906)
File:Magdeburg_Circus.jpg|The Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)
File:Magdeburg_Zirkus.jpg|Magdeburg Circus Auditorium (c.1910)
File:Blumenfeld_Elephants.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (c.1912)
File:Blumenfeld_Llamas.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (c.1913)
File:Geb._Blumenfeld_-_Bulls.jpg|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1913)
File:Blumenfeld_lion-elephant_poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (c.1913)
File:Zirkus_Blumenfeld_in_Magdeburg.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld in Magdeburg (1914)
The_5_Sailors_(Blumenfeld).png|The 5 Sailors (Blumenfeld) (c.1915)
File:Geb._Blumenfeld.jpg|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1920)
File:Circus_Arthur_Blumenfeld.jpg|Circus Arthur Blumenfeld in Berlin (1946)
File:Arthur_Blumenfeld_Program_1.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld Program in Berlin (1946)
File:Circus_Blumenfeld_Program_in_Berlin_2.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld Program in Berlin (1946)
File:Blumenfeld_memorial.jpg|Commemorative Stumbling Stones in Magdeburg (2022)
</Gallery>

[[Category:History|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Circus Owner and Directors|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Equestrians|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Artists and Acts|The Blumenfeld Family]]

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==In The Spotlight==

===THE BLUMENFELD FAMILY===
[[File:5_Blumenfelds_Poster.jpg|right|300px]]The huge Blumenfeld family holds an important place in German and European circus history. One of the three major German-Jewish circus dynasties before World War II—along with the Strassburgers and the Lorches—the Blumenfelds were driven to bankruptcy and then brutally decimated by the Nazis. Before that tragedy, they had been a highly respected family of talented acrobats, equestrians, and circus owners. Although some members of the family resurfaced after World War II, the Blumenfelds were never able to reclaim the position they had once held in the circus world.

The Blumenfelds are allied with several other prominent Jewish families, such as the Goldkettes (Brönett), the Strassburgers, the Lorches, and the Könyots. They always married within their faith and, at times, like the Rothschilds, within their family—with perhaps the notable exceptions of Erich Blumenfeld, the youngest son of Simon Blumenfeld, who married Fanny Houcke, from the Franco-Swedish Houcke family, and his brother Alex, whose wife, Eugenie, came from an old Italian circus family, the Cardinales.

Since Hirsch Blumenfeld (1788-1867), founder of the dynasty, created his circus in the mid-nineteenth century, many of his descendants have operated several different circuses under the Blumenfeld name. Hirsch had a large family that developed many branches, and it can be sometimes difficult to determine which branch a given Blumenfeld belonged to. The Blumenfeld circus owners, however, shared one defining trait: they were equestrians who served the equestrian circus tradition with distinction, even as the circus-menagerie was becoming the norm in Germany by the beginning of the twentieth century.

Hirsch Blumenfeld was born Hirsch Levy in 1788 in Isenburg, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, one of the many German states. His parents were Levy Wolf (1770-1828), a Jewish cantor, and his wife Rosa (Rösgen), née Cahn (?-1840). The Blumenfeld patronym came later: Under Jewish naming tradition, a son took his father’s given name as a patronym, so Hirsch, as Levy’s son, became Hirsch Levy. Hirsch didn't embrace his father's calling: He became instead a traveling entertainer, an occupation that had attracted many of his coreligionists over the centuries..... ([[The Blumenfeld Family|more...]])

==New Essays and Biographies==

* [[The Blumenfeld Family]], circus owners, artists
* [[Émilien Bouglione/fr|Émilien Bouglione]], French version
* [[Kremo Family]], icarists
* [[The Ziratron]], Israel's first Circus
* [[Carlos Guity]], Acrobat

==New Videos==

* [[The_Astoris_Video_(1975)|The Astoris]], Aerial Perch (1975)
* [[Evelyn_and_André_Interview_(2025)|Evelyn & André]] Interview by the Fővárosi Nagycirkusz (2025)
* [[Merkys_Video_(1964)|The 3 Merkys]], horizontal bars (1964)
* [[Davis_Vassallo_Video_(2024)|Davis Vassallo]], clown entrée (2024)
* [[Pogorelov_Video_(2026)|Andrei Pogorelov]], wheel of death (2026)

==New Oral Histories==

* [[Evelyn_and_André_Interview_(2025)|Evelyn & André]] Interview by the Fővárosi Nagycirkusz (2025)
* [[Bouglione_Video_(2013)|The Bouglione Family]] France 3 TV documentary (2013)
* [[Gneushev_Video_(c.1990)|Valentin Gneushev interview]] on Russian Television (c.1990)
* [[Dominique_Jando_Video_(2025)|Dominique Jando interview]] by the Circus Historical Society (2025)
* [[Evelyn_and_Andre_Video_(2015)|Evelyn & André Interview]] on Blikk TV (2015)

==Circopedia Books==

* [[Circopedia Books|Philip Astley & The Horsemen who invented the Circus]], by Dominique Jando (2018)

==A Message from the Founder==

''CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus, maintained by reliable circus historians and specialists. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to [[Circopedia:Contact|contact us]]: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.''

:'''Dominique Jando'''
:Founder and Curator

The Blumenfeld Family

2026-08-31T05:45:23Z

Djando: /* Image Gallery */

[[File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Wwe_poster.jpg|right|300px]]
==Circus Owners, Equestrians, Animal Trainers, Artists==

''By Dominique Jando''

The huge Blumenfeld family holds an important place in German and European circus history. One of the three major German-Jewish circus dynasties before World War II—along with the [[Circus Strassburger|Strassburgers]] and the [[The Lorch Family|Lorches]]—the Blumenfelds were driven to bankruptcy and then brutally decimated by the Nazis. Before that tragedy, they had been a highly respected family of talented acrobats, equestrians, and circus owners. Although some members of the family resurfaced after World War II, the Blumenfelds were never able to reclaim the position they had once held in the circus world.

The Blumenfelds are allied with several other prominent Jewish families, such as the Goldkettes ([[The Brönett Family|Brönett]]), the Strassburgers, the Lorches, and the [[The Könyot Family|Könyots]]. They always married within their faith and, at times, like the Rothschilds, within their family—with perhaps the notable exceptions of Erich Blumenfeld, the youngest son of Simon Blumenfeld, who married Fanny Houcke, from the Franco-Swedish [[The Houcke Dynasty|Houcke]] family, and his brother Alex, whose wife, Eugenie, came from an old Italian circus family, the Cardinales.

Since Hirsch Blumenfeld (1788-1867), founder of the dynasty, created his circus in the mid-nineteenth century, many of his descendants have operated several different circuses under the Blumenfeld name. Hirsch had a large family that developed many branches, and it can be sometimes difficult to determine which branch a given Blumenfeld belonged to. The Blumenfeld circus owners, however, shared one defining trait: they were equestrians who served the equestrian circus tradition with distinction, even as the circus-menagerie was becoming the norm in Germany by the beginning of the twentieth century.

===Cerf Blumenfeld===

[[File:Cerf_Blumenfeld_Ad.png|thumb|left|300px|Cerf Blumenfeld'sCircus National Ad (c.1856)]]Hirsch Blumenfeld was born Hirsch Levy in 1788 in Isenburg, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, one of the many German states. His parents were Levy Wolf (1770-1828), a Jewish cantor, and his wife Rosa (Rösgen), née Cahn (?-1840). The Blumenfeld patronym came later: under Jewish naming tradition, a son took his father’s given name as a patronym, so Hirsch, as Levy’s son, became Hirsch Levy. Hirsch didn't embrace his father's calling: He became instead a traveling entertainer, an occupation that had attracted many of his coreligionists over the centuries.

Hirsch Levy married Henrietta (Jetta) Jonas (1789-1853), a native of Neuwied, in the Rhineland Palatinate, south of Bonn. Hirsch and Jetta raised a large family of eight children: Emanuel (1811-1885), Meyer (1815-1894), Sophia (1816-?), David (1818-1893), Joseph (1820-1820), Mina (1821-?), Moritz (1825-1895), and Simon (1828-1911)—starting a tradition of exceptionally large families among their descendants.

Later, in 1846, a regulation was introduced in Prussia, where the family had settled, demanding that Jewish families adopt a steady patronymic. Family lore tells us that, when Hirsch declared the name ''Bumenfeld'' to the Prussian authorities, he chose his new patronymic because he saw a field full of flowers (or ''blumen Feld'' in German) through the clerk's window: Hence the Blumenfeld family was born. ''Si non è vero, è bien trovato!'' (Even if not true, it's a good story).

Hirsch Blumenfeld eventually moved from traveling entertainer to traveling circus owner. For reasons unknown, he professionally adopted Cerf (Stag), the French translation of Hirsch, as his first name, and he became known to the circus world as Cerf Blumenfeld. The year of his first circus creation was probably in 1845: On April 9 of that year, a Bonn chronicle announced the opening of "the Equestrian Circus of Mr. Cerf from Combahn with 17 horses" (Combahn is a village on the Rhine, south of Bonn, where the Blumenfelds had settled). This is the earliest known reference to a Blumenfeld circus. From the outset, it was a true equestrian circus, establishing a tradition the family would continue to uphold.

After Jetta’s death in 1853, Hirsch remarried to Sara von Geldern (1817–1896), with whom he had two more sons, Emil (1855–1895) and Aron Alexander (1861–1942). The marriage brought the family to a considerable size: Hirsch now had seven surviving sons, many of whom would go on to found large families of their own, thus giving rise to the numerous branches of the Blumenfeld dynasty.

Cerf Blumenfeld's large family provided the backbone of his programs, which appear to have been of good quality, and the circus grew steadily. The first written review of the show came from the town of Hanau, in Hesse: "An aesthetic treat, as it has been missed here for many years, is now provided by the equestrian company of Mr. Blumenfeld. [...] Stylish costumes and beautiful horses are also a treat for the spectator's eyes." By then, the company had 32 performers and 24 horses.

Cerf Blumenfeld passed awy on August 16, 1867, in Eberstadt, near Darmstadt in Hesse, where his circus may have been performing at the time. It is unclear whether some of his sons took over their father’s circus after his death or had already left to establish circuses of their own. It is known that in 1866, one year before Cerf's death, there was a ''Cirque Equestre'' managed by the Blumenfeld Brothers, which could have been either their father's circus, or a new one.

===The Many Blumenfeld Circuses===

[[File:Meyer_Blumenfeld.png|thumb|right|300px|Meyer Blumenfeld (c.1850)]]Be that as it may, the family eventually dispersed, and several circuses bearing the Blumenfeld name appeared across Germany with varying degrees of success. Some became major German traveling circuses of their times—including Emanuel Blumenfeld’s circus, which survived him under the management of his widow and then his sons; it was to become the Circus Blumenfeld of reference and will be treated later. Nevertheless, many others ''Circus Blumenfeld'' are worth mentioning.

''Zirkus Blumenfeld & Söhne'', created by Meyer Blumenfeld, Emanuel's younger brother, was active between 1884 and 1892, and was a major German circus. Meyer had married twice. His first wife was Setta Hartog (1814-1852), the sister of Jetta Hartog, Emanuel's wife: both brothers married the same day, on January 24, 1839. Meyer and Setta had five children, Leopold (1841-1901), Minna (b. 1843), Josef (b.1845), Nathan (1846-1852), and Sofia; then, after Setta's death, Meyer married Gundula Sara Jonas (b.1812), who gave him another son, Jansly (Samson) (1853-1935). In turn, Jansly and Leopold created two major traveling circuses.

In 1884, Jansly Blumenfeld, who had married his cousin Wilhelmina (1861-1910), daughter of his uncle David, operated ''Circus Jansly & Leo'' with his brother Leopold. It became ''Circus Jansly'' the following year, when Leopold left to establish his own circus. Successfully active from 1885 to 1901, Circus Jansly suffered a devastating train accident and a stable fire in 1900, which killed many of its horses. After a run of forty-six years, the circus could not survive these catastrophes and closed in Berlin in 1901.

Leopold Blumenfeld created his circus in 1885, and it survived his 1901 death—initially under the management of his widow, Bertha Blumenfeld. Bertha was Leopold's third wife. He had married first Lisette Gutschmidt, followed in 1868 by Caroline Hirsch (1850–1883), and after Caroline's death, Bertha Halmschlag (1854-1913). Leopold had one son with Lisette Gutschmidt, Hartwig (1867-1927), and six more children with Caroline Hirsch: Lisette (Setta, 1871-1943), Emil (1874-1952), Adolf (1876-1933), Max (1879-1916), Wilhelm (Willy, 1881-1955), and Gerhard (Georg, 1878-?).

[[File:Leopold_Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Leopold Blumenfeld (c.1850)]]Because Leopold had no children with Bertha, her claim to the circus became uncertain. Caroline’s children—Adolf, Emil, and Lisette—reclaimed it, and it eventually came under the sole management of Lisette (Setta) Blumenfeld. At the time, Setta was married to the circus performer August Gerausch, known as Varinelli, with whom she had four children: Leo Ludwig (1890-1964), Amanda (1905-1942), Arthur (1911-1919), and Alfons. Later, probably in the early 1920s, she formed a couple with her cousin Louis Blumenfeld (1866-1943), a son of Emanuel Blumenfeld; together they had a daughter, also named Lisette.

Setta Blumenfeld's circus had a long and rich career. It traveled under the title ''Großer Zirkus Blumenfeld'', and sometimes as ''Circus Louis Blumenfeld'', although Louis never held part ownership of the circus. The circus eventually passed under the management of Setta's elder son, Leo Gerausch, who closed it in 1926, while Germany was still under the Weimar Republic, because of the financial difficulties caused by a dire economic period. Leopold's other sons, Hartwig, Willy, and Gerhard also exploited smaller circuses in the 1920s, and Cerf Blumenfeld's third son, David, toured a circus for some time.

Another son of Cerf Blumenfeld, Moritz, also became an important circus owner. Moritz had married Sara Haymann (1833-1901) with whom he had no less than thirteen children: Ludwig (1854-1928), Helene (1855-1933), Diena (b.1859), Rosina (1860-1931), Amanda (1864-1935), Karl (1866-1940), Hermann (1868-1916), Adele (1871-1906), Rudolf (1875-1942), Virginia, Bertha, Kätchen, and Ernestine. This was to form a solid backbone for his circus company! He created his circus in 1865, and was successful enough to retire comfortably in 1886, at age sixty-one. Two years before, he had handed the management of his circus to his son Ludwig, who exploited it for only three years before auctioning it in 1887. He too retired comfortably, at age thirty-four!

All these Blumenfeld circuses presented a wide range of high-quality equestrian acts, particularly original liberty displays, which became the hallmark of the Blumenfeld name and were often featured in the winter programs of Europe's resident circuses. The larger Blumenfeld circuses also offered rich and varied productions that included popular equestrian pantomimes such as the inescapable ''Mazeppa'', alongside other large-scale spectacles.

Large families such as that of Moritz Blumenfeld produced outstanding acrobatic and aerial performers, whose acts were held in high demand. Contemporary photographs reveal another characteristic of the dynasty: The Blumenfelds were invariably elegant, both in and out of the ring. In every sense, they embodied the aristocracy of the circus world.

==Zirkus E. Blumenfeld==

[[File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld_-_full_image.jpg|thumb|300px|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1840)]]Emanuel Blumenfeld created the most successful and longest lasting of all the Blumenfeld circuses. As the eldest of Cerf's children, he may well have been his father's successor, since his own ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld'' appeared in August 1867, around the date of his father's death. Born March 1, 1811, in Bremke, a small village near Göttingen, in southern Lower Saxony, he was twenty-eight when he married Jette (Hitzelchen) Hartog (1817-c.1850) on January 24, 1839, in a dual ceremony with his brother Meyer, who married Jette's sister Setta.

Like his brother Moritz, Emanuel would eventually preside over an exceptionally large family. His first wife, Jetta, bore him five children: Moritz (b. 1844), Leopold (b. 1845), Meyer (1847-1892), Wolf (1849-1906), and Wilhelmine (Minna, b. 1850). When Jetta died unexpectedly around 1850, perhaps soon after Minna's birth, Emanuel was left with five very young children and no one to mother them. He found a second wife in Jeanette Stein (1831-1896), who was twenty years his junior.

Jeanette gave Emanuel ten more children: Olympia (b.1852), Henriette (1853-1914, who married [[The Könyot Dynasty|Leopold Könyot]]), Max (b.1855), Jonas (1855-1859), Simon (1857-1918, who married [[The Strassburger Family|Rosa Strassburger]]), Alexander (Simson, 1859-1921), Adolf David (1863-1913), Louis (1866-1943, who married his cousin Setta Blumenfeld-Gerausch), Hermann (1868-1933, who married his niece Betty Blumenfeld, daughter of his brother Simon), and Amanda. In 1881, a journalist described Jeanette Blumenfeld as "a truly Jewish woman with iron strength and a heart of gold, [who] kept her sons and daughters, her daughter-in-law and grandchildren in strict discipline."

Emanuel established his circus’s base in the province of Westphalia, in Prussia, and during its early years ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld'' toured the Kingdom of Prussia exclusively. The Franco-Prussian War of 1870 brought a major disruption: Emanuel’s elder sons Moritz, Leopold, and Meyer, enrolled in the army. Their military service may have encouraged a greater sense of independence, and they eventually left the family circus. Emanuel died on May 23, 1885 in Tilsit, where the circus was performing. Jeanette, whose strength of character suggests that she had likely been involved in managing the circus alongside her husband despite her many duties as a mother, took over its direction.

[[File:Blumenfeld_Gurhau_Poster.jpg|thumb|left|450px|The Gurhau Winter Quarters (c.1891)]]Jeanette came from a circus family, and she had brought her family's circus into her marriage: Consequently, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld had grown in importance, but with such a large family, Jeanette had the support she needed to run it. Simon, Alexander, and Louis oversaw day-to-day operations; Adolf became general manager; and Hermann, as advance man, organized the tours. Under her management, the circus continued to grow, and its stables—always a distinctive Blumenfeld asset—doubled in size. The circus also changed its name to ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld Wwe'' (Circus E. Blumenfeld Widow). In 1891, the family moved to much-needed larger winter quarters in the town of Gurhau, in Lower Silesia (today Góra, in Poland), where they had found a large ensemble of abandoned military stables.

Jeanette Blumenfeld died in Gurhau on April 30, 1896, at age sixty-one. Her death might have led to the breakup of the enterprise and a new proliferation of Blumenfeld circuses, but Emanuel and Jeanette had foreseen that possibility: They wrote a will in 1872 that established a clear succession, both for the circus business and for the family’s responsibilities. It not only defined the siblings' positions and tasks in the running of the circus—which, it specified, couldn't be dismantled or split between them—but also, their commitment to their family and to their Jewish faith. Jeanette's strong hand is apparent in such a strictly ordered will, and its provisions were duly followed by her descendants.

===Enter The Magdeburg Generation===

[[File:Simon_Blumenfeld_Family.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Simon and Rosa's Blumenfeld's family (c.1900)]]Under Jeanette's ownership, the circus had been managed by Simon, Alexander, Adolf, and Hermann, and the four brothers remained at the helm of the enterprise (Louis was soon to leave the family). Not as prolific progenitors as their father, Alexander, Adolf and Hermann didn't produce many descendants, but Simon did, and his progeny, which would become known as the "Magdeburg branch," would constitute the next Blumenfeld generation of circus directors.

Rosa Strassburger gave Simon eleven children: Betty (1880-1932), who married her uncle Hermann; Emanuel, known as Alex (1885-1942); Alfons (1887-1942), who married his cousin [[The Konyöt Family|Olympia Konyöt]]; Arthur (1889-1910), who married his cousin Victoria, daughter of Jansly Blumenfeld; Alfred (1891-1945); Eugen (1893-1937); Alice (1895-1942); Jeanette (Netty, 1897-1969); Willy (1898-1942); Fritz (Friedrich, 1899-1945), and Erich (1901-1943), who married [[The Houcke Dynasty|Fanny Houcke]]).

The Blumenfelds had an excellent reputation among their audiences and among the artists who worked for them. They were known as a warm, welcoming family, always ready to help, and always respectful of their fellow performers—for they were indeed performers themselves: In a 1898 program, one could see Hermann and Betty riding in ''haute-école'', Louis and Setta performing a pas-de-deux on horseback, and Alexandre presenting the liberty acts. Coming up, the next generation was trained in all circus disciplines to perform alongside their elders as acrobats, equestrians, and animal trainers, and eventually replace them.

[[File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Poster.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (1906)]]By 1897, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld, which had been one of the earliest German circuses to perform under a big top instead of a wooden ''construction'' or as visitors in a circus building (of which there were indeed many at the time), had become too big to continue using horse-power transportation, and it switched to travel by rail. In their advertising, the Blumenfelds boosted no less than 180 horses, 28 wagons, and even their own traveling electric plant, which was quite high-tech at the turn of the twentieth century! As they reminded their potential audiences in the press, theirs was not a cheap tenting operation: It was a modern, elegant, and comfortable first-class traveling circus.

Their shows often ended with spectacular equestrian pantomimes (known as "hippodramas") in which they could display their magnificent horses. As the [[The Knie Dynasty|Knies]] and some others would do much later, the Blumenfelds invited the public to watch their training sessions. At a time when horses still held an important place in everyday life and the public at large was fascinated by great horsemanship, this was excellent publicity indeed—especially for a circus where horsemanship was still served with outstanding talent.

In 1911, Zirkus E. Blumenfeld celebrated its 100th anniversary. Emanuel's circus had been created in 1867, after the death of Cerf Blumenfeld and, although it may have been considered the continuation of Cerf's circus, the date of its creation was around 1840. None of these anniversaries worked, so the date chosen for this advertising stunt was the year of Emanuel's birth, 1811. Be that as it may, it worked, and this pseudo-centennial was duly celebrated with special events, banquets with city representatives in attendance, and other festivities—a good indication that the Blumenfelds were seen as important circus owners.

[[File:Barnum_and_Bailey_-_Germany.png|thumb|right|300px|Barnum & Bailey Poster for its German Tour (1900)]]Meanwhile, [[Wilhelm Hagenbeck]], the son of German wild animal importer [[The Hagenbeck Dynasty|Carl Hagenbeck]] (1844-1913), the most important animal dealer of his time (he provided animals to zoos and circuses worldwide), had started a traveling circus in 1887 that included an important menagerie of exotic and wild animals—some of which were presented performing in the show—as well of exhibitions of exotic tribes from the "mysterious" lands of Africa, Asia, and even America (with tribes of Native Americans).

Ten years later, in 1897, the giant American [[Barnum and Bailey Circus]] began an extended European tour that lasted until 1905. Its enormous menagerie impressed European audiences at a time when colonial expansion had intensified public fascination with everything exotic, particularly animals. It encouraged German circuses and traveling menagerie owners such as Carl Krone to follow Hagenbeck's example and develop into the circus-menagerie enterprises that would characterize the German circus industry until World War II.

The Blumenfelds were no exception to this trend. In 1912, the brothers added a menagerie to their previously equestrian circus and began to present animal acts other than horses. They acquired four elephants and a collection of exotic and wild animals that included a hippopotamus, but they refrained from presenting cage acts in their programs until 1936. Their important stables were still full, and their renowned equestrian acts remained their circus's main attraction.

Then, on June 28, 1914, a Serb nationalist assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria. This led Austria-Hungary to declare war to Serbia one month later, on July 28. Russia then entered the conflict to support Serbia, which led to a domino effect in the complicated system of European alliances: France and England joined the war on Russia's side, followed by Italy, and Germany did the same on Austria-Hungary's side with Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire. This situation had disastrous repercussions, and the circus industry experienced them the hard way.

The Blumenfelds had a special relation with the Military: They considered their duty, as German citizens, to serve in the army, and several of Simon's sons enlisted wholeheartedly. Many circus workers did the same, or were drafted, and foreign artists from enemy countries had to leave Germany or had been interned. Then, the Army, which still relied largely on horse-powered transport, requisitioned the Blumenfelds’ horses, as well as their tents. Under these conditions, and with rail travel strictly regulated to give priority to army transports, touring had become impossible, and the Blumenfelds closed their traveling circus. They had, however, a safe retreat.

===The Great War and The Magdeburg Circus===

Magdeburg was the capital of Saxony. Located in what today is Saxony-Anhalt, it was an important city that had hosted several circus buildings over the years. Nothing exceptional there, since major German cities had circus buildings, but Magdeburg location was relatively central in the German Empire, which could make it a good base for a traveling circus. In 1896, an entrepreneur named Hahn built a new circus in the city. Already, in 1886, Hahn had acquired [[August Krembser]]'s circus building in Berlin, which he rented out to major circus companies such as [[Gotthold Schumann]]'s—before Schumann opened his own circus building in the Prussian capital. A master-carpenter, he had already erected a wooden "construction" in Madgeburg in 1892.

[[File:Magdeburg_Circus.jpg|left|thumb|400px|The Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)]]Hahn was not a circus man, but a businessman and landlord who rented out his facilities to circus companies and other tenants. His new Magdeburg circus, located on Kaizer Wilhelm Platz (today's Universitätsplatz) and Köningstraße 62/63 (today's Walther-Rathenau-Straße), a major thoroughfare, was a large building: With a surface area of nearly 4,000 m2 (approximately 154 x 266 feet), it included not only the circus itself, which could be fitted with a removable stage for concerts and theatrical productions and boasted a capacity of 2,800, but also a restaurant, wardrobe shops, a saddlery, a prop workshop, stables for 110 horses, and a small variety theater. It opened on September 30, 1896, with [[Circus Renz]] as a tenant.

The Blumenfelds performed there in 1904, 1911, and 1913. Since 1907, the building had been used principally as a movie theater, and by 1913, it was in disrepair. After Hahn's death, it had passed to his daughter, who was eager to sell. The Blumenfelds had long wanted to move their winter quarters from Gurhau to a more central location, and Magdeburg suited their needs. During their visit in 1913, they offered to buy and restore the property, and Ms. Hahn accepted; then they secured a thirty-year lease with the city, which owned the land, and they could finally move their operations to Magdeburg in 1914. After adding a large foyer to the circus, they were ready to use it for their winter seasons.

Thus, in March 1914, after World War I had broken out and the Blumenfelds had effectively lost their traveling enterprise, they went to their new home in Magdeburg. Since the European theater of war was soon confined to a line of fortified trenches stretching from the English Channel to Switzerland, Germany’s interior remained unaffected. The Blumenfelds were able to rent out the building, though for purposes other than circus performances; they even re-converted it into a movie theater.

During that time of circus inactivity, the directors of the third generation disappeared or retired. Adolf had died in Dresden in 1913, Alexander and Hermann called it quits (they would pass away in 1921 and 1933 respectively), and finally, Simon, the father of the "Magdeburg Line," died in Magdeburg on July 22, 1918, shortly before war's end. The war over, the Gurhau winter quarters were sold, and with the Magdeburg building used for unrelated activities, it could have been the end of the ''Zirkus E. Blumenfeld''.

===The Postwar Period===

With seven brothers pretending to be Simon’s successors, not to mention Simon’s four daughters and the children of his brothers, reviving the Zirkus E. Blumenfeld could have led to unforeseen problems. Therefore, in the summer of 1919, Simon’s sons Alex, Alfons, and Arthur purchased the former ''Zircus E. Blumenfeld Wwe.'' company from the family. Then, they announced the creation of a new touring company called ''Zirkus Gebr. Blumenfeld''. They also let it known that they remained co-owners of the Magdeburg circus and set 1920 as the date for the debut of their traveling circus. It wasn’t an easy task: They had to rebuild their entire touring operation from scratch!

[[File:Geb._Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1920)]]They purchased a large two-pole circus tent, 44 meters in diameter (approximately 144 feet) and with a capacity of 2,000 people. This made their circus a major enterprise—although it would soon pale in comparison to giants like [[Circus Krone|Krone]], [[Circus Sarrasani|Sarrasani]], [[Circus Gleich|Gleich]], and even the circus of their Strassburger cousins. Alex, Alfons, and Arthur Blumenfeld could rely on their large family for support: Their brothers, Fritz and Alfred, took care of the administrative aspects of the circus, and Eugen supervised the always important concessions department. Other family members were also available to help and perform in the show.

The new Blumenfeld Circus made its debut in Dessau, not far from Magdeburg, on April 3, 1920. The show featured many family members: Alfons presented liberty acts with Amanda Lorch. Willy appeared in a high-school presentation with his sister-in-law and cousin Victoria (Arthur’s wife), and also doubled as the clown Kucki. Arthur, riding a horse, presented two trained bulls. Of course, there were also many hired performers in the show, including a team of acrobats and a motorcycle stunt act. In November, the Blumenfeld brothers returned to their circus in Magdeburg for the winter season, which at long last returned to hosting circus shows.

The years immediately following the war were marked by the Spanish flu pandemic, which claimed the lives of about fifty million people worldwide, and Europe was not spared. Yet, after a long and devastating war that killed around twenty million people, European audiences were eager for escapist entertainment. Pandemic or not, the interwar years proved to be exceptionally favorable for circuses and variety shows. The Blumenfelds, like other circus owners, benefited from this sudden enthusiasm. However, the interwar years also brought major economic problems.

During the war, Germany had experienced severe inflation, with prices doubling almost instantly. To address this problem, the Kaiser’s government abandoned its gold-backed currency, expecting that Germany would win the war. That was not the outcome however, and the postwar Weimar government had to pay considerable reparations to the Allies in gold-backed currency. This led to an economic domino effect resulting in hyperinflation: The Mark collapsed, and by 1922, prices had risen by 700%!

[[File:Zirkus_Blumenfeld_in_Magdeburg.jpg|thumb|left|400px|Zirkus Blumenfeld in Magdeburg (1914)]]However, after years of successful touring and well-organized performances, the Magdeburg Blumenfelds had become relatively wealthy. Like most European traveling circus families, they didn’t keep all their money in the bank. They followed the traditional practice of converting their wealth into gold or diamonds, which they kept hidden in their mobile homes. But if the depreciation of the Mark didn’t affect their accumulated wealth, then the money they earned in Germany was worthless. For many German circuses, the solution was to travel abroad to replenish their coffers. Sarrasani went to South America, Krone and Gleich traveled throughout Europe...

Similarly, the Blumenfelds looked beyond Germany. They visited the Baltic States and rented out some of their animal and equestrian acts abroad. In 1925-1926, they even toured their animal acts in Russia's circus buildings. Since circuses, like all performing arts, were nationalized by the new Soviet government in 1919, Russia’s ten resident circuses—including two in Moscow—needed artists to fill their programs. With a shortage of Russian performers (the new State Circus and Variety College hadn’t yet produced many of them), the Soviet Committee for the Arts turned to Germany, one of the few countries with which Russia still maintained good relations. The Blumenfelds seized this opportunity.

After a rewarding tour in Russia, the Blumenfelds purchased new wagons and tents. Their menagerie now consisted of forty-five horses, two elephants, four camels, three llamas, and two bulls. However, the political situation in Germany was changing. In the mid-1920s, the NSDAP (Nazi Party), which had until then been a small right-wing movement, began to compete in elections, aiming to undermine the German democratic government of the Weimar Republic. They also began to gain power through grassroots campaigning, propaganda, and political violence. This led to a rise in antisemitism. The Nazis blamed Jews and communists for many of Germany’s postwar problems, and they called for a strong Germany free of Jews, starting with boycotting Jewish businesses.

[[File:Magdeburg_Zirkus.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Interior of the Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)]]“Gau Anhalt-North Saxony” was established by the Nazis in 1926 in order to streamline their party organization. Two years later, it was renamed “Gau Magdeburg-Anhalt”, making Magdeburg a major center for Nazi activities. The Nazi-led boycott of Jewish businesses, often carried out through intimidation, hit the Blumenfelds during a time when Germany was also facing a severe financial crisis. The Nazis exploited this situation to intensify antisemitism. The resulting hardships became evident during the 1927 tour. After trying various measures such as offering ticket discounts and other promotional activities, the Blumenfelds announced that, “Due to the unfavorable financial situation, the circus has decided to discontinue its activities.”

To be sure, they were not the only circus to quit the business: Between 1926 and 1930, no less than seven German circuses went bankrupt. However, the Blumenfelds were a powerful circus family with a permanent base in a major German city. They had always been respected citizens there, but unfortunately, Magdeburg became increasingly hostile under Nazi influence, and their circus building, like their touring show, became unprofitable. To recoup their losses, they tried to sell the building to the municipality.

It seems that there were various forces involved to undermine any potential deal. The plan failed, and the Blumenfelds were forced into bankruptcy in 1927. The building wasn’t sold until ten years later, and even then, the proceeds went directly into the bankruptcy estate. Meanwhile, the bankruptcy trustees continued to rent the building out for purposes other than circus. The bankruptcy was finalized in 1940, but the once respected ''Zirkus Geb. Blumenfeld jun.'' had already ceased to exist. As for the Magdeburg circus building, it never resumed its circus activities and was eventually destroyed in the January 16, 1945 of the Allied bombing of the city.

===The Nazi Era===

The large Magdeburg Blumenfeld family, including Alfons, Alex and Arthur, began to look for engagements in other circuses. Alex found jobs as an animal trainer and artistic director in Scandinavian circuses, Alfons became the deputy manager and artistic director of [[Circus Medrano-Swoboda]], Austria's leading circus, where he also performed as a high-school rider with his daughter Ruth and presented liberty acts; Alfred Blumenfeld went to work as manager of [[Circus Dominik Althoff]], then presented liberty horses on tour with his brother Arthur at [[Circus Adolf Fischer]], another German circus, of which Eugen Blumenfeld had become the artistic director.

Erich Blumenfeld went to France, where he married Fanny Houcke and became a member of the Houcke family (which would soon relocate in neutral Sweden). Fritz Blumenfeld worked in the administration of several circuses and became the private secretary of [[Julius Gleich]], then of Dominik Althoff, and in 1939-40, of the Dutch circus impresario [[Franz Mikkenie]], who will help the Strassburgers to survive the Nazis in The Netherlands. Willy continued to be the clown Kucki in the circus of their cousins Strassburger before they were forced to sell it to [[Paula Busch]]; he would later commit suicide in Auschwitz.

Hitler came to power in 1933, and the Nazi Party now ruled Germany. Circus performers’ unions and directors’ organizations disappeared, and circus and variety artists had to join the newly created, Nazi-controlled ''Artistik'' union if they wanted to work. Several circus owners joined the Nazi Party to protect their interests, with the notable exceptions of [[Hans-Stosch Sarrasani]]—although his son would do so after his father’s death—and Dominik Althoff and his children. In 1935, the Nazi government announced the Nuremberg Laws, which formalized its racial theories; by 1937-1938, Jews were forced to identify themselves, notably by wearing the infamous yellow Star of David, further segregating them from the rest of the German population.

[[File:Blumenfeld_memorial.jpg|thumb|left| 450pix|Blumenfelds' commemorative Stumbling Stones in Magdeburg]]All Jewish performers (among whom the many Blumenfelds still living in Germany) began to be victims of the Nazis' violent antisemitism. Several Blumenfelds went to perform in Scandinavia, England or America, where they settled; a large group of them sailed with Circus Sarrasani to Brazil in 1934. When Simon Blumenfeld's family purchased the Magdeburg circus in 1914, the city became home to other members of the large Blumenfeld family. Louis and Setta Blumenfeld had settled in Magdeburg with the Gerausch family; in 1940 they were forced to move in a so-called "Jewish House."

They were then deported to the Theresienstadt Ghetto in Terezin, Czechoslovakia. Louis died there in 1942. Setta was later transferred to Auschwitz, where she was killed. Other Magdeburg residents, Setta's daughter, Amanda Gerausch, and Ulrich Blumenfeld, a son of Hermann and Betty Blumenfeld, were also deported that year. Rosa Strassburger-Blumenfeld, Simon's widow, died in the Theresienstadt Ghetto in 1943, and seven of her children died in deportation; her daughter Alice committed suicide to avoid deportation.

Obviously, Alex, Alfons and Arthur Blumenfeld, the former directors of the ''Zirkus Geb. Blumenfeld jun.'', were not immune to these attacks. In 1937, Alex was in engagement in Denmark, and from there he moved first to Belgium, and then to France, where he tried to obtain a permit to enter neutral Sweden or Great Britain. Before he could see any positive outcome, the war broke out and France was occupied by Nazi Germany. The old Marshall Pétain, now France's president, and his Vichy government were as much rabidly antisemitic as the occupant, and foreign Jews were the first to be prosecuted.

Alex was arrested as an "enemy alien" and interned in the camp of Saint Cyprien, in Dordogne (southwest France). His wife, Eugenie, had remained in Belgium, and the fact she was of Italian descent (Cardinale) protected her. Alex could correspond with her, but he was soon moved to the notorious internment camp of Drancy, in the Paris suburbs, which was a gateway to Auschwitz; he was sent there in August 1942, never to return.

Alfons Blumenfeld also emigrated to Paris in December 1938, together with his wife Olympia, née Könyot. Like his brother Alex, Alfons was there with his wife when the war broke out and Germany occupied France. They were immediately arrested by the French police; Olympia was interned in the camp of Rivesaltes, near Perpignan in southwestern France, and Alfons was interned in the concentration camp of Bram, near Carcassonne, and later transferred to Drancy. Both were finally sent to Auschwitz, where they were killed.

Their daughter Ruth, who had married to [[The Berousek Family|Ludwig Berouzek]], scion of a famous Czech circus dynasty, was deported to Auschwitz, where she was killed in 1942. (Ludwig, whom she had divorced, had emigrated to the United States.) Before being arrested, Ruth had put their daughter, Vardia, in the care of a French family: Vardia survived the war.

Arthur Blumenfeld and his wife Victoria (also born Blumenfeld) and his two daughters Rita and Eva, settled in Berlin in 1933. Playing with the unusual similarity of their family names, Victoria managed to register herself as an adopted child of unknown Aryan origin. Their union became therefore a "mixed marriage," which made the family safe from deportation, even though the German authorities subjected Arthur to the usual discrimination, like forced labor and the wearing of the Jewish yellow star. But they survived...

Many other members of the extended Blumenfeld family were killed during this dark period: According to various sources, up to 150 members of the entire family were killed between 1933 and 1945. Arthur Blumenfeld lost nine brothers and sisters during that time: He and his sister Jeanette, who lived in England, were the only survivors of Simon and Rosa Blumenfeld's eleven children!

===Epilogue===

After the end of World War II, Arthur and Victoria tried to restart the Circus Blumenfeld. With the help of the Soviet authorities, which controlled East Germany and most of Berlin, they managed to acquire the equipment of the bankrupt circus of [[Circus Brumbach|Gustav Brumbach]], which included a four-pole big top and all its paraphernalia. They quickly repainted the old wagons to a Blumenfeld livery, put their name on the façade, and began to perform in Berlin in October 1945, touring the four sectors of the destroyed city.

[[File:Circus_Arthur_Blumenfeld.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Circus Blumenfeld in Berlin (1946)]]At first, Arthur presented the circus’s only four horses, and the modest program featured a hand-to-hand trio, a perch-pole balancing act, and a magician—nothing exceptional, but fitting for the times. The circus was making money, however, and by December Victoria could report that they "already had four bears, six horses, and several buffalos." In September 1948, Arthur marked his fifty years in the ring, though there were no public celebrations: the Circus Blumenfeld of 1948 was no longer the eminent circus of the pre-Nazi era, and it performed primarily for Allied troops and charitable organizations such as orphanages.

By then, there were already two resident circuses in Barlin: Paula Busch had just opened a circus in the old planetarium of the Zoological Gardens in West Berlin, and [[Harry Barlay]] had erected a large "construction" on Friedrichstraße, among the ruins of Berlin Mitte, then located in the Soviet zone of Berlin. Yet, the Blumenfelds, who were touring within the city—which didn't go without its share of problems—were very competent circus directors and could have prospered enough to take the road again.

Unfortunately, the Blockade of Berlin started on June 23, 1948, and, in an already uneasy situation, major problems began to arise, notably to find food for the animals—for which the three circuses had to resort to a very expensive black market. Eventually, some animals had to be given away, and a few horses had even to be killed. The financial situation of the three circuses was dismal, even more so for the Blumenfelds, who had re-started from scratch and didn't have the resources of Paula Busch or Harry Barley.

Arthur Blumenfeld staged his final show in 1949 at the Berlin Zoo, where he had set up his circus. Apart from the few horses he had managed to keep, the program was largely a variety show, and its income was not enough to sustain the enterprise. The once prosperous and celebrated ''Zirkus Blumenfeld'' gave its last performance in June of that year. Arthur sold his equipment and the few animals he had left to Paula Busch. With that, the Blumenfeld name forever disappeared from the roster of German circuses.

Only a few surviving Blumenfeld performers reappeared after the war, and the family name gradually vanished from postwar German circus life. Arthur died in Berlin on December 17, 1951, at age sixty-two; some sources say he took his own life. Victoria lived for many more years, passing away on August 6, 1990, at age ninety-two. They are buried with their daughter Eva in the Jewish cemetery of Weissensee, Berlin.

'''NOTE''': '''''The general outline of this biography was adapted from an article by Dietmar Winkler published in three installments in the defunct German magazine ''Planet Circus'' in 2013. Several other sources were consulted for its redaction, including the books listed below.'''''

==Suggested Reading==

* Marline Otte, ''Jewish Identities in German Popular Entertainment'' (New York, Cambridge University Press, 2006) — ISBN 978-0-521-856-30-0
* Gisela and Dietmar Winkler, ''Die Blumenfelds – Schicksale einer jüdischen Zirkusfamilie'' (Gransee, Edition Schwarzdruck, 2012) — ISBN 978-3-935194-50-1

==Image Gallery==

<Gallery>
File:Meyer_Blumenfeld.png|Meyer Blumenfeld (c.1850)
File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld_-_full_image.jpg|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1850)
File:Cerf_Blumenfeld_Ad.png|Cerf Blumenfeld's Ad (c.1856)
File:Leopold_Blumenfeld.jpg|Leopold Blumenfeld (1858)
File:Jansly_and_Wilhelmina_Blumenfeld.jpg|Jansly & Wilhelmina Blumenfeld (c.1880)
File:Emanuel_Blumenfeld.jpg|Emanuel Blumenfeld (c.1885)
File:Blumenfeld_postcard_1890.png|Advertising postcard for Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. (c.1890)
File:Blumenfeld_Gurhau_Poster.jpg|Poster showing the Gruhau winter quarters (c.1891)
File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Wwe_poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (1891)
File:Circus_Jansly_Postcard.png|Advertising Postcard for Circus Jansly (c.1895)
File:Simon_Blumenfeld_Family.jpg|Simon Blumenfeld and his family (c.1900)
File:5_Blumenfelds_Poster.jpg|"The 5 Blumenfelds" Poster (c.1900)
File:Barnum_and_Bailey_-_Germany.png|Barnum & Bailey German Tour Poster (1900)
File:Circus_E._Blumenfeld_Poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (1906)
File:Magdeburg_Circus.jpg|The Magdeburg Circus (c.1910)
File:Magdeburg_Zirkus.jpg|Magdeburg Circus Auditorium (c.1910)
File:Blumenfeld_Elephants.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wve. Poster (c.1912)
File:Blumenfeld_Llamas.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (c.1913)
File:Geb._Blumenfeld_-_Bulls.jpg|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1913)
File:Blumenfeld_lion-elephant_poster.jpg|Circus E. Blumenfeld Wwe. Poster (c.1913)
File:Zirkus_Blumenfeld_in_Magdeburg.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld in Magdeburg (1914)
The_5_Sailors_(Blumenfeld).png|The 5 Sailors (Blumenfeld) (c.1915)
File:Geb._Blumenfeld.jpg|Alfons, Alex & Arthur Blumenfeld (c.1920)
File:Circus_Arthur_Blumenfeld.jpg|Circus Arthur Blumenfeld in Berlin (1946)
File:Arthur_Blumenfeld_Program_1.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld Program in Berlin (1946)
File:Circus_Blumenfeld_Program_in_Berlin_2.jpg|Circus Blumenfeld Program in Berlin (1946)
File:Blumenfeld_memorial.jpg|Commemorative Stumbling Stones in Magdeburg (2022)
</Gallery>

[[Category:History|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Circus Owner and Directors|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Equestrians|The Blumenfeld Family]][[Category:Artists and Acts|The Blumenfeld Family]]

File:The 5 Sailors (Blumenfeld).png

2026-08-31T05:44:17Z

Djando:

The 5 Sailors was an aerial act, and one of the many acts performed by members of the Blumenfeld family, taken in Buffalo, New York. Starting in 1910, they performed in variety, in England first and, from 1914 to 1920, in the United States, where they eventually settled. The two girls are British and sisters: Gertrude Daniels (L.) and Beatrice Daniels, the daughters of a London jeweler and diamond cutter. Gertrude married Baptist Blumenfeld, and Beatrice married Paul Blumenfeld; Paul is on the trapeze, holding Baptist with his legs, himself holding their brother William (c.1915) — ''Photo X''

==See Also==

* History: [[The Blumenfeld Family]]

[[Category:Photo Archive|Blumenfeld Family]]

File:The 5 Sailors (Blumenfeld).png

2026-08-31T05:39:07Z

Djando:

The 5 Sailors was an aerial act, and one of the many acts performed by members of the Blumenfeld family, taken in Buffalo, New York. From 1910 on, they performed mostly in England and the United States, where they eventually settled. The two girls are British and sisters: Gertrude Daniels (L.) and Beatrice Daniels, who married Baptist (Gertrude) and Paul Blumenfeld (Beatrice); Paul is on the trapeze, holding Baptist with his legs, himself holding William Blumenfeld (c.1915) — ''Photo X''

==See Also==

* History: [[The Blumenfeld Family]]

[[Category:Photo Archive|Blumenfeld Family]]

File:The 5 Sailors (Blumenfeld).png

2026-08-31T05:23:51Z

Djando: The 5 Sailors was an aerial act, were one of the many acts performed by member of the Blumenfeld family. From 1910 on, they performed mostly in England and the United States, where they eventually settled (c.1915) —

The 5 Sailors was an aerial act, were one of the many acts performed by member of the Blumenfeld family. From 1910 on, they performed mostly in England and the United States, where they eventually settled (c.1915) —

Main Page

2026-08-31T05:04:54Z

Djando:

__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__

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|style="width:56%; color:#0000"| 
{| style="width:100%; border:solid 0px; background:none;"
|style="width:500px; text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; color:#000;"|
<br><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Welcome! ✫ Bienvenue! ✫ Willkommen! ✫ Добро Пожаловать!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Bienvenida! ✫ Benvenuto! ✫ 歡迎 ! ✫ Vítejte! ✫ Καλώς ήρθατ
ε!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Üdvözöljük! ✫ Добре Дошли! ✫ Welkom! ✫ Ласкаво Просимо!</div><div style="font-size:165%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Velkommen! ✫ Tervetuloa! ✫ Дабро Запрашаем! ✫ Välkommen!</div><br/>
<div style="top:+0.2em; font-size:98%;"> ''Circopedia is an independent educational website, initially created as a project of the original, non-profit [[Big Apple Circus]]''.</div><br/>
|}
|}
==In The Spotlight==

===THE BLUMENFELD FAMILY===
[[File:5_Blumenfelds_Poster.jpg|right|300px]]The huge Blumenfeld family holds an important place in German and European circus history. One of the three major German-Jewish circus dynasties before World War II—along with the Strassburgers and the Lorches—the Blumenfelds were driven to bankruptcy and then brutally decimated by the Nazis. Before that tragedy, they had been a highly respected family of talented acrobats, equestrians, and circus owners. Although some members of the family resurfaced after World War II, the Blumenfelds were never able to reclaim the position they had once held in the circus world.

The Blumenfelds are allied with several other prominent Jewish families, such as the Goldkettes (Brönett), the Strassburgers, the Lorches, and the Könyots. They always married within their faith and, at times, like the Rothschilds, within their family—with perhaps the notable exceptions of Erich Blumenfeld, the youngest son of Simon Blumenfeld, who married Fanny Houcke, from the Franco-Swedish Houcke family, and his brother Alex, whose wife, Eugenie, came from an old Italian circus family, the Cardinales.

Since Hirsch Blumenfeld (1788-1867), founder of the dynasty, created his circus in the mid-nineteenth century, many of his descendants have operated several different circuses under the Blumenfeld name. Hirsch had a large family that developed many branches, and it can be sometimes difficult to determine which branch a given Blumenfeld belonged to. The Blumenfeld circus owners, however, shared one defining trait: they were equestrians who served the equestrian circus tradition with distinction, even as the circus-menagerie was becoming the norm in Germany by the beginning of the twentieth century.

Hirsch Blumenfeld was born Hirsch Levy in 1788 in Isenburg, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, one of the many German states. His parents were Levy Wolf (1770-1828), a Jewish cantor, and his wife Rosa (Rösgen), née Cahn (?-1840). The Blumenfeld patronym came later: under Jewish naming tradition, a son took his father’s given name as a patronym, so Hirsch, as Levy’s son, became Hirsch Levy. Hirsch didn't embrace his father's calling: He became instead a traveling entertainer, an occupation that had attracted many of his coreligionists over the centuries..... ([[The Blumenfeld Family|more...]])

==New Essays and Biographies==

* [[The Blumenfeld Family]], circus owners, artists
* [[Émilien Bouglione/fr|Émilien Bouglione]], French version
* [[Kremo Family]], icarists
* [[The Ziratron]], Israel's first Circus
* [[Carlos Guity]], Acrobat

==New Videos==

* [[The_Astoris_Video_(1975)|The Astoris]], Aerial Perch (1975)
* [[Evelyn_and_André_Interview_(2025)|Evelyn & André]] Interview by the Fővárosi Nagycirkusz (2025)
* [[Merkys_Video_(1964)|The 3 Merkys]], horizontal bars (1964)
* [[Davis_Vassallo_Video_(2024)|Davis Vassallo]], clown entrée (2024)
* [[Pogorelov_Video_(2026)|Andrei Pogorelov]], wheel of death (2026)

==New Oral Histories==

* [[Evelyn_and_André_Interview_(2025)|Evelyn & André]] Interview by the Fővárosi Nagycirkusz (2025)
* [[Bouglione_Video_(2013)|The Bouglione Family]] France 3 TV documentary (2013)
* [[Gneushev_Video_(c.1990)|Valentin Gneushev interview]] on Russian Television (c.1990)
* [[Dominique_Jando_Video_(2025)|Dominique Jando interview]] by the Circus Historical Society (2025)
* [[Evelyn_and_Andre_Video_(2015)|Evelyn & André Interview]] on Blikk TV (2015)

==Circopedia Books==

* [[Circopedia Books|Philip Astley & The Horsemen who invented the Circus]], by Dominique Jando (2018)

==A Message from the Founder==

''CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus, maintained by reliable circus historians and specialists. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to [[Circopedia:Contact|contact us]]: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.''

:'''Dominique Jando'''
:Founder and Curator

Main Page

2026-08-30T23:51:18Z

Djando:

__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__

{| id="mp-topbanner" style="width:100%; background:#fcfcfc; margin-top:1.2em; border:1px solid #ccc;"
|style="width:56%; color:#0000"| 
{| style="width:100%; border:solid 0px; background:none;"
|style="width:500px; text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; color:#000;"|
<br><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Welcome! ✫ Bienvenue! ✫ Willkommen! ✫ Добро Пожаловать!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Bienvenida! ✫ Benvenuto! ✫ 歡迎 ! ✫ Vítejte! ✫ Καλώς ήρθατ
ε!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Üdvözöljük! ✫ Добре Дошли! ✫ Welkom! ✫ Ласкаво Просимо!</div><div style="font-size:165%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Velkommen! ✫ Tervetuloa! ✫ Дабро Запрашаем! ✫ Välkommen!</div><br/>
<div style="top:+0.2em; font-size:98%;"> ''Circopedia is an independent educational website, initially created as a project of the original, non-profit [[Big Apple Circus]]''.</div><br/>
|}
|}
==In The Spotlight==

===THE BLUMENFELD FAMILY===
[[File:5_Blumenfelds_Poster.jpg|right|300px]]The huge Blumenfeld family holds an important place in German and European circus history. One of the three major German-Jewish circus dynasties before World War II—along with the Strassburgers and the Lorches—the Blumenfelds were driven to bankruptcy and then brutally decimated by the Nazis. Before that tragedy, they had been a highly respected family of talented acrobats, equestrians, and circus owners. Although some members of the family resurfaced after World War II, the Blumenfelds were never able to reclaim the position they had once held in the circus world.

The Blumenfelds are allied with several other prominent Jewish families, such as the Goldkettes (Brönett), the Strassburgers, the Lorches, and the Könyots. They always married within their faith and, at times, like the Rothschilds, within their family—with perhaps the notable exceptions of Erich Blumenfeld, the youngest son of Simon Blumenfeld, who married Fanny Houcke, from the Franco-Swedish Houcke family, and his brother Alex, whose wife, Eugenie, came from an old Italian circus family, the Cardinales.

Since Hirsch Blumenfeld (1788-1867), founder of the dynasty, created his circus in the mid-nineteenth century, many of his descendants have operated several different circuses under the Blumenfeld name. Hirsch had a large family that developed many branches, and it can be sometimes difficult to determine which branch a given Blumenfeld belonged to. The Blumenfeld circus owners, however, shared one defining trait: they were equestrians who served the equestrian circus tradition with distinction, even as the circus-menagerie was becoming the norm in Germany by the beginning of the twentieth century.

Hirsch Blumenfeld was born Hirsch Levy in 1788 in Isenburg, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, one of the many German states. His parents were Levy Wolf (1770-1828), a Jewish cantor, and his wife Rosa (Rösgen), née Cahn (?-1840). The Blumenfeld patronym came later: under Jewish naming tradition, a son took his father’s given name as a patronym, so Hirsch, as Levy’s son, became Hirsch Levy. Hirsch didn't embrace his father's calling: He became instead a traveling entertainer, an occupation that had attracted many of his coreligionists over the centuries..... ([[The Blumenfeld Family|more...]])

==New Essays and Biographies==

* [[The Blumenfeld Family]], circus owners, artists
* [[Émilien Bouglione/fr|Émilien Bouglione]], French version
* [[Kremo Family]], icarists
* [[The Ziratron]], Israel's first Circus
* [[Carlos Guity]], Acrobat

==New Videos==

* [[* [[The_Astoris_Video_(1975)|The Astoris]], Aerial Perch (1975)
* [[Evelyn_and_André_Interview_(2025)|Evelyn & André]] Interview by the Fővárosi Nagycirkusz (2025)
* [[Merkys_Video_(1964)|The 3 Merkys]], horizontal bars (1964)
* [[Davis_Vassallo_Video_(2024)|Davis Vassallo]], clown entrée (2024)
* [[Pogorelov_Video_(2026)|Andrei Pogorelov]], wheel of death (2026)

==New Oral Histories==

* [[Evelyn_and_André_Interview_(2025)|Evelyn & André]] Interview by the Fővárosi Nagycirkusz (2025)
* [[Bouglione_Video_(2013)|The Bouglione Family]] France 3 TV documentary (2013)
* [[Gneushev_Video_(c.1990)|Valentin Gneushev interview]] on Russian Television (c.1990)
* [[Dominique_Jando_Video_(2025)|Dominique Jando interview]] by the Circus Historical Society (2025)
* [[Evelyn_and_Andre_Video_(2015)|Evelyn & André Interview]] on Blikk TV (2015)

==Circopedia Books==

* [[Circopedia Books|Philip Astley & The Horsemen who invented the Circus]], by Dominique Jando (2018)

==A Message from the Founder==

''CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus, maintained by reliable circus historians and specialists. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to [[Circopedia:Contact|contact us]]: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.''

:'''Dominique Jando'''
:Founder and Curator

Main Page

2026-08-30T23:49:25Z

Djando:

__NOTOC__ __NOEDITSECTION__

{| id="mp-topbanner" style="width:100%; background:#fcfcfc; margin-top:1.2em; border:1px solid #ccc;"
|style="width:56%; color:#0000"| 
{| style="width:100%; border:solid 0px; background:none;"
|style="width:500px; text-align:center; white-space:nowrap; color:#000;"|
<br><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Welcome! ✫ Bienvenue! ✫ Willkommen! ✫ Добро Пожаловать!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Bienvenida! ✫ Benvenuto! ✫ 歡迎 ! ✫ Vítejte! ✫ Καλώς ήρθατ
ε!</div><div style="font-size:175%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Üdvözöljük! ✫ Добре Дошли! ✫ Welkom! ✫ Ласкаво Просимо!</div><div style="font-size:165%; border:none; margin:0; padding:.1em; color:#996666;">Velkommen! ✫ Tervetuloa! ✫ Дабро Запрашаем! ✫ Välkommen!</div><br/>
<div style="top:+0.2em; font-size:98%;"> ''Circopedia is an independent educational website, initially created as a project of the original, non-profit [[Big Apple Circus]]''.</div><br/>
|}
|}
==In The Spotlight==

===THE BLUMENFELD FAMILY===
[[File:5_Blumenfelds_Poster.jpg|right|300px]]The huge Blumenfeld family holds an important place in German and European circus history. One of the three major German-Jewish circus dynasties before World War II—along with the Strassburgers and the Lorches—the Blumenfelds were driven to bankruptcy and then brutally decimated by the Nazis. Before that tragedy, they had been a highly respected family of talented acrobats, equestrians, and circus owners. Although some members of the family resurfaced after World War II, the Blumenfelds were never able to reclaim the position they had once held in the circus world.

The Blumenfelds are allied with several other prominent Jewish families, such as the Goldkettes (Brönett), the Strassburgers, the Lorches, and the Könyots. They always married within their faith and, at times, like the Rothschilds, within their family—with perhaps the notable exceptions of Erich Blumenfeld, the youngest son of Simon Blumenfeld, who married Fanny Houcke, from the Franco-Swedish Houcke family, and his brother Alex, whose wife, Eugenie, came from an old Italian circus family, the Cardinales.

Since Hirsch Blumenfeld (1788-1867), founder of the dynasty, created his circus in the mid-nineteenth century, many of his descendants have operated several different circuses under the Blumenfeld name. Hirsch had a large family that developed many branches, and it can be sometimes difficult to determine which branch a given Blumenfeld belonged to. The Blumenfeld circus owners, however, shared one defining trait: they were equestrians who served the equestrian circus tradition with distinction, even as the circus-menagerie was becoming the norm in Germany by the beginning of the twentieth century.

Hirsch Blumenfeld was born Hirsch Levy in 1788 in Isenburg, in the Grand Duchy of Hesse, one of the many German states. His parents were Levy Wolf (1770-1828), a Jewish cantor, and his wife Rosa (Rösgen), née Cahn (?-1840). The Blumenfeld patronym came later: under Jewish naming tradition, a son took his father’s given name as a patronym, so Hirsch, as Levy’s son, became Hirsch Levy. Hirsch didn't embrace his father's calling: He became instead a traveling entertainer, an occupation that had attracted many of his coreligionists over the centuries..... ([[The Blumenfeld Family|more...]])

==New Essays and Biographies==

* [[The_Astoris_Video_(1975)|The Astoris]], Aerial Perch (1975)
* [[The Blumenfeld Family]], circus owners, artists
* [[Émilien Bouglione/fr|Émilien Bouglione]], French version
* [[Kremo Family]], icarists
* [[The Ziratron]], Israel's first Circus

==New Videos==

* [[Evelyn_and_André_Interview_(2025)|Evelyn & André]] Interview by the Fővárosi Nagycirkusz (2025)
* [[Merkys_Video_(1964)|The 3 Merkys]], horizontal bars (1964)
* [[Davis_Vassallo_Video_(2024)|Davis Vassallo]], clown entrée (2024)
* [[Pogorelov_Video_(2026)|Andrei Pogorelov]], wheel of death (2026)
* [[Kremo_Troupe_Video_(1896)|The Kremo Troupe]], Risley act (1896)

==New Oral Histories==

* [[Evelyn_and_André_Interview_(2025)|Evelyn & André]] Interview by the Fővárosi Nagycirkusz (2025)
* [[Bouglione_Video_(2013)|The Bouglione Family]] France 3 TV documentary (2013)
* [[Gneushev_Video_(c.1990)|Valentin Gneushev interview]] on Russian Television (c.1990)
* [[Dominique_Jando_Video_(2025)|Dominique Jando interview]] by the Circus Historical Society (2025)
* [[Evelyn_and_Andre_Video_(2015)|Evelyn & André Interview]] on Blikk TV (2015)

==Circopedia Books==

* [[Circopedia Books|Philip Astley & The Horsemen who invented the Circus]], by Dominique Jando (2018)

==A Message from the Founder==

''CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus, maintained by reliable circus historians and specialists. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. Keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to [[Circopedia:Contact|contact us]]: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.''

:'''Dominique Jando'''
:Founder and Curator