Andreas Oxner
Encyclopedia
Anderl Oxner von Rinn, also known as Andreas Oxner, (c. 1459 – July 12, 1462) was a saint
of the Roman Catholic Church
. According to a blood libel
accusation, the three-year old boy was killed by foreign Jews
in the village of Rinn
(Northern Tyrol
, currently part of Austria
).
, the bones of a child were brought to the parish church of Rinn. The ritual murder accusation did not arise until after 1620, by the pen of Hyppolyte Guarinoni, a doctor who, at that time, was attached to a lay sisterhood (beguinage
) of noblewomen in Hall. Having probably heard of the murder through rumors, in 1642 he wrote a book on the crime: Triumph Cron Marter Vnd Grabschrift des Heilig Unschuldigen Kindts (translated roughly as "Martyrdoms Triumph Crown and Epitaph of the Holy Innocent Child"). The alleged scene of the crime, Judenstein bei Rinn, became a place of pilgrimage and locus of anti-semitism in the Catholic Church.
izing him in 1755. This facilitated the spread of the anti-Semitic
legend through popular theatrical performances, which were based on the writings of Guarinoni and were performed until 1954. The Brothers Grimm
revived the tale in 1816 when they published the first volume of their German legends. In 1893, a book appeared, Four Tyrolian Child Victims of Hassidic Fanaticism by Viennese priest Josef Deckert
, and it gave new life to the legend and changed it into a format usable for a modern wave of anti-Semitism
.
The Feast of Anderl von Rinn was struck off the religious calendar in 1953 by the Bishop
of Innsbruck
, Paul Rusch.
" was officially banned by Bishop Reinhold Stecher
. Despite this, a pilgrimage to Judenstein Rinn
almost always takes place each year on the Sunday following July 12, held in a private capacity by right-wing extremists, locals, and regional and Catholic fundamentalists. Contrary to the orders of the Catholic Church, and also contrary to the scientific evidence regarding this legend, isolated representatives of the Catholic Church have spoken in favour of the observance of the feast and feel that ritual murder has not been proven to be fictional. Supporters of the observance include Gottfried Melzer, co-chaplain of the pilgrimage, who has been suspens a divinis and sentenced in Austria in 1998 for incitement to racial hatred; Robert Prantner, theologian and member of the Engelwerk Association; and Kurt Krenn
, former Bishop of St. Pölten and president of the League of Prayer of the Emperor Charles for Peace among Peoples.
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. According to a blood libel
Blood libel
Blood libel is a false accusation or claim that religious minorities, usually Jews, murder children to use their blood in certain aspects of their religious rituals and holidays...
accusation, the three-year old boy was killed by foreign Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
in the village of Rinn
Rinn
Rinn is a municipality in the district of Innsbruck-Land and is located 6 km southeast of Innsbruck. The village was mentioned in documents as “Runne” in 1250 for the first time. It has 1623 inhabitants.-External links:...
(Northern Tyrol
County of Tyrol
The County of Tyrol, Princely County from 1504, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1814 a province of the Austrian Empire and from 1867 a Cisleithanian crown land of Austria-Hungary...
, currently part of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
).
Initial accusations
In 1475, in the wake of the blood libel of Simon of TrentSimon of Trent
Simon of Trent ; also known as Simeon; was a boy from the city of Trento, Italy whose disappearance was blamed on the leaders of the city's Jewish community based on their confessions under torture, causing a major blood libel in Europe.-Background:Shortly before Simon went missing, Bernardine of...
, the bones of a child were brought to the parish church of Rinn. The ritual murder accusation did not arise until after 1620, by the pen of Hyppolyte Guarinoni, a doctor who, at that time, was attached to a lay sisterhood (beguinage
Béguinage
A béguinage or begijnhof is a collection of small buildings used by Beguines. These were various lay sisterhoods of the Roman Catholic Church, founded in the 13th century in the Low Countries, comprising religious women who sought to serve God without retiring from the world.-Description:A...
) of noblewomen in Hall. Having probably heard of the murder through rumors, in 1642 he wrote a book on the crime: Triumph Cron Marter Vnd Grabschrift des Heilig Unschuldigen Kindts (translated roughly as "Martyrdoms Triumph Crown and Epitaph of the Holy Innocent Child"). The alleged scene of the crime, Judenstein bei Rinn, became a place of pilgrimage and locus of anti-semitism in the Catholic Church.
The Catholic Church
In 1753, the pope Benedict XIV permitted the veneration of Anderl, canonCanonization
Canonization is the act by which a Christian church declares a deceased person to be a saint, upon which declaration the person is included in the canon, or list, of recognized saints. Originally, individuals were recognized as saints without any formal process...
izing him in 1755. This facilitated the spread of the anti-Semitic
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
legend through popular theatrical performances, which were based on the writings of Guarinoni and were performed until 1954. The Brothers Grimm
Brothers Grimm
The Brothers Grimm , Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm , were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, and authors who collected folklore and published several collections of it as Grimm's Fairy Tales, which became very popular...
revived the tale in 1816 when they published the first volume of their German legends. In 1893, a book appeared, Four Tyrolian Child Victims of Hassidic Fanaticism by Viennese priest Josef Deckert
Josef Deckert
Josef Deckert , also known as Francis, was an Austrian Catholic priest and anti-Semitic agitator. Deckert was a propagandist of the blood libel against the Jews....
, and it gave new life to the legend and changed it into a format usable for a modern wave of anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
.
The Feast of Anderl von Rinn was struck off the religious calendar in 1953 by the Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
, Paul Rusch.
Current status
In 1985, the bones of the martyr were removed from the parish church and in 1994 the cult of the "Child of JudensteinJudenstein
Judenstein is a district of the village Rinn, Austria. After the alleged murder of a little child named Anderl von Rinn by Jews on a rock in the town, a church was built around the rock...
" was officially banned by Bishop Reinhold Stecher
Reinhold Stecher
Reinhold Stecher is an Austrian Prelate of Roman Catholic Church.Reinhold Stecher was born in Innsbruck, Austria, ordained a priest on December 19, 1947. Stecher was appointed bishop to the Diocese of Innsbruck on December 15, 1980 and ordained bishop January 25, 1981...
. Despite this, a pilgrimage to Judenstein Rinn
Judenstein
Judenstein is a district of the village Rinn, Austria. After the alleged murder of a little child named Anderl von Rinn by Jews on a rock in the town, a church was built around the rock...
almost always takes place each year on the Sunday following July 12, held in a private capacity by right-wing extremists, locals, and regional and Catholic fundamentalists. Contrary to the orders of the Catholic Church, and also contrary to the scientific evidence regarding this legend, isolated representatives of the Catholic Church have spoken in favour of the observance of the feast and feel that ritual murder has not been proven to be fictional. Supporters of the observance include Gottfried Melzer, co-chaplain of the pilgrimage, who has been suspens a divinis and sentenced in Austria in 1998 for incitement to racial hatred; Robert Prantner, theologian and member of the Engelwerk Association; and Kurt Krenn
Kurt Krenn
Kurt Krenn is an Austrian Roman Catholic prelate and Bishop who ran a priests seminary in Sankt Pölten, near Vienna.-Views:...
, former Bishop of St. Pölten and president of the League of Prayer of the Emperor Charles for Peace among Peoples.
See also
See also the articles of other children whose deaths in medieval times gave rise to the persecution of the Jews:- Little Saint Hugh of LincolnLittle Saint Hugh of LincolnHugh of Lincoln was an English boy, whose death prompted a blood libel with ramifications that reach until today. Hugh is known as Little Saint Hugh to distinguish him from Saint Hugh, otherwise Hugh of Lincoln. The style is often corrupted to Little Sir Hugh...
- William of NorwichWilliam of NorwichWilliam of Norwich was an English boy whose death was, at the time, attributed to the Jewish community of Norwich. It is the first known medieval accusation of ritual murder against Jews....
- Werner of OberweselWerner of OberweselWerner of Oberwesel ; b. 1271 in Womrath, Hunsrück; d. 1287) was a 16-year-old boy whose unexplained death was blamed on Jews, leading to revenge killings of Jews across Europe. He was long worshipped as a Catholic saint, and his memorial day was 19 April...