Notgeld - Information about antisemitic..

Thanks A LOT, Christian. Sorry to abuse your amiability, but there is one more note I`d like to know more about. Something quite nasty is going on here and I don't know what/why, can't find anything online in English.

 

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That one happens to be in the Bildindex too:
http://www.bildindex.de/obj20430053.html

The text at the bottom says How, in Brakel, thieves were punished in former times
Top left: Such an iron seesaw (that crane/cage construction, C.), dipped into the water, would also be useful today - for the racketeers, profiteers, squanderers.
Top right: What to the simple minded looks like a mere sitting instrument, smart judges knew how to use that for educational purposes.

Don't expect a word by word translation though.

Christian

 

Sorry to bring this old thread again, got a couple of notes and would like some info.

This is a 50 pfennig 1921 notgeld from Thale. It is called "Jew sitting with the devil":



On the back it shows views from the city. I got just these 4, I think there are a few more:




Top left says "Thale a.H. Oberer Stadtteil"
Top right says "Partie an der Bode. - Herz Jesu-Kirche"
Bottom left says "Wintersport in Thale"
Bottom right says "Hexentanzplatz mit Hirschgrundfeisen"

I would appreciate if anyone with a catalog could tell their values, and if some of these views are indeed more rare and valuable than others.

The figure on the left seems like a devil, with that tail and horns, but was the figure on the right intended to picture a jew? Or is it something else and this note considered antisemitic by mistake?

I got Grabowski catalog vol. 10, it seems this note is not in it.

Thanks.

 

Don't know much about the possible value etc., but the character depicted on the right looks like a witch to me. That would also make sense as we all know that witches are active in that area. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexentanzplatz_(Harz)

The text "Zur Erinnerung an die Stadtwerdung" refers to when Thale got city rights. Thale has been a city since 1922; probably the decision was made in 1921 (the year on the note) then ...

Christian

 

Makes sense, chrisild, thanks for the info. Numerous websites and collectors consider these antisemitic and mention the jew figure, not a witch... I wonder if its a mistake. Would like to know the reason for this, and how are these described in a catalog (if they are at all).

 

Don't ask me, but maybe others know more about this. When I think of the Harz mountains, and particularly Thale, I think of tale characters such as the Wild Man (often depicted on coins too), of devils and witches - that is why I assume it's one. But may well be that I am wrong.

Some other Thale notgeld notes:
http://www.ak-ansichtskarten.de/ak/index.php?menu=92&shop=16689

By the way, here are two MA auctions that also have some catalog reference in the descriptions. Maybe that helps ...
http://www.muenzauktion.info/auction/item.php?id=2095698
"Katalog: Mehl/Grabowski 2003: Nr.1320.13 b; l; e"
http://www.muenzauktion.info/auction/item.php5?id=2095703
"Katalog: Mehl/Grabowski 2003: Nr.1320.13 g"

Good luck with your search!

Christian

 

Another note from Ambergau, from same series as shown in 1st post by OP. This time there is plenty of "Jude" and "Judengold" in it, so I got a suspicion about this one.

As usual, hope @chrisild would join and translate.

 

Not just a suspicion - that one is obviously anti-Semitic again. Poems are difficult to translate word by word, even if they are as bad as this one. So let's see ...

(left)
Instead of royal power (or the King's power) it is Jewish gold that rules.
The art is fine (huh?, C.); in the gold of the Jews the noble man has to bow.
(right)
The Jew (is) cheeky/fresh, the German pale,
fall apart, you beautiful Deutsches Reich, into pieces.

Christian

 

Thanks a lot.

 

I`ve got a certain catalog here, and it clearly lists the following 2 notgeld as antisemitic. Would appreciate a lot any input from @chrisild on this matter.

Was it "Judenhof" and "Judendorf" that made the author think it is antisemitic? I could'nt find whats "Judenhof".

 

Actually I don't have the foggiest idea. Of course the word Jude/Jew has, by itself, not a negative connotation - what makes the difference is the context or who says it. If people live in a "Jewish Quarter", like in Antwerp nowadays, there is nothing wrong with the term. Now if it means that Jews in a city had to live in a certain quarter in medieval and early modern times ...

The two notgeld issues are from Austria, and I suppose that a village name like Judenhof and Judendorf simply meant that a significant number of Jews lived there. Judenhof was part of Neustadtl/Donau, and was apparently renamed during WW2; has been Berghof since then. Judendorf is part of Gratwein-Straßengel now.

Don't see why any of the two should be antisemitic. If at all, renaming Judenhof into Berghof, well after that note was issued, reflected some antisemitism ... or maybe just the fact that those Jews had all gone or been "removed". (Wikipedia links in German; the English pages do not provide much info.)

Christian