The House of Jaray

Sigmund Jaray

was born Sigmund Jeitteles in 1838 in Temesvar (Timisoara) Romania, which at the time was in the Austrian Hungarian empire. Sigmund had two brothers Alexander (Sándor), and Adolf, and three sisters Ida, Cilli, and Nelly. Since at the time of this writing we know little of his sisters who presumably married and changed names, we're left only to follow the trail of the Jaray brothers for whom documents are more easily available.

Austria's history

was influenced by its position along the great migration route between Asia and Europe, and by the interaction of Roman, Slavic, and Germanic cultures. The history of Austria began during Charlemagne's rule. He defeated the Avars of Hungary and on the banks of the Danube formed the eastern section of the Holy Roman Empire, the Ostarichi, later anglicized to Austria. In 976, Leopold von Babenberg, ruler of Austria, moved the capital around the country, finally settling on Vienna.

Leopold III. Babenberger Stammbaum (Detail), Stift Klosterneuburg, 1489/93

In 1246

the Hapsburgs emerged to establish the most famous dynasty in Europe. The 20 emperors and kings of the Hapsburg line ruled the Holy Roman Empire until its abolition in 1806, and ruled Austria itself until 1918. The Hapsburg Empire stretched from Spain in the west to the Netherlands in the north, Italy in the south and Balkans in the east.

City of Vienna "Friedrich II. der Streitbare in der Schlacht an der Leitha" (last Babenberger), Babenberger-Stammbaum, Stift Klosterneuburg, 1489/93

The age of Baroque

permeated Europe and Austria adopted the style with enthusiasm. The next century saw Empress Maria Theresia reform government, education and finance and her successor Joseph II elevated Vienna into the golden age of music. Haydn and Mozart were succeeded by Beethoven and other composers.

Maria Theresia and on her right side Josef II., Painting by J.H. Füger, 1776

The Jeiteles (Jeitteles)

family emerges as a family of scholars in Prague. Prominent in medicine, and the cultural arts. Aloys Jeitteles wrote the words to Beethoven's "An die Ferne Geliebte", and much has been written of Dr. Jonas Jeiteles (1735 - 1806), chief physician of the Jewish community hospital. The medical achievement which most earned him the name "Father of the Prague Enlightenment" was his propagation of Edward Jenner’s smallpox vaccination in the face of Jewish and Christian prejudice. He inoculated his own daughter and 1500 other patients, and in 1784 after an audience with Joseph II, was the sole Jewish physician permitted to treat patients "without consideration of their religion".

The Jewish Encyclopedia describes the Jeiteles family from 1629 to the 1860’s, with numerous publications & accomplishments. It includes a family tree beginning with Moses Simon (1629) to the grandsons of Dr. Jonas in 1860’s. Even if we are not sure if those Jeiteles are related to us we shall try to follow this family forward.

An die ferne Geliebte Op. 98, Ludwig van Beethoven, text by Aloys Jeitteles

According to a letter of

ISRAELITISCHE KULTUSGEMEINDE WIEN, it's proved now that the parents of Sigmund, Alexander and Adolf were MARCUS JEITTELES, a furniture trader, and Julie née Steinbach.

In 1844, Magyar (Hungarian) became the official language. The Magyar people wished independence from Austrian rule and in 1867, a compromise reached by Emperor Franz Joseph resulted in the dual monarchy of Austria and Hungary.

With Magyar being adopted as the new official language, people began changing surnames to the Magyar pronunciation. As a result, the Jeitteles name in our branch of the family was changed to "Jaray" (pronounced Yaray). Sigmund, Alexander and Adolf Jeitteles and their three sisters, all saw their surname changed from Jeitteles to Jaray. Their cousin Malvine Jeitteles from another branch of our family saw her name become Jetley.

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