FÜRSTENFELD:
Town in Styria, Austria. Jews began to settle there in 1278, Rudolph of Habsburg having granted (1277) to its inhabitants the usual franchises and rights of trade, and confirmed to the Jews the letter of privileges granted them on July 1, 1244, by Duke Frederick. The Jews enjoyed these privileges but a short time, for in 1312 a persecution occurred at Fürstenfeld, the report having been spread that the Jews had butchered Christian children and had desecrated the host. When the additional report was published that the Jews of Judenburg had decided to murder all the Christians on Christmas night, the mob fell upon the Jews and massacred them, many being burned at the stake and but few escaping. In 1496 all Jews were expelled from Styria. Only a few are now living at Fürstenfeld.
