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Medal with portrait commemorating Joseph II’s Edict of Tolerance

J. C. Reich (1740–1814)1782

Jewish Museum Vienna

Jewish Museum Vienna
Vienna, Austria

This medal commemorates the Edict of Tolerance of 1782. On one side is Emperor Joseph II as an enlightened ruler, on the other there are three “clerics”: in the center a Catholic priest, left a Protestant pastor, and right a rabbi. Joseph II created customized edicts for all crown lands. The top priority was utility for the state, as lists of tolerated Viennese Jews clearly illustrate. They contained people who could boost the economy and could also pay their tolerance tax. The status was not easy to retain and had to be re-applied for every year.

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  • Title: Medal with portrait commemorating Joseph II’s Edict of Tolerance
  • Creator: J. C. Reich (1740–1814)
  • Date Created: 1782
  • Location Created: Vienna
  • Rights: JMW / Foto: David Peters
Jewish Museum Vienna

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