Abstract
- The Black Death, the second major plague pandemic caused by the spread of the bacteria Yersinia pestis, emerged in the Holy Roman Empire in 1348. Throughout its spread until 1352, the plague devastated residents of the Holy Roman Empire regardless of demographic features. However, Christians at the time believed that members of Jewish communities died at significantly lower rates than themselves, and already existing sentiments of antisemitism grew into the assignment of blame onto Jews. This concurrent spread of plague and antisemitism resulted in pogroms and other forms of mass violence against Jewish communities across Europe, but specifically in the Holy Roman Empire. Throughout the course of the Black Death, Jews faced persecution not because of legitimate contribution to the spread of the plague, but for baseless claims rooted in the anti-Semitic nature of medieval Europe.
Recommended Citation
Stanger, Abigail M
(2024)
"Disease and Discrimination: The Persecution of Jews in the Holy Roman Empire during the Black Death,"
The Cardinal Edge: Vol. 2:
Iss.
1, Article 6.
Available at:
https://ir.library.louisville.edu/tce/vol2/iss1/6
Included in
European History Commons, European Languages and Societies Commons, History of Religion Commons, Jewish Studies Commons, Medieval History Commons
