Acts – Page 52 – OAJA.org

1. Full Date of Act	1551 C.E.
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	Order issued by Archduke Ferdinand
3. Geography of Act	Present-day Czech Republic
4. Text of Act	Commentary from other sources: 1) “...when the Habsburg dynasty came to power under Austrian Archduke Ferdinand...The Jews of Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia were eventually allowed to return to their homes following the expulsion, but even though Habsburg rule was among the most liberal in all of Europe, a law was enacted in 1551 requiring Jews to wear distinctive clothing to separate them from the majority, Christian population.” "Virtual Jewish History Tour; Czech Republic." Online article
5. Source	None
6. Researcher	None
7. Year of Research	None
8. Notes	None

1. Full Date of Act	Jun. 25, 1551
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	§79 of the Decree of the Roman Imperial Majesty and the Estates Concerning Jewish Usury.
3. Geography of Act	Holy Roman Empire
4. Text of Act	[We] have decided, ordered, and commanded that the Jews shall henceforth not be allowed to create any promissory notes [contracts] or obligations with anyone other than the regular authorities, under which a contracting Christian resides. … And if, contrary to this, any promissory notes or obligations are created, they shall be deemed ineffective, void, and non-binding, and no judge shall recognize them. Furthermore, no Christian shall henceforth buy from a Jew his action and claim against another Christian, or in any way transfer such claims or actions as a creditor, or in any way assign or contract them to another.
5. Source	“Zweyter Theil Reichs-Abschiede von dem Jahr 1495 bis auf das Jahr 1551 [Second Part of the Imperial Decrees from the Year 1495 to the Year 1551],” Franckfurt am Mayn, 1747, p. 622, available from digitale-sammlungen.de.
6. Researcher	Lara Joy Pabst (DLA Piper UK)
7. Year of Research	2024
8. Notes	Researcher It was enacted at the Reichstag of Augsburg of 1551. Translator The text of this Act is available in German in the source above. It was translated using chatgpt.com.

1. Full Date of Act	Jul. 28, 1551
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	“Writ” of King Ferdinand addressed to his son Archduke Ferdinand
3. Geography of Act	Kingdom of Bohemia
4. Text of Act	Ferdinand […] highborn, friendly, dear son and prince! We are sending over to you dear, herewith, a copy of our mandate which requires the Jewry to wear a sign in all Upper and Lower Austrian principalities and lands that distinguishes them from the Christians […] And since not a small number, but rather the majority of Jews live in our Kingdom of Bohemia and its incorporated lands, we have found it necessary to have [you issue] a similar mandate in our Kingdom of Bohemia which orders Jews to wear such sign and markings.
5. Source	Zur Geschichte der Juden in Böhmen, Mähren und Schlesien von 906 bis 1620. Herausgegeben von Gottlieb Bondy, em. Präsidenten der Handels- und Gewerbekammer in Prag. Zur Herausgabe vorbereitet und ergänzt von Franz Dworsky, em. Director des Landesarchivs des Königreiches Böhmens. I. 906 bis 1576. (Prag; 1906); (Regarding the history of Jews in Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia from 906 to 1620. Published by Gottlieb Bondy, fo[rmer] President of the Trade and Commerce and Industry in Prague. Prepared for publication and supplemented by Franz Dworsky, fo[rmer] Director of the National Archives of the Kingdom of Bohemia. I. 906 to 1576.); (Prague; 1906)
6. Researcher & Translator	Ziba Shadjaani
7. Year of Research & Translation	2019
8. Notes	Researcher This document was drafted and signed in Vienna.

1. Full Date of Act	Aug. 1, 1551
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	“Yellow Stain” (Gelber Fleck) issued by Ferdinand I
3. Geography of Act	Holy Roman Empire
4. Text of Act	We, Ferdinand of God’s grace […] have ruled that from now on all Jews are to wear a Jewish sign […] made out of yellow fabric […] on the left side of their chest or skirts or dresses […] openly and undisguised […]. Those who violate this law after this month is over are to be taken to court by the authorities for the first two times. Those found to be violating this order for a third time, are to be expelled along with their wives and children from Our Austrian Princedom. […] Jews who are passing through are not to be punished for not wearing such signs. However, they are to start wearing them, as soon as they reach their destinations. […] And so, I command that all Jews who step into Our Princedom and country without a before mentioned sign are to be severely punished […] and that Our ruling is upheld. […]
5. Source	Braumüller, Wilhelm: Urkunden und Akten zur Geschichte der Juden in Wien. Erste Abteilung. Allgemeiner Teil 1526-1847. Erster Band. (Wien) 1918. p. 10 ff.
6. Researcher & Translator	Ziba Shadjaani
7. Year of Research & Translation	2016
8. Notes	None

1. Full Date of Act	Sep. 4, 1551
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	“Writ” of King Ferdinand I addressed to Archduke Ferdinand
3. Geography of Act	Habsburg Monarchy; Kingdom of Bohemia
4. Text of Act	Ferdinand […] highborn, friendly, dear son and prince! You are herewith reminded that we have sent you a copy of a mandate which we have issued for all the hereditary principalities and lands requiring Jews to wear a yellow ring which distinguishes them from the Christians and have desired/required […] from you that you discuss with the officers and the bohemian Chamber-Councils whether such a mandate needs to also be issued in the Kingdom of Bohemia and its hereditary lands […] which you have neglected to do so far. [Therefore], it is our […] gracious wish that you are not to delay such deliberations any further and instead further our wish and decision […].
5. Source	Zur Geschichte der Juden in Böhmen, Mähren und Schlesien von 906 bis 1620. Herausgegeben von Gottlieb Bondy, em. Präsidenten der Handels- und Gewerbekammer in Prag. Zur Herausgabe vorbereitet und ergänzt von Franz Dworsky, em. Director des Landesarchivs des Königreiches Böhmens. I. 906 bis 1576. (Prag; 1906); (Regarding the history of Jews in Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia from 906 to 1620. Published by Gottlieb Bondy, fo[rmer] President of the Trade and Commerce and Industry in Prague. Prepared for publication and supplemented by Franz Dworsky, fo[rmer] Director of the National Archives of the Kingdom of Bohemia. I. 906 to 1576.); (Prague; 1906);
6. Researcher & Translator	Ziba Shadjaani
7. Year of Research & Translation	2019
8. Notes	Researcher This writ of King Ferdinand addressed to his son, the Archduke, was probably not merely a request but a direct order to issue such a law. He does this again with another order, which the King issues on September 28, 1551.

1. Full Date of Act	1552
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	"Expulsion of Jews"
3. Geography of Act	Upper Bavaria
4. Text of Act	Commentary from other sources: 1) "Final and complete expulsion of Jews from the since 1505 reunited dukedom of Bavaria; residency, acquisition of real estate and commercial enterprises are forbidden to the Jews in the ducal territory." "Chronologie zur Geschichte de Juden in Bayern (906 - 1945);" RIJO RESEARCH; rijo.homepage.t-online.de
5. Source	None
6. Researcher	None
7. Year of Research	None
8. Notes	None

1. Full Date of Act	Jan. 2, 1552
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	State Constitution, issued by Christoph, Duke of Württemberg
3. Geography of Act	Present-day Germany
4. Text of Act	None of Our subjects shall borrow from the Jews, do business with them, or agree to any usurious contract with them, under penalty of corporal punishment and confiscation of property, in addition to being exiled from Our principality.
5. Source	Württembergische Kammer der Abgeordneten [Württemberg Chamber of Representatives] (govt. body). Verhandlungen der Württembergischen Kammer der Abgeordneten in den Jahren 1862 bis 64 (Proceedings of the Württemberg Chamber of Representatives in the Years 1862 to 1864). First Volume of Appendices, Second Part. Metzler: Stuttgart, 1863-1864. Page 1174.
6. Researcher	Dominik Jacobs
7. Year of Research	2020
8. Notes	None

1. Full Date of Act	1553
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	"Expulsion of Jews"
3. Geography of Act	Upper Bavaria
4. Text of Act	Commentary from other sources: 1) "Final and complete expulsion of Jews from the since 1505 reunited dukedom of Bavaria; residency, acquisition of real estate and commercial enterprises are forbidden to the Jews in the ducal territory." "Chronologie zur Geschichte de Juden in Bayern (906 - 1945);" RIJO RESEARCH; rijo.homepage.t-online.de
5. Source	None
6. Researcher	None
7. Year of Research	None
8. Notes	None

1. Full Date of Act	Jan. 11, 1553
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	Expulsion Decree, issued by Erich the Younger, Duke of Luneburg and Brunswick
3. Geography of Act	Present-day Germany
4. Text of Act	We, Erich, by God’s Grace Duke of Brunswick and Luneburg, herewith proclaim that, because we have learned that the Jews and their relatives, by way of their forbidden handling of gold and silver coins and exchange thereof, have violated the common laws of the holy empire, […] the Jews, with their wives, children and all of their possessions, may they be in cities, townships, markets, villages or any other place, are hereby banned from our duchy and exiled therefrom.
5. Source	Braunschweig. [Collection of Decrees from Braunschweig] : [Containing Four Decrees against the Jews]. (1529-1604): Offen Decree Collection AR 25245; Leo Baeck Institute.
6. Researcher	Dominik Jacobs
7. Year of Research	2020
8. Notes	None

1. Full Date of Act	May 13, 1553
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	“State-Regulation/Ordinance” (‘Landesordnung’) issued on behalf of Albrecht V, Duke of Bavaria
3. Geography of Act	Duchy of Bavaria
4. Text of Act	[…] henceforth, no Jew or Jewess may come into Our principality any longer to settle down or to pursue a trade or do [other] business, nor are they to be tolerated or admitted by anyone […]
5. Source	Bauer, Richard; Michael Brenner: Jüdisches München. Vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart. (München; 2006); (Jewish Munich. From the Middle Ages until the present.); (Munich; 2006)
6. Researcher & Translator	Ziba Shadjaani
7. Year of Research & Translation	2020
8. Notes	None

1. Full Date of Act	May 29, 1553
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	“Order” of Archduke Ferdinand addressed to (Lord) ‘Wenzel von Schwamberg’
3. Geography of Act	Habsburg Monarchy / Further Austria
4. Text of Act	Archduke Ferdinand orders Wenzel von Schwamberg to send all of his Jews to Prague so that they can discuss/compare/reach a settlement regarding a tax quota with the Jewish elders of Prague.
5. Source	Zur Geschichte der Juden in Böhmen, Mähren und Schlesien von 906 bis 1620. Herausgegeben von Gottlieb Bondy, em. Präsidenten der Handels- und Gewerbekammer in Prag. Zur Herausgabe vorbereitet und ergänzt von Franz Dworsky, em. Director des Landesarchivs des Königreiches Böhmens. I. 906 bis 1576. (Prag; 1906); (Regarding the history of Jews in Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia from 906 to 1620. Published by Gottlieb Bondy, fo[rmer] President of the Trade and Commerce and Industry in Prague. Prepared for publication and supplemented by Franz Dworsky, fo[rmer] Director of the National Archives of the Kingdom of Bohemia. I. 906 to 1576.); (Prague; 1906)
6. Researcher & Translator	Ziba Shadjaani
7. Year of Research & Translation	2019
8. Notes	Editor Present-day Czech Republic; Further Austria/Habsburg Monarchy Researcher This is a translation of a German summary of the original Czech text both of which can be found in the cited source. The document was drafted and signed in Prague Castle.

1. Full Date of Act	Aug. 12, 1553
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	An Edict issued by Julius III urging the seizure and burning of the Talmud.
3. Geography of Act	Papal States
4. Text of Act	An edict enjoining the bishops and magistrates to seize and burn all copies of the Talmud, as containing slanderous attacks against Christianity.
5. Source	Gotthard Deutsch and Isaac Broydé, “Julius III. (Giovanni Maria Del Monte),” The Jewish Encyclopedia, Volume 7, p. 391-392, available from jewishencyclopedia.com.
6. Researcher	Matthew Reese (Goodwin)
7. Year of Research	2024
8. Notes	None

1. Full Date of Act	Aug. 12, 1553
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	Papal Bull issued by Pope Julius III declaring all the books of the Talmud of the Hebrews should be burned.
3. Geography of Act	Papal States
4. Text of Act	The Talmud which we were able to collect, by the decree of our opinion, we ordered to be burned in the field of the Square of the Forum of this Alma City,… we are desirous that this salutary example may go forth from this Church, the Mother and Teacher of all, to the rest of the world, through the present authority of our office.
5. Source	Antonius Bladus, “Bullae Diversorum Romanorum Pontificum Incipientes a Bonifacio VIII usque ad S.D.N.D. Paulum IIII, [Diverse Papal Bullae Commencing with Boniface VIII through Paul IV],” Rome, 1559, available from archive.org.
6. Researcher	Emily Ranger-Murdock (Covington)
7. Year of Research	2024
8. Notes	Researcher According to the European Jewish Archives Portal, the original copy of this Papal Bull is currently housed in the State Archives of Mantua, Italy. For more information, see: European Jewish Archives Portal, “Gonzaga Archive, Church Issues,” yerusha-search.eu, accessed June 26, 2024. Additional research by Kate Wraith Translator This Act was translated from Latin using Google translate.

1. Full Date of Act	Nov. 6, 1553
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	“Writ” of Ferdinand I
3. Geography of Act	Habsburg Monarchy; Kingdom of Bohemia
4. Text of Act	[…] permits Flor[rian] Griesbeck of Griesbach to place a tax/levy of 395 Schock of b[ohemian] Gr[oschen] on the Jewish payment/currency/coins (’Pagament’)* forged in Kutná Hora/Kutna Hora (‘Kuttenberg’).
5. Source	Zur Geschichte der Juden in Böhmen, Mähren und Schlesien von 906 bis 1620. Herausgegeben von Gottlieb Bondy, em. Präsidenten der Handels- und Gewerbekammer in Prag. Zur Herausgabe vorbereitet und ergänzt von Franz Dworsky, em. Director des Landesarchivs des Königreiches Böhmens. I. 906 bis 1576. (Prag; 1906); (Regarding the history of Jews in Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia from 906 to 1620. Published by Gottlieb Bondy, fo[rmer] President of the Trade and Commerce and Industry in Prague. Prepared for publication and supplemented by Franz Dworsky, fo[rmer] Director of the National Archives of the Kingdom of Bohemia. I. 906 to 1576.); (Prague; 1906)
6. Researcher & Translator	Ziba Shadjaani
7. Year of Research & Translation	2019
8. Notes	Researcher The term ‘Pagament’ normally refers to a payment of some kind; here, however, it appears to be referring to either forged coins or paper money made of parchment paper. This is a translation of a German summary of the original Czech text both of which can be found in the cited source.*

1. Full Date of Act	Jan. 2, 1554
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	“Mandate” issued by Ferdinand I
3. Geography of Act	Europe (multi-countries)
4. Text of Act	[…] all Jews are to leave without further ado the Austrian lands and Gorizia along with their wives, children, servants, possessions, and goods by the next Saint John’s Day (‘Johannestag’) […]
5. Source	Engelman, Wilhelm: Das Judentum in Oesterrich und die böhmischen Unruhen (“The Jewry in Austria and the bohemian Unrest”); (Leipzig; 1845)
6. Researcher & Translator	Ziba Shadjaani
7. Year of Research & Translation	Research 2017 Translation
8. Notes	Editor Present-day Austria, Czech Republic, Italy Researcher Ferdinand extended the deadline on April 3, 1554, by one year. On March 31, 1555, he extended the deadline by another year. This ordinance was repeated in 1567, 1572, 1614 and 1625.

1. Full Date of Act	Feb. 15, 1554
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	“Decision” of the [City] Council of Münster
3. Geography of Act	Present-day Germany; Prince-Bishopric of Münster
4. Text of Act	[…] It is to be announced to the Jews by the messenger-meisters (‘Bottmeistere’), that they are to finalize all of their doings and businesses dealings […] and bring them to an end by the following Monday […] and to never be seen in the city again […]
5. Source	Westfalia Judaica III. Quellen und Regesten zur Geschichte der Juden in der Stadt Münster 1530-1650/1662. Herausgegeben von Diethard Aschoff. Institutum Judaicum Delitzschianum der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität Münster. Band 3.1. (“Jewish Westfalia III. Sources and Regests Regarding the History of Jews in the City of Münster 1530-1650/1662. Edited by Diethard Aschoff. Institutum Judaicum Delitzschianum at the Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Westphalia.”); (Münster; 2000)
6. Researcher & Translator	Ziba Shadjaani
7. Year of Research & Translation	2018
8. Notes	None

1. Full Date of Act	May 29, 1554
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	Papal bull “Cum Sicut Nuper” issued by Pope Julius III
3. Geography of Act	Present-day Italy
4. Text of Act	’That the Talmud, mentioning Jesus Christ ignominiously be damned and burned’ Julius III, Cum sicut nuper (1554)… [under pain of punishment] they [Talmud] must be destroyed and removed from the Jews, under pain of punishment or pecuniary, if their obstinacy or quality of the offense requires, bodily.
5. Source	“Les Papes et le Talmud.” No author. April 1, 2011. Accessed online article 8/30/2011 AND PAGE # AND RESEARCHER/DATE
6. Researcher	None
7. Year of Research	None
8. Notes	Editor Original webpage is in French, Google translate was used on 6/26/2012 to change text to English.

1. Full Date of Act	1555
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	"Ordinance Requiring Jews to Wear A Badge" issued by Duke of Candia
3. Geography of Act	Present-day Greece
4. Text of Act	Commentary from other sources: 1) In Candia (Crete), then under Venetian rule, Jewish shops had to be distinguished by the badge. David d'Ascoli, who published in 1559 a Latin protest against the degrading regulation, was severely punished and his work was destroyed. "Jewish Identification: Jewish Badge;" jewishvirtuallibrary.org
5. Source	None
6. Researcher	None
7. Year of Research	None
8. Notes	None

1. Full Date of Act	Mar. 31, 1555
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	"Expulsion" decree issued by Ferdinand I
3. Geography of Act	Austria
4. Text of Act	[…] After a period of one year, all Jews are to leave the country.
5. Source	Braumüller, Wilhelm: Urkunden und Akten zur Geschichte der Juden in Wien. Erste Abteilung. Allgemeiner Teil 1526-1847. Erster Band. (Wien) 1918. p. 20.
6. Researcher & Translator	Ziba Shadjaani
7. Year of Research & Translation	2016
8. Notes	None

1. Full Date of Act	Jul. 14, 1555
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	Papal bull “Cum Nimis Absurdum” issued by Pope Paul IV
3. Geography of Act	Present-day Italy
4. Text of Act	(1)…We ordain that for the rest of time…all Jews are to live in one…they should reside entirely side by side in designated streets and be thoroughly separate from the residences of Christians…(2)…they will have only one synagogue…and they will construct no other new ones, nor can they own buildings…they must sell to Christians within a period of time…(3)…Men must wear a hat, women, indeed, some other evident sign, yellow in color, that must not be concealed or covered by any means, and must be tightly affixed…(4) Also, they may not have nurses or maids or any other Christian domestic or service by Christian women in wet-nursing or feeding their children. (5) They may not work or have work done on Sundays or on other public feast days declared by the Church.(6) Nor may they incriminate Christians in any way, or promulgate false or forged agreements. (7) And they may not presume in any way to play, eat or fraternize with Christians. (8) And they cannot use other than Latin or Italian words in short-term account books…(9)…they cannot trade in grain, barley or any other commodity essential to human welfare. (10) And those among them, who are physicians, even if summoned and inquired after, cannot attend or take part in the care of Christians. (11) And they are not to be addressed as superiors [even] by poor Christians. (14) And, should they, in any manner whatsoever, be deficient in the foregoing, it would be treated as a crime.
5. Source	“Bull Cum Nimis Absurdum.” Ami Isseroff. March, 2009. Accessed online article 7/25/2011
6. Researcher	None
7. Year of Research	None
8. Notes	None

1. Full Date of Act	Aug. 8, 1555
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	“Papal Bull” issued by Pope Paul IV
3. Geography of Act	Papal States; Present-day Italy
4. Text of Act	Since it is absurd and improper that Jews - whose own guilt has consigned them to perpetual servitude - under the pretext that Christian piety receives them and tolerates their presence, should be ingrates to Christians, so that they attempt to exchange the servitude they owe to Christians for domination over them." […] "It has lately come to our notice that these Jews, in our dear City and in some other cities, lands, and places of the Holy Roman Church, have erupted into insolence: they presume not only to dwell side by side with Christians and near the churches, with no distinct habit to separate them, but even to erect homes in the more noble sections and streets of the cities, lands, and places where they dwell, and to buy and possess fixed property, where they dwell, and to have nurses, housemaids, and other hired Christian servants and to perpetrate many other things in ignominy and contempt of the Christian name .... We sanction ... that all Jews should live solely in one and the same location.
5. Source	Catholic-Jewish Relations throughout History; Biblical Times; Accessed online.
6. Researcher	Ziba Shadjaani
7. Year of Research	2017
8. Notes	Researcher These “locations” would come to be known as ghettos.

1. Full Date of Act	Jul. 7, 1556
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	“Gold-Tax” issued by Ferdinand I addressed to the Lower-Austrian Chamber
3. Geography of Act	Archduchy of Austria; Present-day Austria
4. Text of Act	The Jews, who trade in Lower-Austria and are [therefore] obliged to deliver 5 pounds of spun-gold annually, have failed to submit this fee in the past 3 years. Therefore, the Lower-Austrian chamber is to order that the outstanding payment is collected and turned over to Burgrave Leopold Heyperger […] concurrently, the part that is annually due to the royal daughters in Innsbruck is to be submitted as well.
5. Source	Urkunden und Akten zur Geschichte der Juden in Wien. Erste Abteilung. Allgemeiner Teil 1526-1847 (1849). Herausgegeben und eingeleitet von A. F. Pribram. Erster Band. (Wien und Leipzig; 1918); (Official documents and files regarding the history of Jews in Vienna. First section, General part 1526-1847 (1849). Published and introduced by A. F. Pribram. First volume.); (Vienna and Leipzig; 1918)
6. Researcher & Translator	Ziba Shadjaani
7. Year of Research & Translation	2020
8. Notes	None

1. Full Date of Act	Nov. 2, 1556
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	“Order” of King Ferdinand I
3. Geography of Act	Habsburg Monarchy; Kingdom of Bohemia
4. Text of Act	King Ferdinand […] prohibits Jews to melt down and try* (‘probieren’) […] all gold, [and] silver, which have been mined/forged (‘gewonnen’) in the lands of the Kingdom of Bohemia, […which] shall be sold [only] to the royal mints in Prague, Kutná Hora/Kutna Hora(‘Kuttenberg’), and Jáchymov/Jachymov (‘St. Joachimsthal’).
5. Source	Zur Geschichte der Juden in Böhmen, Mähren und Schlesien von 906 bis 1620. Herausgegeben von Gottlieb Bondy, em. Präsidenten der Handels- und Gewerbekammer in Prag. Zur Herausgabe vorbereitet und ergänzt von Franz Dworsky, em. Director des Landesarchivs des Königreiches Böhmens. I. 906 bis 1576. (Prag; 1906); (Regarding the history of Jews in Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia from 906 to 1620. Published by Gottlieb Bondy, fo[rmer] President of the Trade and Commerce and Industry in Prague. Prepared for publication and supplemented by Franz Dworsky, fo[rmer] Director of the National Archives of the Kingdom of Bohemia. I. 906 to 1576.); (Prague; 1906)
6. Researcher & Translator	Ziba Shadjaani
7. Year of Research & Translation	2019
8. Notes	Researcher This is a translation of a German summary of the original Czech text both of which can be found in the cited source. *Probieren normally refers to “trying” something; here, however, it appears to be referring to the act of modifying or diluting precious metals. The original document was drafted and signed in Vienna.

1. Full Date of Act	Mar. 20, 1557
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	Diet Resolution including on the Jewish Tax issued by Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse.
3. Geography of Act	Landgraviate of Hesse
4. Text of Act	The Jews, who live under our gracious prince and lord or those of the nobility, shall be taxed in such a way that each Jewish person, whether young or old, shall first pay one guilder for this tax, and wealthy Jews shall assist the poor with this payment. In the second instance, each Jew with a principal estate of one hundred guilders, regardless of what property they own, shall also pay one guilder, and thus the tax shall rise and fall, while ensuring that usury is not allowed.
5. Source	“Landtagsabschied, u. a. über die Judensteuer, Treysa, 20. März 1557, [Diet Resolution, among others on the Jewish Tax, Treysa, March 20, 1557],” Mar. 20, 1557, available from digam.net.
6. Researcher	Kate Wraith
7. Year of Research	2024
8. Notes	Translator The text of this Act is available in German from the source above. It was translated using chatgpt.com.

1. Full Date of Act	Apr. 30, 1557
2. Name of Act (or Short Description)	Decree canceling all protection of the Jews living in Braunschweig and its surrounding area and revoking their right of residence
3. Geography of Act	Germany
4. Text of Act	By the grace of God, I Henry the Younger, Duke of Braunschweig [Brunswick] and Luneberg and Fuegen hereby address publicly and to each and every Jew living in our principality or otherwise are situated outside of the same in other areas or regions, who have previously attained and still have our letter of escort, protection and shield. Accordingly it has become apparent and has come to light that in the last few weeks someone, through help and assistance of a good portion of the Jews, entirely for the basest benefit, has engaged in the forbidden, highly punishable vice of the fabrication and use of forged and illegal coins, which is the highest deceit, damage and tribulation. Also, it has been believably said and written that due to our true Christian belief, our close traditional enemy, the Turk, who with the Jews is outside of Christianity, obtains his opportunity solely through this same situation. Because of this and other persuasive reasons, we will no longer tolerate, suffer, or give in to Jews or Jewesses living, staying, or having a commercial and social life in our principality and that they should even less so be able to enjoy and utilize our escort, protection and shield. And as per the foregoing we advise you Jews, each and all, with no exceptions, who until now had and still have your domicile in our principality, and also those living in other regions, to first vacate your domicile and then to completely and certainly give up and relinquish our escort, protection, shield, and securities. And we herewith, and in the power of our general commission, advise you everywhere, and particularly in our principality, that all of you pay that which [you owe], and to each person that it is owed, between now and the impending Whitsun. And in this time with wife and children, possessions and goods leave the same [our principality]. And that after this appointed time you not find yourselves, individually or collectively, within it [our principality,] also including and together with those residing in other and areas and regions, and that you completely and totally do not use our letter of protection and shield. With this warning, if after the above time, one or more [Jews] are found entering the exit of our principality or otherwise propose our letter of protection therein [in our principality] or in other places, and are found to conduct their commerce, usury, that the same should danger that is evident and expected from all of us. We mean this completely and finally. With proclamation to Wolfenbuettel under our confidential seal stamped below on the 30th of April 1557.
5. Source	New York NEED MORE INFORMATION (ITEM NAME - PAGE # - RESEARCHER/DATE)
6. Translator	Leo Baeck Institute Archive
7. Year of Translation
8. Notes	None