The expulsion of the Jews of Prague

Lecture by Prof Michael Silber (Professor Emeritus. Hebrew University Jerusalem)

Maria Theresa, queen of Austria and archduchess of Hungary and Bohemia, was known for her hatred of Jews. In December 1744 anti-Jewish state policy reached its peak and she ordered the expulsion of Prague’s Jews. The story of how that evolved, and the opposition which eventually led to the return of the Jewish population, is the subject of this talk.