Germany’s High Court rules “Judensau” sculpture on Wittenberg church can stay

Germany’s High Court has ruled that the Judensau sculpture relief on the side of a church in Wittenberg must not be removed.

The sculpture, which represents Jews suckling on a sow while a rabbi lifts its tail, is widely regarded as emblematic of German Medieval Jew-hatred, and an inspiration for subsequent antisemitism running from the writings and teachings of Protestant Reformation leader Martin Luther to the Nazis.

Martin Luther in fact preached from this church and wrote about the sculpture in his 1543 book Vom Schem Hamphoras und vom Geslecht Christi (Of the Unknowable Name and the Generations of Christ), which compares Jews to the devil. The Nazis used Luther’s work to promote their own genocidal antisemitism.

The case was brought by Michael Duellmann, who is Jewish. Mr Duellmann decried the sculpture’s historical effect, saying that the sculpture is “a defamation of and insult to the Jewish people.” Mr Duellmann did not argue for the destruction of the sculpture, however, saying that it should instead be moved to the nearby Luther House Museum.

Mr Duellman brought the case to local courts in Dessau in 2019, and Naumberg in 2020, losing both times.

Following the legal battles, church leaders have promised to do more to distance current church teachings and practice from the sculpture and to provide more context around it.

Antisemitic incidents in Germany have increased considerably. Campaign Against Antisemitism is reports on antisemitic incidents in Germany.