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The Jewish Community of Munster, Alsace

Munster

A commune in the Haut-Rhin department in the historical region of Alsace, France. Munster was annexed by Germany between 1871-1918

Jews settled in Munster during the first half of the 14th century. Two Jews from Munster, Talyat and Anshelm, were cited as witnesses in an act passed in Colmar on December 11, 1313. On March 13, 1338, Emperor Louis of Bavaria, during his stay in Colmar, donated to Lord Hanemann of Hattstatt the house of the Jew Simon dit Bonamy de Munster, a house which was inherited by the emperor following death of its owner. As a result of the anti-Jewish massacres that followed the Black Death plague in 1349, the Jewish community of Munster was destroyed.  Jewish presence in Munster is documented again attested in 1439.

A handful of Jewish families lived in Munster during the second half of the 19th century.

The archives of the Benedictine abbey of Munster keep an accounting register from the 17th century that was written on a re-used parchment bearing on outer sides a text in Hebrew, in elegant Ashkenazi square calligraphy. The text has been identified as a fragment from Sefer Mitzvot Gadol (“The Great Book of Commandments”), negative precept 138, by the 13th century Tossafist Moïse ben Jacob de Coucy, also known as Moshe de Coucy.

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The Jewish Community of Munster, Alsace

Munster

A commune in the Haut-Rhin department in the historical region of Alsace, France. Munster was annexed by Germany between 1871-1918

Jews settled in Munster during the first half of the 14th century. Two Jews from Munster, Talyat and Anshelm, were cited as witnesses in an act passed in Colmar on December 11, 1313. On March 13, 1338, Emperor Louis of Bavaria, during his stay in Colmar, donated to Lord Hanemann of Hattstatt the house of the Jew Simon dit Bonamy de Munster, a house which was inherited by the emperor following death of its owner. As a result of the anti-Jewish massacres that followed the Black Death plague in 1349, the Jewish community of Munster was destroyed.  Jewish presence in Munster is documented again attested in 1439.

A handful of Jewish families lived in Munster during the second half of the 19th century.

The archives of the Benedictine abbey of Munster keep an accounting register from the 17th century that was written on a re-used parchment bearing on outer sides a text in Hebrew, in elegant Ashkenazi square calligraphy. The text has been identified as a fragment from Sefer Mitzvot Gadol (“The Great Book of Commandments”), negative precept 138, by the 13th century Tossafist Moïse ben Jacob de Coucy, also known as Moshe de Coucy.

Written by researchers of ANU Museum of the Jewish People