June 13, 2011
by Nico Voigtländer and Hans-Joachim Voth
When the Black Death struck in Europe in 1348-50, between thirty and seventy percent of the population died. There were no precedents within living memory. Jews were accused of poisoning wells across the continent, often confessing after being tortured. A wave of pogroms occurred throughout Northern Europe. Switzerland, northern France, Germany, and the Low Countries saw attacks. In Strasbourg, the local city council opposed persecuting the Jews, but, under massive pressure by the guilds and the populace at large, it was subsequently deposed.
