Erfurt
On the trail of Jewish history
In the Middle Ages, Jewish merchants played an important role in the old trading city of Erfurt. Their expulsion began in the 14th century. Under Prussian rule in the 19th century, Jewish citizens once again shaped the city's economy and cultural life.
The remains of one of the oldest synagogues in Europe (Old Synagogue) bear witness to this past. Today, Jewish ritual, Jewish everyday life and Christian-Jewish coexistence, but also conflicts, persecution and expulsion of Jews in the Middle Ages are documented in Erfurt with more authentic evidence than in any other place in the world.