Die jüdische Minderheit vor dörflichen Niedergerichten in der Frühen Neuzeit

Abstract

With regard to the large presence of Jews in the legal system during the early modern period the present article investigates judicial and sentencing practices. It is focused on the discrepancy between the equal treatment of Jews in court as cives romani on the one hand and on the other hand anti-Jewish stereotypes in the society of that time. The Jewish delinquency was marked by the stereotype of the "deceitful Jew", which was often encountered during court proceedings. However, court decisions were usually not affected by this stereotype.Hereby, the courts supported the interests of the local authorities in ensuring a peaceful life in the villages, thus indirectly stabilizing the Jewish-Christian coexistence.