Unraveling a Mystery: Who Was Daniel David?

Daniel David was intimidating. You wouldn't want to get on his bad side, and encountering him in a dark alley could be terrifying. He knew all the shady characters in the markets. Daniel lived in the Italian city of Trieste, 800 years ago, and had the luck—or perhaps misfortune—to be mentioned in the oldest historical document referring to a Jew in Trieste.

Trieste sits on Italy's eastern frontier, north of Venice. In ancient times, a tribe called the Carnians resided there. Later, it was conquered by the Romans, and during the Middle Ages—the time in question—it was mainly under the control of the Habsburg Empire, based in Austria.

Being a border city, Trieste suffered attacks from Slovenian raiders crossing over. The area on the Slovenian side near Trieste is known as the "Karst." It preserves the name of the ancient Carnians tribe. The Karst terrain is geologically fascinating: full of caves, sinkholes, and grottos, offering an incredible experience to nature lovers. It houses some of the world's most famous caves, and scientifically, it's the origin of the term "karst cave." But such a terrain also attracted raiders and thieves. Slovenians, often desperate villagers, knew the territory well and moved skillfully through its caves and sinkholes, emerging into the wealthy port city of Trieste. They grabbed whatever they could find and slipped back across the border. No border guard had a chance of catching them.

This is where Daniel David comes into play. The document we have outlines an agreement between Bishop Vescovo Giavoni and Daniel David. Daniel committed to completely prevent the raid entries from the Slovenian Karst. How he planned to do this isn't specified... The bishop likely relied on Daniel's strength and connections, and his handsome reward of 500 Italian marks suggests the action was crucial for the city and its bishop.

Daniel was among the long-established Italian Jews whose community was recognized by Christian authorities. However, due to Trieste's trade activity, more Jewish merchants from Germany and elsewhere migrated there, and they were not permitted to open synagogues or foster public community life. Since they wanted to preserve their traditions, they held services in private homes in rotation. Later, after the Jews were expelled from Vienna, Jewish businessmen flooded the city. Christian authorities accommodated this reality but established a ghetto and decreed Jews live within it. The new rule included older Italian Jews, who were very displeased, but the Austrian authorities were not concerned. After prolonged debates and appeals, all Trieste Jews were moved to the ghetto in 1697.

Life in the ghetto was more challenging in material terms, but it preserved community life, customs, and traditions, with less assimilation. This was the case for nearly a hundred years. In 1785, the ghetto residency requirement ended. However, most Jews, who had grown used to the neighborhood, remained there, continuing to live in what became the "Jewish quarter."

Empress Maria Theresa viewed the Jewish trade in Trieste favorably. She personally drafted many decrees, sent letters, and wrote charters regulating Jewish immigration from Austria to Trieste and their trade. Her dynasty profited greatly as Trieste became a free port city, which significantly increased profits, and it was the only Austrian port leading into the Mediterranean. Though Maria Theresa was not fond of the Jews and even expelled them from Vienna, she could appreciate their talents.

In time, Trieste's Jewish community became predominantly Ashkenazi, unlike most Italian communities that followed Italian rites. Trieste became a Jewish hub with scholars, writers, bankers, and prominent businesspeople, evolving into a significant Jewish center. Perhaps due to this, the vile Germans set up a concentration camp near it, the Risiera di San Sabba, the only one of its kind in Italy. Yet, the Germans didn't complete their sinister plans there. 700 Jews were executed in the camp, and 1,500 were saved by the Yugoslav army that liberated Northern Italy.

Trieste's desirability led to an unusual situation after World War II: The British and Americans didn't wish to return it to Italy, who had allied with the Nazis, nor to Yugoslavia, which had become communist. Consequently, it was created as an international zone under UN control. This area included the Jewish neighborhood, which then became international...