Karoline Kaulla

Karoline Kaulla was born in Buchau in 1739, the eldest child of Raphael Isaak ben Benjamin and his wife Rebecca Wassermann; her exact date of birth is not known. She was the oldest of six children. Her father was Jewish community leader in Buchau am Federsee and provincial leader in Haigerloch. In addition, he held the important position of a court Jew, also called court factor, of Prince Joseph Friedrich of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. 

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the task of court actuators was to supply a sovereign's court and army with materials and equipment. They also worked as bankers and financial advisors. In this privileged position, court Jews and their families were under the protection of the sovereign, but nevertheless always had to fear losing their settlement patents. It was all the more important to consolidate the position they had acquired through growing wealth. 

Karoline Kaulla was not called 'Karoline' as a child, but 'Chaile'; It was the name of her grandmother. This Hebrew name changed during her life to 'Chaula', 'Kaula' and also 'Kaulla'. As a first name, she adopted the call name 'Karoline' from the age of 30, which was a concession to Christian business partners.

In 1747, when Chaile was eight years old, her father Raphael Isaak changed positions. He became a court Jew to Prince Friedrich Ludwig von Hohenzollern-Hechingen and three years later held the same position with the son of Prince Joseph Wilhelm. The small family - Chaile still had no siblings - moved from Buchau to Hechingen. The small town was located on an important trade route, the Swiss Road, which led from Stuttgart via Tübingen, Hechingen and Balingen to Schaffhausen and the Alpine passes. Hechingen was a convenient place to live for the goods transports that Raphael Isaak organized in his function as a court Jew.
Poorer Jews lived outside the city in a ghetto - Only ten wealthy families, including Raphael Isaak's, were allowed to live within the city walls.

Raphael Isaak provided an exceptional education for his firstborn daughter and the other five siblings. In addition to the Jewish tutor, they also had a Christian one who taught the children German. Raphael Isaak himself gave her lessons in economic disciplines, and since Karoline remained without siblings for eleven years, she grew up early with a great self-confidence in her father's profession.

1757 Chaile married the horse trader Akiba (Kieve) Salomon Auerbacher, who came from Nordstetten. Although it was an arranged marriage, nevertheless it was happy. Five children were born to the couple: four sons and a daughter.
Akiba Auerbacher was very wealthy and already owned a house at Schlossstraße 11 in Hechingen when he married. However, he was not particularly interested in business and preferred to devote himself to religious studies, which is why he immediately left his wife in charge of the horse business. The young woman was extraordinarily successful in the male-dominated horse trade.
In 1760, Chailes' father Raphael Isaak died in an accident. The eldest son Jacob was only 10 years old, and so it was up to Chaile to take over responsibility for his parents' farmyard business in addition to managing the horse shop. Here the early experiences, which she could already make as an adolescent in the business of her father, proved themselves. She maintained the best relations with Prince Joseph Wilhelm of Heching, a passionate hunter and horse lover, which led to her receiving a patent as court factor at the Fürstenberg court in Donaueschingen on February 29, 1768. She changed her name from "Chaile" to "Chaula" and signed subsequent documents from then on with "Kaula, Hoffaktorin". The name Auerbach is now no longer mentioned here, which makes it clear that her husband had completely taken a back seat to her.

Madame Kaulla's good reputation as court actress in Hechingen and in Donaueschingen quickly reached the Württemberg court in Stuttgart. On July 7, 1770, she was awarded the title "Ducal Württemberg Court Actress." Her client was Duke Carl Eugene, who had been expanding the Stuttgart court for over 20 years into one of the most magnificent residences in Germany. However, as he constantly overspent his budget in the process, a heavy tax burden weighed down his subordinates. 
In 1770, two women entered the life of the duke who had a stabilizing influence on him: While Madame Kaulla watched over the expenses, Franziska von Leutrum, who was also the duke's official mistress from 1772, influenced him in his lifestyle. Carl Eugen now showed interest in the welfare of his country, in improving schooling and in tax relief for his subjects*.  
Meanwhile, Madame Kaulla's brother Jakob had joined the company, where she had entrusted him with the position of her deputy. As various wars were being waged in Europe as a result of the French Revolution, the family business was now supplying the Imperial Court in Vienna with horses, saddles, weapons, uniforms as well as ammunition. Defying the danger in the war zones, she herself undertook horse shipments there for the good of the company.

The profits from supplying troops made it possible for her to grant loans to finance the war and earn millions in the process. In 1802, Karoline Kaulla and her brother Jakob opened their own banking house in Stuttgart at Schmale Strasse 11: M. & J. Kaulla, where M. and J. stand for Madame and Jakob. It was primarily a bank to handle the enormous financial business generated by their own company "Kaulla et Cie".  
When the Württemberg Duke Friedrich decided to found a court bank in the same year, he could count on the Kaulla siblings. The court and the Kaulla exchange and trading house each provided 150,000 gulden as founding capital. Soon the capital was increased to 500,000 gulden. For Karoline Kaulla and her family, the cooperation brought enormous advantages and influence on the economic development of Württemberg. The court's money transfers went through the court bank, and it was here that the private assets of Frederick were managed, who accepted the kingship in 1806, making Württemberg a kingdom. For generations to come, the descendants of Karoline Kaulla continued to play a significant role in Stuttgart banking. The business tradition of Deutsche Bank in Stuttgart can be traced back to the Hofbank, which was founded in 1802.

In 1806, Karoline Kaulla, four other family members and their dependents received civil equality and were allowed to settle in Stuttgart. But the head of the company had long since had important duties to perform in Hechingen. She had inherited a house from her father "in der Münz" in Hechingen, which she expanded into the family home and also established a Talmud school and a foundation synagogue in the house itself. It was used until 1848. Since then, the Torah scrolls and the curtains for the Torah shrine have been in the Hechingen synagogue in Golschmiedstraße.
On March 18, 1809, Madame Kaulla died and was buried in Hechingen. The epitaph reads, "Here lies ensconced a rare, pure woman. As a model of her tribe she was regarded. A noble woman who strove for justice. She earned a good name among kings. In wisdom, in counsel, she was more eminent than any man. She adorned her house with a good name. A good name for eternity she bequeathed."