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Zur Dokumentation jüdisch-christlicher Kreditgeschäfte im Vorfeld der Wiener Gesera

Abstract

From the late 14th century onwards, official records on Jewish loans became more common in Austria, supplementing the previously dominant debt instruments. This paper compares the practical handling of both types of documentation and analyses the correlation between them. A debt instrument had inherent value as the phys­ical pledge of a debt, while official documentation was primarily used out of an increased need for security. The shift towards official documentation removed a previously existing level of interaction between Jewish and Christian business partners; however, sources do not indicate sig­nificant changes in Jewish-Christian credit transactions or increased differences to those between Christians.

Keywords Jewish Credit Business; Jewish-Christian Interaction; Debt Instruments; Urban Administration; Medieval Austria