Page:Jewish Encyclopedia Volume 2.pdf/617

567 567

Basch

THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA

Basel

at Brzecz, Lithuania; from 1701 to 1709 lie was engaged in several printing-establishments at Berlin

the Jews in the diocese of Basel and Strasburg, in consideration of 3,000 marks (Lichnowsky, "Reges-

he worked at Frankfort-on-the-Oder; and to 1730 with Joseph Bass at Dyhernfurth. 3. <?et>i (Hirsch) Baschwitz Printer in Frankfort-on-the-Oder from 1788 until 1813 or later. He translated Jedaiah Bedersi's "Behinat 'Olam" into German (Frankfort-on-the-Oder, 1802), and published a new edition of Arama's "Hazut Kashah," on the harmony of tradition and philosophy. A sermon delivered by him at Frankfort-on-the-Oder on the conclusion of peace, Jan. 18, 1816, also appeared in print. It is in dispute whether the epistolary guide (" Ready Letter- Writer "), published at Frankfort-onthe-Oder in 1789, is to be attributed to him. The family name was later changed to "Baswitz." The family is still in existence one of its mem-

No. 90; Wiener, "Regesten," p. 11). principal source of income of the Jews of Basel, in addition to trade, was the lending of money, of which Jews here, as everywhere else in Europe, possessed a monopoly, because usury was forbidden to the Christians by the canonical law.

in 1708

from 1719





who

died April 7, 1870, was president of the congregation of Berlin. The genealogy of the family may be given as follows, with the period of their activity as printers stated in parentheses:

bers,

(2)

Zebi (Hirsch) ben Me'ir (1701-32) (1)

I

(1784)

(3)

ZeM

(Hirsch)

Bibliography:

Steinschneider, Cat. Bodl. Nos. 7858, 7859; idem, in Zeit. fUr die Gesch. der Juden in Deutschland, iii. 270 Zedner and Roest, s.v. Basehwitz Alia. Zeit. des Jud.

1870, pp. 3, 12.

A. F.

G.

BASEL

Capital of the canton of Basel-Stadt, Switzerland, bordering on the grand duchy of Baden and on Alsace. Owing to its flourishing trade, it was inhabited by Jews as early as the middle of the thirteenth century, or perhaps even earlier. In 1223 Bishop Henry of Basel borrowed large sums from Jews living there. They were not confined to a ghetto, as was the case in German and in Spanish cities most of them lived near the cattle-market. Many of them dwelt in houses of their own, In the built on plots of ground belonging to Thirteenth the monasteryof St. Leonard, to which

•

Century,

they had to pay 30 solidi every Christmas. Besides this they were compelled

to loan on demand 5 pounds to the council of the city for half a year on security, but without interest. In proportion to the number of houses they acquired and inhabited, their taxes were in-

creased.

They had

their synagogue the cattle-market,

and

their

near the the "schale" (butchers' stalls) were not fit to be eaten according to their dietary laws (see Teefa), the meat was to be sold outside of the schale, in order that it might not come in contact with other meat. The Basel Jews had to pay tribute not only to the city, but also to the emperor, under whose protection they stood, and whose " Kammerknechte " they were. In 1279 Rudolph I. pledged to the bishop of Basel, "for his faithful services," the protection money paid by all slaughter-house

in

furriers'

If cattle

stalls.

killed

In a riotous procession they appeared with town hall, and compelled the

council to deliver the Jews to their fury (Albrecht of Strasburg's " ChronDeath. icle, " p. 147). On Jan. 9, 1349, without previous trial, the Jews were burned on an island in the Rhine, in a wooden house erected for the purpose. Many children were saved from death by fire, and baptized against the wishes of their parents. The Jewish cemetery, which was located below St. Alban, was destroyed; and the tombstones were used for the wall of the inner moat. In 1658 more than 570 tombstones were found and in 1853, in the course of building some houses in the so-called "Petersgraben," then long since filled up, many of these stones bearing Hebrew inscriptions were exhumed. The property of the expelled Jews became the spoil of the citizens. King Jews AVenzel presented the house of the

The Black

(1788-1813)





their banners before the

Me'ir (1754-82)

Baruch

This drew upon them the hatred of the populace and the more the burghers and the clergy became indebted to the Jews the greater became their hatred. In 1345 this had become so intense in Basel and Alsace that the bishop of Strasburg and many counts and gentlemen of the Alsatian cities, together with Basel and Freiburg, formed a league for five years for the repression of riots, "whether directed against priests or Jews " (Wiener, "Regesten," p. 50). In 1348 the Black Death broke out and the fable that Jews had poisoned the wells and springs was believed, since this was the best pretext for killing the Hebrews, and thus getting rid of the debts due to them. Like that of Strasburg, the town council of Basel wished to protect the Jews but the gilds, accustomed to having their own way, attacked the council.

I

Hirsch

(1765-88)

i.,

The



Me'ir (1731-36:)

Kalonymus

ten,"

in



Expelled Jew Rubin (called "Zum Hermelin") from Basel, and the synagogue to the court clerk J. Kircheim, and to the knight Wilhelm von Erlybach. Long after these buildings had come into possession of a citizen of Basel, King Ruprecht presented them to the master of ceremonies of the duke Leopold of Austria, and had later to recall

this gift, Feb. 15, 1404.

A decree, effect that

forced from the council in 1349, to the no Jews were to settle in Basel for the

next 200 years, did not remain in force very long. As soon as the excitement caused by the Black Death had subsided, the city again opened its gates to the Jews, and in 1361 they were once more living there. In 1365 the emperor Charles commanded the mayor, the council, and the citizens " to protect and to keep the Jews now living within Basel and those that will hereafter move there and settle, as the emperor's Kammerknechte, and to make the taxes as moderate as seems best to them." In 1366 Eberlin and his son, and Jutin the Jewess, were received under the protection of the city on payment of an annual sum. Eight years later, by a letter dated Nov. 25, 1374,