Schauplatz Brunnplatz
During the renovation of the municipal property at Brunngasse 8 in Zurich’s Old Town in 1996, an important wall painting was discovered on the second floor, which is dated to the beginning of the 14th century. At that time, the house was owned by a Jewish family, as evidenced by several surviving documents. The family commissioned the mural, parts of which can still be seen today in the place where it was painted a good 700 years ago.
This work of art makes it possible to imagine oneself back in the world of this wealthy Jewish family. The confident and playful handling of the motifs is evidence of how familiar the family was with the surrounding culture in the prosperous Central European city of Zurich. It is also fortunate that several written sources have survived which provide further insights into the position and fate of this family.
These aspects make the Brunngasse site unique in the context of European cultural history in several respects. The museum created from this find is a testimony to the occasionally fruitful and creative coexistence of Jews and Christians, but also to the fragile ground on which this took place.
Publication: Frau Minne und die Züricher Juden
