Moses Jacobson de Jonge

Moses Jacobson de Jonge was a successful Jewish merchant of Memel, who established a flourishing trade along the Baltic region.

Moses Jacobson de Jonge settled in Memel in 1664, at a time when the Jews were still excluded from the Duchy of Prussia. De Jonge soon established a flourishing trade with Poland, Lithuania and Livonia, almost monopolized the highly important salt trade, while limiting the quantities he imported from Holland so that the price remained high. The quantities he imported were so high that the goods from his ships could easily deprive local merchants of their livelihood and during the years 1694-96 he paid 80 per cent more in customs duties than all the other merchants of Memel put together. His mercantile success brought upon him many complaints from the other merchants, but the revenues he paid to the state, brought him the admiration and protection from the monarch.