Vested Interest: Redressing Jews on Michelangelo's Sistine Ceiling

Badge of dishonor: Jewish Badges in medieval Europe

“…Deuteronomy forbade usurious lending between brothers, but permitted it from one stranger to another. This was interpreted to mean that lending money with interest was prohibited to Christians, but tolerated from Jews, who were considered strangers to the Christians of Europe (Wisch, 2003). Because Jews were associated with money and were thought to deserve punishment simply for existing, the tax burden on individual Jews and Jewish communities could be bankrupting.…”

“…Some countries ordered Jews to wear specific head coverings, outer garments, or shoes (Katz, 2000;Ravid, 1992;Rubens, 1967;Wisch, 2003). Eventually, however, virtually every country under papal authority required a fabric badge, though they differed in appearance.…”

“…Over the next 250 years, Portugal, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria replaced what they had initially compelled Jews to wear with a badge (Kisch, 1957;Rubens, 1967). Some countries ordered it worn on the waist, or the back, but the left breast, upper arm, or shoulder were the most common positions for the Jewish badge (Katz, 2000;Rubens, 1967;Wisch, 2003).…”

“…Yellow badges appeared in Switzerland, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy, but not every country stipulated yellow, and some countries like England changed their demands from one colour to yellow or vice versa (Wisch, 2003). Portugal, for instance, ordered a yellow badge in the shape of the modern asterisk before changing the colour to red in 1391.…”

“…at least 7.37 centimeters or 2 7/8 inches' (Wisch, 2003, p. 148). Twenty years later, to make it more difficult to hide, its size was more than doubled (Wisch, 2003). Like the colour yellow, the reasoning for the shape is unknown.…”