More Medieval History of Jews Is Needed, Says English Historian After Pogrom Victims Discovered
Italian artist Giovanni Gasparro’s painting graphically revived the medieval ‘blood libel’ against the Jews. Photo: Facebook.
A prominent English historian is calling for widening the scope of discussions about historical crimes against Jews in Britain, following an announcement that human remains discovered over a decade ago are linked to a medieval pogrom in the city of Norwich.
“It’s time that the mass murder of Jews in medieval England is in every British history book,” Simon Schama, author of over a dozen books on British, Jewish and art history, tweeted Tuesday.
Schama was responding to findings published Tuesday from scientists at the Natural History Museum in London that the bodies of Jews were likely dumped in the well in which their remains were found. Evidence suggests the victims lost their lives during a pogrom sometime between 1161-1216 AD.
“It reminds me that education about the history of Jews in Britain ought not just be Holocaust history, vital as that is,” Schama continued. “Jewish [Museum in London] does a wonderful job but we need much more space and ambition — something along lines of Polin in Warsaw.”
Schama added that although he appreciates the work of Jewish Museum London “more space and ambition” could lead to projects like those found in POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw which features exhibits on the first Jews to ever settle in Poland.
17 bodies were discovered in total by the Natural History Museum in London, including those of three sisters. An adult male and a read-headed boy with blue eyes were also found. According to The Orthodox Union, they were given a proper burial in 2013 at the Earlham Orthodox Cemetery in Norwich.