Jewish Migration in Late Middle Ages. The example of Erfurt

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The high mobility of Jews in Medieval Europe is a well-known fact. Changes in settlement patterns as well as migration flows were pointed out. On the other hand a detailed study of the causes, the process and the consequences of migration movements with special regard of individual Jewish families and single Jewish communities is missing.The late medieval city of Erfurt, with a large, blooming Jewish community, was a crossroad of many migratory streams in Thuringia and a popular destination for Jewish immigrants from Silesia, Bohemia and Moravia. In Erfurt it can be well observed that many Jews, partly through external influence, emigrated or immigrated in several phases until in 1453/4 all Jews have to leave Erfurt after the town council refused further protection.The planned research project is intended to show exemplarily the migration movements and economic activities of Jews in the late Middle Ages based on prosopographic data from Erfurt. Attention should also be paid to the economic and political circumstances of the migrations movements. The research project is focused on the key factors for immigration and emigration as well and the economic and social effects on Jewish families and the Jewish community. In the same way the region Thuringia is closely involved in the research project. Comparing the results of the study with published data for the Jewish communities of Wroclaw and Nuremberg serves to specify the outcome of the study.