Language:
German
Year of publication:
1992
Titel der Quelle:
Aschkenas; Zeitschrift für Geschichte und Kultur der Juden
Angaben zur Quelle:
2 (1992) 95-116
Keywords:
Christian legends History and criticism
;
Jews History
;
Antisemitism History Middle Ages, 500-1500
;
Antisemitism History 1500-1800
;
Blood accusation Fiction
;
Host desecration accusation
Abstract:
Examines the character of Christian informers mentioned in 180 written accounts of ritual murder or host desecration (usually mixing legend and reality) from German-speaking countries in the 12th-18th centuries. Many informers, often known criminals, confessed to having sold consecrated wafers or Christian children (in some cases their own) to Jews. The motives for such confessions are not always clear; some may have been extracted under torture when a particular city was looking for a pretext to expel the Jews. Mentions cases of Christians who, believing legends about the Jews, actually tried to sell them host wafers or Christian blood, but the Jews reported them to the authorities. In other cases, the alleged "informants" appear to be inventions, meant to make the story more convincing. Other "bad Christians" (in the eyes of the chroniclers) are the rulers who tried to protect the Jews. The few "good Christians" include child victims and some informers (mostly female converts) who were not themselves suspected of taking part in the alleged crimes.
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