After a decades-long dispute about the so-called Judensau at Regensburg Cathedral, a new information board is to provide information about the anti-Semitic sculpture. “The participants have jointly found a way of dealing with this historical legacy, which as the “Regensburg Way” can be a model for dealing with similar abusive sculptures,” said Bavaria’s Minister of Education Michael Piazolo (Free Voters) on Monday at the unveiling. “The sculpture is intended to warn everyone to take action against all forms of propaganda, hatred and exclusion,” emphasized the Bavarian anti-Semitism commissioner Ludwig Spaenle (CSU).
The controversial Regensburg stone sculpture dates from the first half of the 14th century and can be seen at a height of several meters on the facade of the cathedral. The depiction, directed in the direction of what was then the Jewish Quarter, shows a pig with Jews sucking its teats. In the Middle Ages, such reliefs were used to stir up hatred against Jewish fellow citizens. According to the city of Regensburg, there are such abuses in 48 places in Europe. In Bavaria, this also applies to the Church of St. Sebald in Nuremberg and Cadolzburg Castle in Middle Franconia.
Due to the discussions about the Regensburg “Judensau”, a text plate was attached below the sculpture in the mid-2000s. However, the explanation given at the time was already criticized as insufficient. Spaenle has now developed a new information board together with those responsible for the Jewish communities, the Christian churches and government agencies. This is intended to provide a better historical explanation of the “Judensau” and to make it clear that the Free State of Bavaria, as the owner of the church building, and the Catholic Diocese of Regensburg, as the user, are distancing themselves from the anti-Jewish depiction. The plaque reads: “With this inhuman propaganda, Jews were declared enemies of Christianity. Hatred was stirred up against them for centuries. The result was exclusion, persecution and even murder.” Visitors can also use a QR code on site to get more information on their smartphones.
Some critics of the abusive sculptures are calling for the historical hate messages to be removed from the monuments altogether. There is a corresponding legal dispute about the “Judensau” at Luther’s sermon church in Wittenberg. However, the Federal Court of Justice decided last year that the presentation, which also has an explanatory text, may be retained. The case is now with the Federal Constitutional Court.