Jewish histories in Rothenburg ob der Tauber

There is no Jew left in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, even since 1938, when the locality was proudly declared 'Judenfrei', but very often on the cobblestone streets you may encounter small groups of religious Jews visiting. The relation of this locality with the Jews is just another example of Jewish histories in Central Europe, particularly in Germany.

In the gardens of the former imperial castle of the Hohenstaufen, there is a stone memorial that reminds the victims of the famous Rindtfleisch pogrom, the first large-scale Jewish persecution after the Ist Crusade. In 1298, following the accusations of desecration, by the Jews in Röttingen, nowadays Franconia-Bavaria, of a consecrated host, a certain Lord Rindtfleisch - not sure if the name was a relation with his butcher job or due his obstination of killing Jews - assumed a 'mandate in heaven' and gathered people inciting to pogrom. He had succeeded and around 5,000 Jews were killed in the Franconian region. Around 450 Jews, many among them women and children, took refuge in Rothenburg but were massacred without mercy. The memorial monument, inaugurated in 1998, a work by Peter Nedival, has inscribed the words of a survivor of the pogrom: 'With a bitter soul a bitter lament'.

The memory of the two Jews - among many other across the German lands - who took part at the WWI: Hans Löwenthal and Moritz Gottlob.

Apparently Jews returned here after the pogrom, but only for a couple of hundreds of years. The theologian Johann Teuschlein incites anti-Jewish hysteria and Jews will be forbidden from entering the town in 1520. At the time, they represented around 10% of the population.

The situation changed only after 1861 allowed the return of the Jews. Then, many of the Jewish prayer halls and synagogues were turned into churches, like in the case of the one Schrannenplatz. Another example of a former synagogue that become a church is St. Mary Chapel. 

The Jewish quarter - Judengasse - remains an interesting area to visit, with its small houses and quiet streets has 21 buildings intact from the time of the Middle Ages, being considered the only surviving late medieval street in Europe.

During the breaks between pogroms and persecutions, Rothenburg ob der Tauber often played the role of an important center for the German-speaking Jewry. At the Reichstadtmuseum - Imperial Museum - one can visit a collection of cemetery stones and other important objects that belonged to the Jews here. 

One of the most famous Jew that lived here for a short time is the Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg, born in Worms, who was a traveler in this area. He often visited Würzburg, Augsburg or Kostritz, but settled here for a while, and even established a yeshiva in his house. The Maharan of Rothenburg is a major author of tosafos on Rashi's commentaries. He also approaches questions regarding taxation of Jewish communities or the sensitive issue of the payment of ransom for returning the kidnapped Jews - dead or alive. Himself, Rabbi Meir will be such a victim too. 

Many tombstones that are now preserved, were discovered in 1914 a the site of the Jewish medieval cemetery. Nowadays, the Jewish memories are discretely inserted into the daily histories of the city, to be noticed by those who are looking for them.

Sometimes, you just need to rise your eyes to spot a small Magen David inscribed in the walls of a building. They tried hard to destroy us, but it was always something left impossible to annihilate.

The Jewish and Israeli tourists may roam freely on the streets of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. A city without Jews but with so many memories that should not be forgotten.