Between Expulsion and Emancipation: Jewish Villages in East Swabia during the Early Modern Period

Between Expulsion and Emancipation 59 Between Expulsion and Emancipation: Jewish Villages in East Swabia during the Early Modern Period* RolfKieBling Rolf Kiel31ing, fonnerly professor of history at the Catholic University of Eichstlitt, is currently chair of Bavarian and Swabian history at the University of Augsburg. His publications include: Biirgerliche Gesellschajl und Kirche in Augsburg (m Spiitmittelalter: Ein Beitrag zur Strukturanalyse der oberdeutschen Reichsstadt (1971); Die Stadt und ihr Land: Umlandpolitik. Biirgerbesitz und Wirtschajlsgefiige in Ostschwaben vom 14. bis ins 16. Jahrhundert (1989); and Judengemeinden in Schwaben im Kontext des Alten Reiches (editor, 1995). His current project is the history of rural Jewish communities in the early modem period. Introduction When in 1988 the Gennanische Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg, in conjunction with the Haus der Bayerische Geschichte, presented one of the ftrst comprehensive exhibits on the "History and Culture of the Jews in Bavaria,"l the topic gained public interest that had already existed for some time in other parts of the German-speaking world.2 Understandably, the fate of the Jews in National-Socialist Germany has long attracted·Translated by Dean Phillip Bell from selections of "Einfiihrung," (pp. 11-19) and "Zwischen Vertreibung und Emanzipation: Judendtz Freiherr von Pl>lnitz (Munich, 1954), pp. 269-84; Wilhelm Hauser, "Karl Markgraf von Burgau (1560-1618): Sein Leben und Begrlibnis in Gilnzburg!Donau," Jahrbuch des Historischen Vereins Dillingen an der Donau 82 (1980): 166-200; for the economic context, see: Rolf KieBling, Spannungsfeld der Groj3stiidte (Giinzburg, 1990), here at pp. 36f; see also Paul Auer, Geschichte der Stadt Giinzburg (Gllnzburg, 1963), pp. 56-59. Between Expulsion and Emancipation 75 cause.7S Whereas the Markgrafhad, in 1616, pennitted ten percent as the maximum, there were complaints of"excessive, unpleasant, usurious interest" ofup to twenty-five percent. In addition, the regular increases in numbers of resident Jewish families was viewed as burdensome. The effort at expulsion, however, aroused the opposition of the upper Austrian government, which emphasized its duty ofprotection. MarkgrafKarl carried out the expulsion, at least from the cameral regions of Giinzburg, Burgau, Scheppach, and Hochwang, which were under his direct authority. Still, in reaction to the expulsion emperor Matthias issued a letter ofprotection76 for the Jews in Neuburg an der Kammel, Thannhausen, Hiirben, Binswangen, Ichenhausenand Pfersee, that is, the regions under noble and civic authority in 1618. The variable interests wert~ obvious. While the territorial authority affirmed the protection ofthe Jews, not least to strengthen its territorial sovereignty, it was primarily the emperor who brought into play the principal authority ofprotection: The territorial subjects, on the other hand, saw in the Jews largely troublesome competition. Markgraf Karl gave in to this pressure in a particular situation but restricted the expulsion to the regions directly under his influence. The Ritterschaften on the other hand pursued an independent policy, which earlier favored settlement, because offiscal considerations. Still the situation ofthe Jews remained precarious even in the regions governed by the Imperial nobility. In 1622 the new local lord Bruno von Stain declared the expulsion of the Jews from Ichenhausen to the east for the following year.77 Again the threecornered power of the emperor and Landesherrschaft (government from Innsbruck), local Herrschaft (Bruno von Stain) 'and the Jews became obvious. The local lord referred to his privileges-the jurisdiction and control over the Jews-and derived from them the power of settlement and expulsion. Alleged Jewish usury, traffic in stolen goods, as well as Jewish violations ofprovisions to restrict business on Sundays and holidays, served as arguments for expulsion. For their part, the Jews defended themselves against these accusations with petitions to the Austrian government, calling for toleration and protection and dismissing the accusations as unfounded. As the conflict escalated, the Jews' economic activities were harrassed. There are even indications that the local authority incited Christian residents against the Jews. The 7SAuer, Geschichte der Stadt Giinzburg, pp. 59--61; Hauser, "Karl Markgraf von Burgau (1560-1618)," pp. 188f; Seitz, "Gllnzburg," pp. 478-80; Braun, "'Von gemainer Judischhait in Schwaben,''' pp. 27-32. 76Published by Sinz, Ichenhausen, pp. 246f; Hahn, Krumbach, pp. 133f. 77Sinz, Erganzungen zur Ortsgeschichte von Ichenhausen (Ichenhausen, 1928), pp. 74-76; in GanzenmlllIer, lchenhausen, p. ISS, and Juden aufdem !-ande, p. 18 it is only...