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Hidden Treasure Of Erfurt
Hidden Treasure Of Erfurt Comes To New York
By Ben Nathan
Published on Thursday, September 04, 2008 - COMMENTS (0)
It was a thriving Jewish community in a thriving larger community in a thriving country. Erfurt was located on the banks of the Gera River, and Jews had prospered there for the past five and a half centuries. It became a center of trade and commerce. Jews and Christians existed together peacefully. Slowly and surely, however, anti-Semitism began its ugly rise. Social and economic ills took their toll, and the first opportunity to take it out on the scapegoats of Europe—the Jews—was soon to develop.
In 1349 the Black Plague, or Bubonic Plague, spread throughout Europe. At its height, the Jewish community in Erfurt faced expulsion or murder. A businessman, perhaps a merchant or perhaps a moneylender, got scared of the hording masses of people approaching. We will perhaps never know his name, but we will call him Reuvain. Reuvain was clearly terrified. The vicious murder of his townspeople began—100 of them would eventually be killed. What should he do? He had over 3,000 silver coins, over a dozen silver ingots, 600 pieces of jewelry, and a beautiful gold wedding ring. He went into the stone cellar of his private home and, under the wall, hid his carefully amassed hoard of silver and gold. In all likelihood, this was a hiding place he had carefully prepared before and had probably used often.
Reuvain planned to come back and retrieve his precious treasure, but it was not to be. He died before he was able to retrieve anything. And no one knew what had transpired.
Years passed. Decades and centuries passed. The church rose and fell on this soil, too. Martin Luther started his Reformation on this land. The gold, silver, and jewelry remained hidden. World War I came and went. Hitler rose and fell, but the treasure remained hidden.
Then, in 1998, during archaeological investigations in the vicinity of the Old Synagogue on 43 Michaelis Strasse, the treasure was discovered buried under the wall of the cellar entrance. What had been discovered was a window into daily life close to 800 years ago. The treasure began a worldwide tour as an exhibit in the finest museums in the world.
It will soon arrive in New York. “Erfurt: Jewish Treasures from Medieval Ashkenaz” will be on view at the Yeshiva University Museum during September 9–January 29. An international tour will follow, stopping at the illustrious Wallace Collection in London and at Beth Hatefutsoth in Tel Aviv. After this the objects go on permanent display in Erfurt’s Eleventh Century synagogue in the fall of 2009. Yeshiva University will be the only venue for this collection in all of North America. It is the first and only time that it is expected to be on display in the United States.
In an exclusive interview, the Five Towns Jewish Times spoke with the curator of the exhibit, Gabe Goldstein. Mr. Goldstein serves as the associate director for exhibitions and programs at Yeshiva University and has been with the museum for over 20 years. His background is in art history, history, and Jewish studies.
“Yeshiva University had been in contact with the museum in Germany for a few years. It was shown in Germany at the Medieval Jewish Festival. We were able to raise funds to support the project from various foundations. The Leon Levy Foundation was instrumental, and additional assistance came from the David Berg Foundation and Lufthansa Airlines,” said Mr. Goldstein.
Erfurt, in all probability, was the home of Rabbeinu Asher ben Yechiel, widely known as the Rosh, prior to his arrival in Spain. A new exhibition was designed and prepared by the Yeshiva University Museum staff, in consultation with the German museum.
Because the exhibition is such a rarity, the Metropolitan Museum of Art joined up with the Yeshiva University Museum. “This is the first joint effort with the Met in the history of the YU Museum, although we have worked together on projects previously,” remarked Mr. Goldstein.
Among the 167 objects on view will be a Jewish wedding ring in the shape of a tower, unique silver drinking vessels, coins, elaborate belt buckles, and a variety of garment accessories, all dating from the late 13th and early 14th centuries. In addition to the world-class jewelry and accessories, the exhibition includes a contemporary, three-dimensional model of the city’s synagogue during the 12th century, a 16th century map of Erfurt, photographs of important sites, and facsimiles of original manuscripts.
“Reuvain’s ring” is a handcrafted gold Jewish wedding ring from the early 14th century, one of the few medieval Ashkenazi wedding rings still in existence, although the genre is pictured quite frequently in Jewish encyclopedias. Well-preserved artifacts from this period are extremely rare. Jewelry was more often than not melted down when it was deemed antiquated or out of style. This ring features an ornate, miniature version of a gothic tower and six engraved Hebrew letters spelling out mazal tov, meaning “good luck,” written on the tower’s roof. Jewish tradition, dating back to the Talmud, mandates that wedding bands be made of plain gold without the addition of stones. Rabbeinu Tam’s explanation of this custom is that the Sages did not want there to be any misunderstanding between the groom and his bride about the value of the ring.
Other rarities included in the collection are a set of eight silver cups designed to fit inside each other, many dozens of belt buckles and garment items, a cosmetic set, and even seven brooches. The staff of the museum told the Five Towns Jewish Times that although no new research was initiated regarding Erfurt for the exhibition, what is known in Jewish history was carefully coordinated by the designers of the exhibition.
Yeshiva University Museum is in the Center for Jewish History at 15 West 16th Street in Manhattan, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Hours are Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults; $6 for seniors, students, and children ages 5–16.
“It is important to us that the price remains reasonable and accessible,” remarked Mr. Goldstein. Of all the items, Gabe is most excited about the ring, but his enthusiasm for the entire project was clearly apparent. “It is an unexpected time capsule in life in the 14th century—we are proud to be associated with it.
Hidden Treasure Of Erfurt Comes To New York
By Ben Nathan
Published on Thursday, September 04, 2008 - COMMENTS (0)
It was a thriving Jewish community in a thriving larger community in a thriving country. Erfurt was located on the banks of the Gera River, and Jews had prospered there for the past five and a half centuries. It became a center of trade and commerce. Jews and Christians existed together peacefully. Slowly and surely, however, anti-Semitism began its ugly rise. Social and economic ills took their toll, and the first opportunity to take it out on the scapegoats of Europe—the Jews—was soon to develop.
In 1349 the Black Plague, or Bubonic Plague, spread throughout Europe. At its height, the Jewish community in Erfurt faced expulsion or murder. A businessman, perhaps a merchant or perhaps a moneylender, got scared of the hording masses of people approaching. We will perhaps never know his name, but we will call him Reuvain. Reuvain was clearly terrified. The vicious murder of his townspeople began—100 of them would eventually be killed. What should he do? He had over 3,000 silver coins, over a dozen silver ingots, 600 pieces of jewelry, and a beautiful gold wedding ring. He went into the stone cellar of his private home and, under the wall, hid his carefully amassed hoard of silver and gold. In all likelihood, this was a hiding place he had carefully prepared before and had probably used often.
Reuvain planned to come back and retrieve his precious treasure, but it was not to be. He died before he was able to retrieve anything. And no one knew what had transpired.
Years passed. Decades and centuries passed. The church rose and fell on this soil, too. Martin Luther started his Reformation on this land. The gold, silver, and jewelry remained hidden. World War I came and went. Hitler rose and fell, but the treasure remained hidden.
Then, in 1998, during archaeological investigations in the vicinity of the Old Synagogue on 43 Michaelis Strasse, the treasure was discovered buried under the wall of the cellar entrance. What had been discovered was a window into daily life close to 800 years ago. The treasure began a worldwide tour as an exhibit in the finest museums in the world.
It will soon arrive in New York. “Erfurt: Jewish Treasures from Medieval Ashkenaz” will be on view at the Yeshiva University Museum during September 9–January 29. An international tour will follow, stopping at the illustrious Wallace Collection in London and at Beth Hatefutsoth in Tel Aviv. After this the objects go on permanent display in Erfurt’s Eleventh Century synagogue in the fall of 2009. Yeshiva University will be the only venue for this collection in all of North America. It is the first and only time that it is expected to be on display in the United States.
In an exclusive interview, the Five Towns Jewish Times spoke with the curator of the exhibit, Gabe Goldstein. Mr. Goldstein serves as the associate director for exhibitions and programs at Yeshiva University and has been with the museum for over 20 years. His background is in art history, history, and Jewish studies.
“Yeshiva University had been in contact with the museum in Germany for a few years. It was shown in Germany at the Medieval Jewish Festival. We were able to raise funds to support the project from various foundations. The Leon Levy Foundation was instrumental, and additional assistance came from the David Berg Foundation and Lufthansa Airlines,” said Mr. Goldstein.
Erfurt, in all probability, was the home of Rabbeinu Asher ben Yechiel, widely known as the Rosh, prior to his arrival in Spain. A new exhibition was designed and prepared by the Yeshiva University Museum staff, in consultation with the German museum.
Because the exhibition is such a rarity, the Metropolitan Museum of Art joined up with the Yeshiva University Museum. “This is the first joint effort with the Met in the history of the YU Museum, although we have worked together on projects previously,” remarked Mr. Goldstein.
Among the 167 objects on view will be a Jewish wedding ring in the shape of a tower, unique silver drinking vessels, coins, elaborate belt buckles, and a variety of garment accessories, all dating from the late 13th and early 14th centuries. In addition to the world-class jewelry and accessories, the exhibition includes a contemporary, three-dimensional model of the city’s synagogue during the 12th century, a 16th century map of Erfurt, photographs of important sites, and facsimiles of original manuscripts.
“Reuvain’s ring” is a handcrafted gold Jewish wedding ring from the early 14th century, one of the few medieval Ashkenazi wedding rings still in existence, although the genre is pictured quite frequently in Jewish encyclopedias. Well-preserved artifacts from this period are extremely rare. Jewelry was more often than not melted down when it was deemed antiquated or out of style. This ring features an ornate, miniature version of a gothic tower and six engraved Hebrew letters spelling out mazal tov, meaning “good luck,” written on the tower’s roof. Jewish tradition, dating back to the Talmud, mandates that wedding bands be made of plain gold without the addition of stones. Rabbeinu Tam’s explanation of this custom is that the Sages did not want there to be any misunderstanding between the groom and his bride about the value of the ring.
Other rarities included in the collection are a set of eight silver cups designed to fit inside each other, many dozens of belt buckles and garment items, a cosmetic set, and even seven brooches. The staff of the museum told the Five Towns Jewish Times that although no new research was initiated regarding Erfurt for the exhibition, what is known in Jewish history was carefully coordinated by the designers of the exhibition.
Yeshiva University Museum is in the Center for Jewish History at 15 West 16th Street in Manhattan, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Hours are Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults; $6 for seniors, students, and children ages 5–16.
“It is important to us that the price remains reasonable and accessible,” remarked Mr. Goldstein. Of all the items, Gabe is most excited about the ring, but his enthusiasm for the entire project was clearly apparent. “It is an unexpected time capsule in life in the 14th century—we are proud to be associated with it.
