Mägde, Migration und Mutterschaft
This article casts light on the situation of the 18th century Jewish underclass by using the example of maid servants. Serving as a maid was the most widespread occupation for Jewish women in the early modern era. Forced to migrate and to live unmarried in the house of a Schutzjude (Jew living under...
| Published in: | Aschkenas |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | German |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
|
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
De Gruyter
2018
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| In: |
Aschkenas
Year: 2018, Volume: 28, Issue: 1, Pages: 39-69 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Judíos
/ Clase baja
/ Judía
/ Empleada doméstica
/ Madree soltera
/ Conversión (Religión)
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| RelBib Classification: | AD Sociology of religion; religious policy BH Judaism KBA Western Europe TJ Modern history |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (Verlag) |
| Summary: | This article casts light on the situation of the 18th century Jewish underclass by using the example of maid servants. Serving as a maid was the most widespread occupation for Jewish women in the early modern era. Forced to migrate and to live unmarried in the house of a Schutzjude (Jew living under the protection of the authorities), maids were subjected to two rigid legal systems: the local Jewish law and the general law for menials that also applied to Christian servants. Because their families were often too poor to give them a dowry or to acquire authority protection, their chances of marriage were limited. And yet, Jewish maids had the highest number of illegitimate children, often fathered by middle-class Jews. Maids who became pregnant out of wedlock were branded as whores and dismissed. The councils of Jewish parishes were constantly involved in conflicts between parish members and migrant servants. Many maid servants tried to improve their difficult social situation by leaving Judaism. |
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| ISSN: | 1865-9438 |
| Contains: | In: Aschkenas
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1515/asch-2018-0003 |