Execution of Vincenz Fettmilch and Jewish Return to Frankfurt

Background. The 1614 Fettmilch uprising began as a guild revolt against city council mismanagement but escalated into the pillaging of the Judengasse and the expulsion of Frankfurt's entire Jewish population. The conflict was eventually suppressed through the intervention of the Holy Roman Emperor and other regional authorities.

Trial and Sentencing. Fettmilch and thirty-eight associates underwent a lengthy trial throughout 1615. They were prosecuted for lèse-majesté due to their disregard for imperial commands rather than directly for the riots against Jews. At least seven defendants were sentenced to death, with Fettmilch among the ringleaders.

Execution and Display. The death sentences were carried out on 28 February 1616 in the Rossmarkt. The heads of Fettmilch, Gerngross, Schopp, and Ebel were displayed on pikes on the towers of the Alte Brücke, where they remained for centuries, surviving until at least the time of Goethe.

Jewish Restoration. Immediately following the executions, an imperial mandate was proclaimed ordering the restoration of the Jews expelled in August 1614, granting them their old rights and privileges. The Jewish community commemorates this triumphant return annually during the festival of Purim Vinz on 20 Adar.