Erfurt Synagogue and Hoard
Type:
Synagogues,
Coins,
Jewelry
Date:
Late eleventh century with significant rebuilding in 1250–1320
Location or Findspot (Modern-Day Country):
Germany
Description:
The late eleventh-century synagogue in Erfurt, sometimes called the Alte Synagoge (Old Synagogue), is one of the oldest in Europe, although it was largely rebuilt in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. It houses the Erfurt hoard of medieval coins, vessels, and jewelry buried near the synagogue in the middle of the fourteenth century. These items were likely hidden because Jews were facing increased persecution during the Black Death. Anti-Semitism in Erfurt reached its peak in 1349, when one thousand Jews were massacred.
Relevant Textbook Chapter(s):
7,
9
Repository and Online Resources:
• For more details of the synagogue and hoard, watch a video on Jewish life in Erfurt.
• Read more about the hoard and other aspects of Jewish life in Erfurt on the city's official website.
Image Credits:
Wikimedia Commons
