The Message of the Banner of Marcus Mordecai Mayzl
The Message of the Banner of Marcus Mordecai Mayzl

Summary/Abstract: This article examines the message and symbolism of the banner of Marcus Mordecai Mayzl, a prominent Jewish financier and mayor of the Prague ghetto in the late 16th century. The banner, which was granted to Mayzl by Emperor Rudolph II as a personal privilege, was modeled after an older banner from the Old-New Synagogue and contained various elements of Jewish and civic heraldry, such as the hexagram, the Jewish hat, the light, and the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. The article analyzes the historical and religious context of the banner, its decoration and inscriptions, and its connection to the Mayzl Synagogue, which was built and consecrated by Mayzl in 1592. The article also discusses the significance of the banner as a symbol of the rights and privileges of the Prague Jewish community, as well as its role in expressing the messianic hopes and apocalyptic visions of the period.

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