travel

history of the Judensand cemetery

Judensand cemetery in the German city of Mainz – a place steeped in history. Its origins go back to the 11th century, making it an important witness not just to the Jewish community of Mainz. It is part of the serial UNESCO World Heritage that connects the cities of Mainz, Worms and Speyer since summer 2021.

The site is one of the oldest Jewish cemeteries in Europe. Established in the Middle Ages, it served as the final resting place for members of the Jewish community. Today, there are around 1,700 historical gravestones in the cemetery.

Denkmalfriedhof

In the older part, the gravestones were subsequently re-erected after they were found again in the 19th century and returned to the cemetery. They no longer mark the actual burial sites. When the Jews were expelled from Mainz in 1438, the headstones were used as building materials. The cemetery became a vineyard. This part may only be entered for religious reasons.

Who was Gershom Ben Yehuda?

Among the rediscovered medieval finds in the city area was the memorial stone of Gershom ben Yehuda – known as the “Lamp of Exile”. He was one of the most influential scholars at the turn of the millennium whose legal advice and regulations remained valid centuries after his death.

Although the ShUM communities on the Rhine have been repeatedly targets of violence and expulsions, the Jewish heritage in these cities has stood the test of time as a unique testimony and living part of Ashkenazi Judaism outlast. Today there is once again a lively Jewish community in Mainz with almost 1,000 members.
(Source: City of Mainz)

the new section

“After the Jewish community was dissolved in the 15th century, it slowly re-established itself in the 17th century. On the remaining lower part of the “Judensand” there are gravestones from around 1700 to 1880, when the cemetery was finally closed. Only this lower part of the Judensand is accessible to visitors.”
(Source: City of Mainz)

Headstones in the old section of the graveyard are not ornamental. in the newer one, tombs decorated with artistic inscriptions and symbols tell the stories of the families, their traditions and the lives of the people who found their final resting place here – a testimnaony to craftsmanship and status.

The Judensand cemetery is not only a historical monument, but also a place for encounter and intercultural dialogue. Various initiatives and tours strive to educate visitors about the importance of this place and keep the memory of the past alive.

history of the Jews in Mainz

Over the centuries, as in so many other places, Jews have left significant traces in Mainz, characterized by cultural wealth, religious diversity and tragic events.

The beginnings of the Jewish community in Mainz go back to the Middle Ages. In the 10th century the city became an important center of Jewish life. The Jewish population contributed significantly to the city’s cultural prosperity, particularly in the areas of science, art and commerce. Still, they faced serious problems.

In the 15th century the Jews were expelled. It was in the late 18th century that they were finally given the same rights the Christian citizens of Mainz.

A centre of independent Jewish culture was undoubtedly the synagogue, an impressive building and symbol of Jewish life and community. Their destruction in the so-called “Kristallnacht” in 1938 marked a dark turning point in the history of the Jews in Mainz. After the Second World War, the Jewish community experienced a new beginning, and survivors found a home again in Mainz.

What is ShUM?

Mainz, Speyer and Worms, often referred to as “ShUM cities”, play an important role in the history of the Jewish community in the Middle Ages. The abbreviation “SchUM” comes from the first letters of the German names of these cities: Magenza, Schpira, and Warmaisa.

Together, Mainz, Speyer, and Worms form an outstanding cultural heritage of Jewish history in Germany and beyond. These cities represent an era of intense intellectual and cultural activity, but one also marked by challenges and persecutions, particularly during the Crusades and later anti-Semitic attacks.

Kellersbild – where a mysterious woman took Knight Keller’s life in the woods.

It feels peaceful when you are out and about in the forest around Baden-Baden. What could possibly happen here?

And yet, there is a place here where horrific things are said to have happened. Right here among those trees…

The Old Castle of Baden-Baden (Altes Schloß)

The story takes place a long time ago. A young knight named Burkhart Keller was in love with a young woman who lived on the other side of the forest, he often went to visit her in the evenings As befits a knight, he had a servant. You don’t want to roam through dark forests alone, not even as a knight, do you?

One night he met a strange woman in the woods who was sparingly dressed and extremely seductive. Keller was delighted with this unexpected encounter. Especially when the strange seductress showed an obvious interest in him.
On one of the following nights, Keller met the woman again, who this time was not only lightly dressed but completely naked, much to the delight of the knight who completely forgot about his fiancé.

The next day, Keller did some research. There were rumors about an ancient altar from Roman times buried in the exact same place where he had met the mysterious woman. Keller gor the servants digging. They found the altar of a wood nymph and the marble statue of a beautiful woman. The knight had both put up again where they were unearthed. And although he had been warned not to go there at midnight, he did, spurred on by the charms of the scantily clad beauty. The beautiful wood nymph was already waiting for him at the altar when Keller arrived. His servant fled back to the castle in terror but Keller stayed. The woman came up to him. Closer and closer, she put her mouth on his and sucked the soul out of his body. In the morning, Keller’s cold body was found not far from the altar.

A picture of Burkhart Keller’s fatal encounter in Baden-Baden’s Trinkhalle

There is a crucifix where the altar stood, on which often a dead light burns, a light for a knight killed by a nymph.

Grieving but furious, Keller’s brother had the altar destroyed and a cross erected at the place where his brother died. This cross is still standing and is called Kellerskreuz.