Judensau
(German for "Jews' sow" or "Jewish sow") A
derogatory image of Jews in obscene contact with a
large sow (female pig), which in Judaism is an
unclean animal, they appeared during the 13th
century in Germany. Their popularity in continental
European lasted for over 600 years.
Mostly carvings on church or cathedral walls,
often outside where they can be seen from the
street. The earliest appearance seems to be on
the underside of a wooden choir-stall seat in
Cologne Cathedral, dating to about 1210.
Remaining Judensau today:
Austria: Wiener Neustadt France:
Metz (Cathedral)
Belgium: Aarschot (Notre Dame
Church)
Poland: Gniezno (Cathedral) Sweden:
Uppsala (Cathedral)
Switzerland: Basel (Cathedral)
Germany: Bamberg (Cathedral),
Brandenburg (Cathedral),
Cadolzburg, Colmar, Église
Saint-Martin (2 examples),
Cologne, (underside of a
choir-stall seat in the
Cathedral probably the earliest
example) and in Church of St.
Severin, Eberswalde, Erfurt
(Cathedral), Heilsbronn
(Cathedral), Lemgo (St Marien),
Magdeburg (Cathedral), Nuremberg
(St Sebaldus Church), Regensburg
(Cathedral), Remagen (Gate
post), Wimpfen (Church of St.
Peter), Wittenberg (Town
church), Xanten (Cathedral),
Zerbst (St Nicolas Church)
