Language:
German
Year of publication:
2023
Titel der Quelle:
Judaica. Neue digitale Folge
Angaben zur Quelle:
3 (2023) 27 pp.
Keywords:
Clock and watch industry
;
Jews in the professions
;
Jews Economic conditions
;
Industrialization
Abstract:
Towards the end of the19th century, the previously thriving Swiss watchmaking sector founditself in a deep economic crisis. Thefact that the economic sector foundits way outof this plightwas largely dueto Jewish watchmakers and dealers, who broughtaboutstructuralchangethrough openness andinnovative strength. It is therefore necessary to ask why itwasnecessary for this immigrantminority group to modernize a branch ofproductionthatwascentral to Swiss export trade. Aftera brief introductionto the economic history ofSwitzerlandandthe process of industrialization, as wellas some generalexplanations of the history ofwatch production, this article deals with theJewish contributionto theindustrialization ofSwiss watchmaking. In additionto an economichistoricalperspective, cultural, religious, andsocialhistorical aspects are also examined. Finally, based on the example of the Jewish watchmanufacturers, the question willbe pursued as to whatcontribution microhistory can maketothe understanding of large processes, or to put it another way: what can the peripheral case ofJewish watchmakers in the Neuchâtel Jura contribute to the history of industrialization?
DOI:
10.36950/jndf.2022.9
URL:
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