Anti-Semitic sculpture in Wittenberg: New educational venue is being created!

Anti-Semitic sculpture in Wittenberg: New educational venue is being created!

In Wittenberg, the explosive issue of anti-Semitism is taking a new turn. The Judaizer Maren Krüger will curate the planned exhibition on one of the most notorious anti-Semitic reliefs, known as the “Judensau”. This depiction, located at the town church where Martin Luther once preached, is one of the most striking examples of anti-Jewish art in the Middle Ages in Germany. Krüger, who worked at the Jewish Museum Berlin until 2024, decided to work with the Evangelical City Church Community and the Evangelical Academy of Saxony-Anhalt to create an educational venue that illuminates the historical and theological environment of the insulting sculpture. ekmd.de reports that discussions about the removal or museum presentation of the depiction have been going on for decades.

The “Judensau” shows a rabbi kneeling behind a sow, along with two other men suckling on the sow’s teats. This grotesque depiction not only raised eyebrows, but also led to repeated calls for it to be removed from the church table. A lawsuit that was dismissed by the Federal Court of Justice in 2022 shows how controversial the issue is. In October 2022, the parish church council decided to reject the recommendation of a council of experts to remove the relief and instead to provide information about this burdened history. [katholisch.de](https://www.katholisch.de/artikel/58490-antisemitisches-relief-wittenberger-judensau-soll-lernort- Werden) states that a lawsuit to preserve the relief was rejected at any time.

Educational initiative to address anti-Semitism

In order to further develop the culture of remembrance surrounding the relief, a committee began its work in June 2023. One of the goals of this committee is, among other things, to defuse the position of the Protestant Church and to take a clear position against anti-Semitism. Pastor Matthias Keilholz urges us to emphasize the need for such a change. Academy director Christoph Maier emphasizes that Luther's anti-Judaism can be directly linked to this representation. The “Judensau” remains a central point of contention in the history of the city and the church.

The initiative includes four main pillars that are intended to shape the further development of the memorial. These include spiritual-theological impulses with annual theological discussions, specialized adult education, an increased educational horizon for schools and, finally, temporary artistic interventions. An additional information board that was set up in 2023 contains a request for forgiveness and highlights the Protestant Church's complicity in the persecution of the Jews. In addition, a floor plaque commemorating the Holocaust was installed in 1988.

Commitment to memory

The local population is faced with the challenge of coming to terms with a difficult historical legacy. Mayor Torsten Zubehör refers to a statement from the city council from 2017 that supports the preservation of the relief. On this basis, the decision to leave the “Judensau” in place and at the same time clarify it is a step in the right direction.

It remains to be seen how the planned exhibition under the direction of Maren Krüger will take shape and which processes of processing will trigger further discussions in the coming years. Dealing with the past will continue to be important in order to take a clear stance against anti-Semitism and to promote an educational culture that learns from history.