Gravestone
Translation of the epitaph from Hebrew
Epitaph for the grave of
Mr Amram, the young man,
son of Yona, the Haver*, who
came from the Holy City and was
slain on the Day of Wrath, on the 18th
of Elul in the year 846
according to the reckoning [31 August 1086]. May he rest in the Garden of Eden
* Haver: literally ‘companion’, referring to a person with a rabbinical education who does not yet bear the title Rav (rabbi)
The gravestone of Amram ben Yona was only discovered in Mainz in 2007. What makes it special is that the deceased had once come here from Jerusalem, the ‘holy city’ (‘Ir ha-qodesh). The fact that Rav Amram Yerushalmi, a distinguished scholar from Jerusalem, moved to Mainz demonstrates the influence that the Mainz Talmudic academy wielded at that time. The inscription on his gravestone suggests that, towards the end of the 11th century, he fell victim to a previously unknown pogrom or murder in Mainz.
Gravestones through the centuries
Buried here • po tamun • פ”ט
Here lies / rests • po nikbar / po nitman • פ”נ
May his soul be bound up in the bond of life (cf. 1 Sam 25:29) • tehi nischmato tserura bi-tseror ha-chajim • תנצב”ה
A Hebrew epitaph follows a specific pattern. The essential elements include the name of the deceased, supplemented by the father’s name, and the date of death according to the Jewish calendar. These details are framed by an opening formula and a concluding blessing, usually in abbreviated form. Particular emphasis is placed on the poetic eulogy, which honours the character of the deceased. In particular, it highlights scholarship, piety and charity.
The small, upright stele, which is set directly into the ground without a plinth, is typical of Ashkenazi Judaism. It embodies the principle of commemorating all the deceased on an equal footing. The most important decorative element of the gravestone is the inscription. Over time, gravestones featuring Gothic decorative elements or Baroque forms also began to appear. Since the early 19th century, growing prosperity and professional success have been reflected in new gravestone designs and larger dimensions. Classical elements such as a broken column, a sacrificial altar with an urn or an obelisk – which are also found on Christian graves – are now increasingly seen in Jewish cemeteries. At the same time, many Jews continue to adhere to the tradition of simply designed gravestones.
The Aaronic blessing: From the synagogue to outer space
The Aaronite greeting, with its V-shaped hand gesture, became world-famous thanks to the television series *Star Trek*. Actor Leonard Nimoy first used the gesture in 1967, in the role of Mr Spock, as the ‘Vulcan salute’. He was inspired by a childhood memory: in the synagogue, the Kohanim (priests) would recite the blessing using this hand gesture.
Changes brought about by emancipation
Under French influence, the Jewish population in the areas on the left bank of the Rhine achieved political equality (emancipation) from 1797 onwards. This is also reflected on Jewish graves, where Hebrew inscriptions increasingly gave way to German ones. Naming conventions also changed: following a decree by Napoleon in 1808, citizens of the ‘Mosaic faith’ were required to adopt surnames. In Mainz and the surrounding area of Rheinhessen, many of these surnames were derived from the place of origin, such as Bischofsheim or Oppenheim.
Stones and Kwitlech
Grave decorations are not customary in Judaism. Instead of flowers, small stones are placed on the grave in remembrance, to honour the dead and show silent sympathy. Originally, in the desert, stones were used to protect graves from wild animals and to mark the burial site. According to Hasidic custom, when visiting a grave today, small pieces of paper bearing a prayer of supplication are sometimes placed on the gravestone – known as kwitlech – similar to the practice at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
Of the martyrs at Judensand – epitaphs tell of cruel fates
Medieval epitaphs are an important source for the history of the respective Jewish community – an archive set in stone, as it were. Some epitaphs, such as that on the stone of Amram ben Yona on display here, recount horrific acts of violence that led to death. As Jewish life in the Middle Ages was deeply imbued with religion, a violent death was regarded as Kiddush ha-shem – martyrdom for the sake of the faith – and was mourned accordingly. What is the historical context of these murders?
