From Missed Tolerance to Civil Equality

Abstract

The analysis dedicated to the history of Transylvanian Jews follows their communities’ evolution in a regional context, from the perspective of integration projects, through the policy of tolerance and civil equality recognition, to see whether the tendencies characteristic of Central Europe, and especially Hungary, were relevant for them. The investigation refers to the last quarter of the eighteenth century and the first half of the nineteenth century, defined by significant evolutions of demographics and legal status of the Jews. The research conclusions underline the integration of Transylvanian Jews in the Central European cultural area, with differences between the communities determined by their religious orientation.