Expulsion of Jews from Speyer

Expulsion of Jews from Speyer

On October 15, 1435, the city council of Speyer, a city within the Holy Roman Empire, issued an expulsion order for all Jewish residents. The decree required Jews to leave the city within a short period and relinquish property and business holdings to local authorities. Enforcement was carried out by municipal officials.

Jewish communities had been present in Speyer since at least the 11th century, contributing to trade, finance, and moneylending. By the early 15th century, tensions between Jewish residents and local authorities had grown due to debts owed to Jewish lenders, economic competition, and periodic religious hostilities.

After the expulsion, many Jews relocated to nearby cities and principalities that allowed Jewish settlement, while others converted under pressure. Confiscated property and assets were absorbed by the city authorities. The expulsion of 1435 was part of a broader pattern of municipal expulsions within the Holy Roman Empire during the 15th century, which affected Jewish settlement patterns in central Europe for decades.