Objekt 2111
Murder of the Jews
Description
The first Jewish community in Basel formed around 1200. Like everywhere
else the Jews were discriminated against. They were neither permitted to
join a guild nor to pursue a trade. Thus their main profession was the lending
of money; many people, also from the upper classes, were in their
debt. When the Great Plague hit Europe, the Jews were accused of poisoning
the wells. In Basel, too, nearly all the Jews were killed in 1349 – five
months before the plague reached the city. The Jewish cemetery was destroyed
and its gravestones used to build the outer city walls.
Object description
Fragment of a Jewish grave stone
site: Basel, Petersplatz, 13th century
stone
given by the Baudepartement Basel-Stadt
Inv. 1939.785.