Gabriel Murray

The Countess of Desart. Gabriel Murray

The Countess of Desart. Ellen Odette Cuffe, Countess of Desart (née Bischoffsheim, 1857-1933), wasa London born Jewish woman; who was best known as an Irish politician, president of the Gaelic League, reviver of the Arts and Craft movement. andmember of the Industrial Society in Ireland. She donated millions to variouscharities in England and Ireland. She was the daughter of Henri LouisBischoffsheim, a wealthy Jewish banker of German origin. He was partlyresponsible for founding three of the largest banks in the world; DeutscheBank, Paribas Bank, and Société Generale. The Countess was president ofthe Women's Committee of the Jewish Temporary Shelter in London anddirectly involved in the rescue of over 150,000 Russian Jews from TzaristRussia, before the borders of England closed, with the enforcement of AliensAct in 1906. She invested in various projects, library's, hospitals, housing etcin Kilkenny, southern Ireland. She championed workers' rights privately andin government. She was appointed to the Irish Free State in Seanad Éireannas an independent member in 1922 and served there, until her death in 1933. Her mother's family the Bidermanns', were victims of the Nazis in Austria, where they were court jewellers to the Emperor. They lost all their property'sand possessions in 1938, when Austria was annexed by Germany. Manyof her cousins in Paris died in Auschwitz. The author has researched thisbook over twenty years, accessing archives in Ireland, England, Poland, Austria, and Russia, to complete his research. The Countess is regardedas the most important Jewish woman in Irish history. This is thefirst book to be published on her life, philanthropy and great works.