Introduction: Protection, Encounters and Exclusion

In the medieval Rhineland-Palatinate, active Jewish communities emerge not only in cities but also in smaller locations. There is evidence of more than 20 Jewish communities in smaller towns and villages dating back to the 14th century at the latest. As so-called “Kammerknechte”, servants of the royal chamber, the Jews report directly to the Emperor. They are granted protection and rights to hold property, practice their religion, and engage in economic activity, as well as autonomy regarding legal matters within the community. In return, they are required to pay taxes, some of which reach significant amounts, directly to the Emperor. In everyday life, cooperation, persecution, exclusion and pogroms are often very close together. As a result, even in the Middle Ages, Jews were already forced to wear certain symbols on their clothes.