The Countess of Desart. 1857-1933

The Countess of Desart. Ellen Odette Cuffe, Countess of Desart (née Bischoffsheim, 1857-1933), was London born Jewish woman; who was best known as an Irish politician, president of the Gaelic League, reviver of the Arts and Craft movement. and member of the Industrial Society in Ireland. She donated millions to various charities in England and Ireland. She was the daughter of Henri Louis Bischoffsheim, a wealthy Jewish banker of German origin. He was partly responsible for founding three of the largest banks in the world; Deutsche Bank, Paribas Bank, and Société Generale. The Countess was president ofthe Women's Committee of the Jewish Temporary Shelter in London and directly involved in the rescue of over 150,000 Russian Jews from Tzarist Russia, before the borders of England closed, with the enforcement of Aliens Act in 1906. She invested in various projects, library's, hospitals, housing etc in Kilkenny, southern Ireland. She championed workers' rights privately and in 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 jewelers to the Emperor. They lost all their property'sand possessions in 1938, when Austria was annexed by Germany. Many of her cousins in Paris died in Auschwitz. The author has researched this book over twenty years, accessing archives in Ireland, England, Poland, Austria, and Russia, to complete his research. The Countess is regarded as the most important Jewish woman in Irish history. This is the first book to be published on her life, philanthropy and great works.