Why were Jews blamed for the Bubonic Plague in Europe?

Question

What were the accusations?
What reasons would they have for doing this?
How many were killed?

Answer 1

They were thought to live in dirty camps. They were thought to have evil powers. They appeared suspicious because of their clanishness and their religion. It was thought God was punishing Europe for allowing Jews among them.

Answer 2

It depends on where the Bubonic Plague was going through and at what time in history. I know you are referring to the Black Death, but bear with me. Throughout history there have been those with suspicions about all the misfits and those who are 'different' from the rest of us. People blamed for the Plague then, were most often the Jews but where there were no Jews and/or others to blame; the Gypsies would be in the lineup. All kinds of suggestions were made as to how these folks conspired to do this. Nobody had any idea about public health and cleanliness issues let alone the concept of 'germs'. Those who were suspected of spreading the disease were supposedly poisoning neighbours' water supplies (wells) at night. Hysteria must lead to brain malfunction as the 'poison' must have been very potent and it would be interesting to know how it could have been handled by those doing the deed so they didn't succumb. Maybe people didn't realize the well water was supplied to the area by the same network of a aquifers and those 'poisoning' a neighbour's well, would likely be poisoning their own at the same time.

Answer 3

Have you ever heard of the term scapegoat? Well thats what happened to the Jews. The Jews as you know have been feared throughout the history of Europe as both an economic and religious/ideological threat. In addition to this you have to realise that the modern scientific method which many of us use on a daily basis to make reason for those things we are unable to explain, just wasn't the case back then. The mentality was such that if your daughter got sick, blame it on the Jew next door, they are probably working for the devil and doing evil spells. Here is an article talking about the event http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Well_poisoning

Answer 4

Because it's easy to blame Jews for everything. And given the general ignorance of the populace at that time, a few learned persons could easily coax the masses into believing the Jews were responsible for the plague. Hitler coaxed a nation into a world war about 500 years later-- by blaming Jews.

Answer 5

In the Old Testiment, God gave the Jews detailed instructions on, well, just about everything. Many of these rules involved food and hygiene. This happened millenia before the germ theory.
Because the Jews as part of their faith observed these rules, they were washing their hands after touching things, avoiding contact with corpses, eating clean meats slaughter and prepared in a specific way and cooked fully. For this reason, a high number of them were protected from the plague.
Well, due to this fact, and the fact that Anti-semitism has been an evil fact of life since the Jews were established (people blaming,hating and trying to utterly destroy the jews occurs again and again in the Bible)
Since many of the Jews were protected, and the people did want to look into the Good God who protected them nor His son Jesus, they decided to listen to the devil, who hates people, God's chosen doubly so, and blame the Jews as so many otheres before them. They accused them, for example of poisoning the water. As I undestand it, over 200 Jewish communities were destroyed.

Answer 6

Throughout history the Jews have been blamed for everything from bad weather to sickly cows. The early Christian church perpetuated the idea that the Jews killed Jesus. The Romans actually killed Jesus. Many Jews supported Jesus but many were frightened of him, especially the Rabbis, because he preached new ideas. In an occupied land where everything was in upheavel, what happened to Jesus could easily be expected. In fact, there are many now who feel that was the point - his destiny was to die on the cross, and if you look at it that way, the Jews who turned him in were helping to fulfill his destiny. But in earlier, simpler times, people just saw them as the evil Jews who killed Jesus. Too bad Hitler didn't get the memo on that one.

Answer 7

Because they were not us. They were Jews. Christ killers and a conveniently identifiable group to scapegoat, taking the pressure off of the institutions of authority to do anything at all.

Answer 8

because they found a miraculous way to make money off the plague