Benedikt Arnstein

Benedikt David Arnstein (15 October 1765 – 6 January 1841), also known by the pen name Arenhof, was an Austrian playwright. He is considered the first German-language Jewish dramatist and poet.

Biography
Benedikt Arnstein was born in Vienna into a prominent Jewish banking family, the son of wholesaler David Isaak Arnstein. His grandfather was the prominent banker Adam Isaac von Arnstein (son of Isaak Arnstein), and his aunt the socialite Fanny von Arnstein.

He began working at his grandfather's banking house in 1782, but left in 1786 to undertake a series of travels across Germany, France, Spain and Italy. This enabled him to become personally acquainted with many distinguished writers of his time, including Johann Baptist von Alxinger and Ignaz Liebel, who introduced him to classical Greek and Roman literature. His literary circle included Joseph Friedrich Freiherr von Retzer, Joseph Schreyvogel, August von Kotzebue, Joseph Franz Ratschky, and Gottlieb Leon.

Apart from individual poems, which appeared in monographs and almanacs, Arnstein published numerous dramatic works, some of which were performed at the Burgtheater in Vienna. His 1782 work Einige jüdische Familienscenen celebrated the Edict of Tolerance of Emperor Joseph II.