Jews of Prague
Encyclopedia
The Jewish community of Prague
(capital of today's Czech Republic
) is one of Central Europe
's oldest and most well-known Jewish communities.
, an artificial man made out of clay. The “Golem” was brought to life by placing a tablet with Hebrew inscription in its mouth. The oldest grave in the cemetery belongs to Rabbi Avigdor Kara. Surprisingly, this cemetery would not be intact today, if it wasn’t for Hitler’s diabolical plan. Other Jewish cemeteries conquered by the Nazis were destroyed and the gravestones were used during target practice, but Hitler ordered that this cemetery be saved to serve as part of a museum after all the Jews had been extinguished.
gave the Jews of Prague the honour of a flag in 1357. The red flag includes a yellow Magen David (Star of David
), often considered to be the first use of a Magen David to represent a Jewish community.
In 1648, Ferdinand III
gave the community a flag for helping fight off Swedish attackers during the Thirty Years' War
.
A simple flag of a yellow Magen David on a red field is now used to represent the Jewish community and the old Jewish quarter now known as Josefov
.
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
(capital of today's Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
) is one of Central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
's oldest and most well-known Jewish communities.
Basic Overview
The 16th century began the Jewish Renaissance in Prague. Prague nobility in 1501 allowed for an open atmosphere of economic activity. Yet during the Habsburg reign, the Jewish people were expelled twice in 1542 and 1561. Each time they returned to prosper even more. From 1564-1612, the reigns of Maximilian and Rudolf II were “golden ages” for the Jews in Prague. In the early 18th century, the Jews accounted for about one fourth of Prague’s population. More Jewish people lived in Prague than anywhere else in the world. This “golden age” ended with Empress Maria Theresa abdicating the throne, and expelling the Jews once again.The Jewish Quarter and Ghetto
There was no legal transition from the Jewish Quarter to the ghetto. In was unstated but understood. Known as the Judenstadt, the ghetto was the center of Jewish mysticism. From 1522-1541, the population of the ghetto almost doubled due to influx of Jews expelled from Moravia, Germany, Austria and Spain. The ghetto grew in area because laws allow the Jews to build homes on land next to the ghetto. Inside the ghetto the Jewish people had their own town hall with a prized small bell used to call attendees to meetings. The Jews even had permission to fly their own flag. Jewish living in the ghetto prospered in many diverse professions such as mathematicians, astronomers, geographers, historians, philosophers, and artists.Old Jewish Cemetery
The Old Jewish Cemetery, the oldest Jewish cemetery in Europe, opened in 1439 and closed in 1787. The cemetery is located on a small plot of land between the Pinkas Synagogue and the Klausen Synagogue. During the four hundred plus years that the cemetery was active, about 200, 000 Jewish people from the ghetto were buried there. Because the cemetery was only capable of holding around ten percent of the amount of Jews buried there, the graves spanned about twelve tombs deep. The most famous tomb belongs to Rabbi Loew, who was born in 1525 and died in 1609. Loew is thought to be the creator of the GolemGolem
In Jewish folklore, a golem is an animated anthropomorphic being, created entirely from inanimate matter. The word was used to mean an amorphous, unformed material in Psalms and medieval writing....
, an artificial man made out of clay. The “Golem” was brought to life by placing a tablet with Hebrew inscription in its mouth. The oldest grave in the cemetery belongs to Rabbi Avigdor Kara. Surprisingly, this cemetery would not be intact today, if it wasn’t for Hitler’s diabolical plan. Other Jewish cemeteries conquered by the Nazis were destroyed and the gravestones were used during target practice, but Hitler ordered that this cemetery be saved to serve as part of a museum after all the Jews had been extinguished.
The Synagogues
During the Renaissance in Prague, four major Jewish synagogues were built and completed. The Pinkas Synagogue served the people of Prague, beginning in 1479. It showcased Renaissance design, throughout its architecture. Franz Kafka, a famous writer of the time, attended services there. The synagogue resided in a flood zone, which caused a myriad of damage. In 1591, Emperor Rudolph II allowed the building of the Maisel Synagogue, named for the benefactor Mordechai Maisel, who donated the money for the temple’s building. This synagogue suffered through multiple fires. Another Synagogue, located on other land donated by Maisel, was the Klausen Synagogue. Built with Baroque style, the temple opened in 1694. Finally, the High Synagogue stood and still stands next to the Jewish Town Hall. Since the actual synagogue/ sanctuary is on the second floor the people dubbed it the High Synagogue. This synagogue served the seniors of the ghetto.Flags of the Jews of Prague
Charles IVCharles IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....
gave the Jews of Prague the honour of a flag in 1357. The red flag includes a yellow Magen David (Star of David
Star of David
The Star of David, known in Hebrew as the Shield of David or Magen David is a generally recognized symbol of Jewish identity and Judaism.Its shape is that of a hexagram, the compound of two equilateral triangles...
), often considered to be the first use of a Magen David to represent a Jewish community.
In 1648, Ferdinand III
Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand III was Holy Roman Emperor from 15 February 1637 until his death, as well as King of Hungary and Croatia, King of Bohemia and Archduke of Austria.-Life:...
gave the community a flag for helping fight off Swedish attackers during the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
.
A simple flag of a yellow Magen David on a red field is now used to represent the Jewish community and the old Jewish quarter now known as Josefov
Josefov (Prague)
Josefov is a town quarter and the smallest cadastral area of Prague, today Czech Republic, formerly the Jewish ghetto of the town. It is completely surrounded by Old Town...
.