Newfound Jewish gravestones in Erfurt raise hope of UNESCO designation
More than twenty Jewish gravestones were recently discovered in the middle of Erfurt in Thüringen; the oldest dates back to 1259. It was erected as a memorial for “Mrs Dolze, daughter of Mr Asher”. The name Dolze or Dolce was a very common name at that time.
In total the city of Erfurt can muster 58 Jewish gravestones or fragments thereof, which is a remarkable heritage in so far as the Jewish graveyard was abandoned after the eviction of the Jews in 1453. Afterwards the sandstones were reused as building material, while the plot was reused as the building ground for a communal barn and grain depot.
The graveyard was rather large as Jews from Arnstadt, Weimar and Gotha were using it as a burial site. Most of the burials were destroyed in the 15th century, but some intact graves may still be found east of the great warehouse. This plot of land will not be excavated as a Jewish graveyard is considered a “House of Eternity” and supposed to be protected forever.
The burial stones are discovered at an opportune moment, as Erfurt is currently trying to get its medieval Jewish heritage listed as a UNESCO World Heritage. Part of this is the remarkable Old Jewish Synagogue, which stem from the 11th century. This makes it the oldest surviving synagogue in Central Europe. In 2009 it was renovated and converted into a museum. On the ground floor a small but impressive exhibition tells the story of the building and the changes it underwent after the pogroms of 1349, when the building was sacked. Afterwards it was sold to a corn dealer, who used the building as a warehouse. Later it was turned into a restaurant and dance hall, which kept it from being destroyed by the Nazi regime. It took until 1992 before the history of the building was discovered.
However, the most impressive exhibition is in the basement, where a magnificent treasure is on display. The treasure was found quite by accident in 1998 hidden in a nearby medieval cellar. It dates from 1349 and has a total weight of about 28 kilograms. The largest part consists of 3141 silver coins and 14 silver ingots of various sizes. More important though are the 700 individual pieces of Gothic art made of Jewish Goldsmiths. The outstanding piece is a golden Jewish wedding ring from the early 14th century. But brooches, belt buckles, trimming for robes and dresses plus silver dishes and cups should also be mentioned.
On the first floor a number of impressive documents, amongst those the largest known medieval Torah, are exhibited.
Not far from the old Synagogue lies the medieval ritual Bath, the Mikveh, which is another part of the Jewish Heritage in Erfurt. In can either be visited as part of a tour or seen through the window covering the ruins. Primarily, women, who went into hiding while menstruating or after having given birth to a child, used it for their ritual cleansing. Before they were allowed to share the bed of their husband. The Mikveh had to be fed with running water and was accordingly situated close to the river Gera. Today the water level is generally much lower than in the Middle Ages, although this winter is an exception. The building was about 3 meters long and nearly a meter wide. In the North wall was a niche for a light, while access was from the West. In 2010 a beautiful plaster-head of a young, beardless man wearing a crown of lilies, was found as part of a reused sandstone block under a thick layer of mortar. It dates back to the 12th century, which dates back to the 12th century. Whether it was part of the original Mikveh is not known.
Read more about the Old Synagogue, the Mikveh and the other Jewish buildings in Erfurt