Erfurt’s Jewish-medieval heritage receives UNESCO World Heritage status Von der Leyen travels to Lampedusa – Meloni calls for a stop to migrant boats

UNESCO has designated the Jewish medieval heritage in Erfurt, the capital of the state of Thuringia, as a new World Heritage site. The UN cultural organization decided this on Sunday during its ongoing meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Among other things, several buildings in the old town were honored, including a medieval ritual bath (mikveh) discovered by chance about 16 years ago, the so-called stone house, which was probably built around 1250, and the old synagogue of Erfurt. There are now 52 World Heritage Sites in Germany.

“The inclusion of the Jewish-medieval heritage in Erfurt as a new and second Jewish site on the UNESCO World Heritage List makes a further important contribution to making visible the common roots of Jews and Christians in Germany and Europe and preserving them for the future », said the German Ambassador to UNESCO, Kerstin Püschel. The new World Heritage site promotes understanding of Germany’s cultural diversity and mutual respect for its complex historical heritage.

Two years ago, UNESCO honored Jewish cultural resources in Germany for the first time. The so-called Shum sites in Mainz, Worms and Speyer were given the title of World Heritage as the cradle of European Jewry.

One of the oldest synagogues in Europe

The Old Synagogue of Erfurt is considered one of the oldest synagogues in Central Europe that has been preserved up to the roof. After a pogrom in the city in 1349, in which almost the entire Jewish community was wiped out, the synagogue was initially converted into a warehouse and later used as a restaurant and dance hall. The city suspects that this is why the building was later saved from destruction by the Nazis.

Today, the Old Synagogue houses a museum, the oldest building traces of which date from around 1094. Evidence of Jewish life in medieval Erfurt can be seen. This includes several thousand silver coins and bars, as well as gold and silverwork from the 13th and 14th centuries. The main piece is a gold wedding ring.

Researchers suspect that this so-called Erfurt treasure was buried during the pogrom in 1349. It was discovered during archaeological research in 1998 near the Old Synagogue. During the pogrom, the Jewish quarter surrounding the synagogue was set on fire and almost all of the approximately 1,000 members of the Jewish community were killed. Researchers believe there are few, if any, survivors.

Erfurt has been working on its application for recognition as a World Heritage Site for about 15 years. The city presented the award during a public viewing on Sunday.

Cheers and tears of joy

In Thuringia, UNESCO’s decision was greeted with great celebration. Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (left) praised the three award-winning buildings in the Old Town as architectural gems that uniquely testified to the peaceful coexistence of Jewish and Christian communities in the Middle Ages.

The World Heritage title reinforces the city and country’s joint efforts to preserve these historic sites and communicate their eventful history to the public. “May Thuringia send a message of a life of diversity and peaceful coexistence with this decision,” Ramelow said after the decision on Erfurt’s World Heritage status.

The mayor of the state capital of Thuringia, Andreas Bausewein (SPD), saw this as the result of years of meticulous preparation. “Now that Erfurt has been ennobled with the title of World Heritage, we must and will guard and protect this treasure as the apple of our eye.”

On Sunday, Bausewein and around 200 guests in the ballroom of the city hall followed the meeting of the responsible UNESCO committee in the Saudi capital Riyadh live on two monitors. After the announcement there was loud cheering, some had tears of joy in their eyes.

The chairman of the Jewish regional community, Reinhard Schramm, sees the World Heritage title as an attraction for tourists. The members of the Jewish community would now feel even more at home. Schramm also hopes for a kosher restaurant in Erfurt as part of the World Heritage designation. (sda/dpa)