344 THE GERMAN PASSION-PLA Y 



Another phase of symbolism in the mediaeval drama 

 has already been briefly referred to (p. 262), namely, 

 the extravagant brutality displayed by the Jewish per- 

 secutors of Jesus. The character thus thrust on the 

 whole Jewish nation was but slightly a result of reli- 

 gious feeling it was more, perhaps, the outcome of 

 racial antipathy but, in the chief place, its origin must 

 undoubtedly be sought, like that of the modern German 

 Judenhetze, in economic conditions. The Jew of the 

 Middle Ages was the successful middleman and the 

 economically necessary but widely hated money-lender. 

 He was known only to be feared by both townsman 

 and peasant. 1 Thus to exaggerate the Jewish cruelty 



a dance of the nursemaids employed by Joseph with Arnold and Gulrich the inn- 

 keepers. In the Digby Mysteries (ed. Furnival, p. 164) we find Will and Under- 

 standing getting up a dance with Indignation, Malice, Discord, etc., and Mind 

 says this is the "develys daunce." 



1 Perhaps the best expression of the bitter unreasoning hatred of the medi- 

 seval German for the Jew will be found in Luther's Von den Jilden und jren 

 Liigen, Wittemberg, 1543. Luther, after attributing to the Jews every evil 

 quality and all possible vices, conies to the kernel of the matter when he touches 

 the economic side. He writes : 



Ja wohl, sie halten uns Christen in unserm eigen Lancle gefaiigen ; sie lassen mis 

 arbeiten im Nasenschweiss, Geld und Gut gewinnen, sitzen dieweil hinter dem Ofen, 

 faulenzen, pompen und braten Birn, fressen, saufen, leben sanft und wohl von 

 unserm erarbeiteten Gut ; haben uus und unser Giiter gefangen durch ihren ver- 

 fluchten Wiicher, spotten dazu und speien uns an, dass wir arbeiten, und sie faule 

 Jtinker lassen sein von dem Unserm und in dem Unserm ; sind also unsere Herrn, 

 wir ihre Knechte mit unserm eigen Gut, Schweiss und Arbeit, flucheii darnach 

 unserm Herrn, und uns zu Lohn uiul zu Dank. 



As remedy, Luther suggests to the princes (i.) To set fire to their syna- 

 gogues and schools, and cover with earth what will not burn ; (ii. ) to break into 

 and destroy their houses ; (iii.) to deprive them of prayer-books and Talmuds ; 

 (iv. ) to prohibit their Rabbis teaching ; (v. ) the abolition of all safe-conduct for 

 Jews upon the highways ; (vi. ) to forbid usury and deprive the Jews of all their 

 money, gold and silver ornaments ; (vii.) to put into the hands of strong young 

 Jews the spade and of Jewesses the spinning-wheel, and let them earn their 

 bread in the sweat of their brow. "But, summa, my lords and princes who 

 have Jewish subjects, if you do not follow my counsel, take a better, that you 

 and we may be freed of all the unsufferable, devilish burden of the Jews." 

 Such is hardly even an average sample of Luther's abuse, yet it will suffice to 

 illustrate the feeling manifested in the passion-plays under a different form. 



