Eva Frank
Daughter of the False Messiah
Early Life and Support for Her Father
Eve Frank was born as Rebecca, the daughter of the self-proclaimed messiah, Jacob Frank. She accompanied her father extensively and staunchly supported him during his imprisonment. She actively disseminated his ideas, playing a pivotal role in promoting Frankism. After her mother's death in 1770, Eve continued to support her father, who was still incarcerated.
During Jacob Frank's imprisonment, several Jewish Frankists became wealthy and influential in the courts of Poland, Austria, and other European nations. Eve gained connections at the court and became a favorite of Emperor Joseph II of Austria, engaging in an intimate relationship with him. She introduced her father to high society, arranging two private audiences with the emperor. In 1778, Jacob Frank was granted the title of baron and purchased a castle in Offenbach.
As the supposed reincarnation of the Shekhinah, the feminine aspect of God, and the embodiment of the Virgin Mary, Eve became an object of religious worship. Her followers kept small statues of her in their homes. She was the only woman in Jewish history to claim the role of messiah.
After her father's death in 1791, Eve became the "Holy Lady" and leader of the sect, assisted by her two brothers, Joseph and Rochus. She initiated a mass mailing of "Red Letters" (written in red ink) to Jewish communities, urging them to convert to Christianity and join the sect. These letters had been written by Jacob Frank while imprisoned in Czestochowa.
Pilgrims continued to visit the "House of God" in Offenbach. Eve's advisors were her father's closest associates, the Wolovski brothers (formerly Shorrs) and Andrej Dembowski (Jeruchem Lipmanowicz). However, the sect's attempts at widespread proselytization failed to yield significant results. Numerous epistles sent to Jewish communities in Poland and Russia did not increase the sect's following. The cult's leaders lacked the necessary zeal and charisma to sustain its momentum, and income from pilgrims dwindled drastically while Eve continued to live in lavish style.
Visitors to Eve Frank in Offenbach were often met with skepticism and disappointment. An account by Moses Porges reveals a staged audience with Eve, complete with cryptic Kabbalistic explanations and a demand for money. Visitors were not allowed to look at Eve's face but only to kiss her feet.
Researcher Harris Lenowitz concluded that these audiences and Kabbalistic rituals, despite their superficial appeal, ultimately alienated visitors, creating an impression of quackery. As a result, the sect rapidly lost support. In 1800, Eve Frank informed her creditors that Rochus would travel to St. Petersburg and obtain a large sum of money. Frankists began soliciting funds from their sympathizers.
By 1816 (or 1817), the sect's debt had spiraled to three million guilders. A court ordered Eve under house arrest, but she unexpectedly died shortly thereafter. Rumors circulated that she had fled abroad with a former official from Isenburg.
A small group of Eve's followers continued to maintain the cult until the mid-19th century. Notably, the parents of Felix Frankfurter, a Supreme Court Justice of the United States, were among the sect's adherents.
