Academic paper from 2021 in the field of European history - Middle Ages, Early Modern Period, grade: 2.1, language: German. Abstract: What stories can medieval Jewish tombstones still tell us today, and why have they been preserved until now? How were they designed, and what forms, symbols, and inscriptions were used? Why is the Jewish cemetery in Erfurt so special, and what can still be recognized on a tombstone today? With my work, I aim to highlight that the stones found, which once stood in the medieval Jewish cemetery in Erfurt, are an important relic of the past and continue to provide information about this period.

To address the issue of Jewish tombstones more closely, the entire cemetery cannot be overlooked as an object of study. The cemetery plays a significant role not only in a religious sense but is also essential for the historical development of a place and its Jewish community. Tombstones can be regarded as indestructible witnesses of time, as they provide insights into the situation of the time and help analyze and archive it for the future.

The medieval sites in Erfurt hold a special status, as they are the fourth-largest remains of Jewish tombstones of Ashkenazi Jews. In 2022, the application for World Heritage status will be reviewed, which will determine their inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage list. In the Erfurt area, 110 tombstones, at least partially intact, with specific features, symbols, and inscriptions that will be described and analyzed in detail below, were discovered during numerous construction works and excavations. The medieval cemetery in Erfurt is largely built over today, but the stones are exhibited, among other places, in the Erfurt City Museum.