Israel Hönig

Israel Hönig was Austrian tobacco-manufacturer and merchant. In 1789 Emperor Joseph II conferred upon him the patent of hereditary nobility with the title “Edler von Hönigsberg”, thus becoming the first of the Austrian Jews to be ennobled.

Israel was born in Kuttenplan, Bohemia, to a poor merchant family. At first he was educated at home until at the age of thirteen, when he went to Prague to continue his Talmudic studies. Two years later Israel joined his father in business. During his business trips Israel became acquainted with the tobacco industry and was able, in 1752, to take over the lease of the tobacco trade of Prague, which lease, under contract with the government, he extended to several Austrian provinces. During the Seven Years' War (1754 – 1763) his firm held the imperial army provision contracts. For services provided to the Holy Roman Empire the Emperor Joseph II conferred upon him the patent of hereditary nobility with the title “Edler von Hönigsberg” in 1789.