| Simon Deutz | |
| Birth Date: | 1802 |
| Birth Place: | Koblenz, Germany |
| Death Date: | 1844 or 1852 |
| Occupation: | Courtier |
| Parents: | Emmanuel Deutz |
Simon Deutz (1802-1852) was a German-born French courtier.
Simon Deutz was born in 1802 in Koblenz, Germany.[1] He emigrated to Paris with his family in 1806.[1] His father, Emmanuel Deutz, served as the Chief Rabbi of France, from 1810 to 1842.[2] [3]
Deutz was an advisor to Marie-Caroline de Bourbon-Sicile, duchesse de Berry.[1] When, in 1832, she tried to regain her son's claim to the throne, after the July Revolution, Deutz denounced her to King Louis Philippe I.[4]
Deutz converted from Judaism to Roman Catholicism in 1828,[1] and he received the Christian name Charles Gonzaga.[2] However, as early as 1832, he made requests to the Consistory of France to be able to convert back to Judaism.[3] Initially denied, he eventually converted back to Judaism after Adolphe Crémieux interceded in his favour.[3] Meanwhile, he married in London, then moved to the United States, and finally moved back to France.[3]
Deutz died in 1852.[1] Professor Catherine Nicault of the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne has argued that Deutz's betrayal of Duchess Berry led to more antisemitism among the French aristocracy in the 19th century.[4]