of synods from the thirteenth century onward), the need to trick Frau Holle
into thinking a baby had been baptized was no longer as pressing.
In light of this discussion of Frau Holle and her position in medieval Chris-
tian culture, let us return to the Jewish Hollekreisch ritual. Is there any addi-
tional evidence that Jews were aware of and believed in figures like Frau Holle?
It is well known that Jews in Germany and northern France believed in a wide
range of demons and witches, as did their Christian neighbors. Sefer H·asidim
contains many examples of discussions concerning werewolves and streyas
(witches), and these figures were often associated with women.^24 In addition,
there is a reference to Frau Holle herself in Sefer Or Zaru’a, in a discussion of
a witch who has harmed a certain woman.^25 These shared beliefs should not
surprise us, if we consider that the earliest Jewish and Christian authors con-
cerning Frau Holle lived in close proximity. Buchard of Worms, the author of
the first source mentioning Frau Holle, lived near a large Jewish community,
and the Jews of Worms could certainly have been aware of Frau Holle, if be-
lief in her was commonplace at the time. I would suggest that this ceremony
is most likely one of a number of customs practiced by Jews that were designed
to deal with these demonic figures, who were also feared by Jews.
Some common features are remarkable in both the Jewish ritual and the
Christian practices concerning Frau Holle. In both cases, great importance
is attached to giving the infant a name so as to protect the child. In both cases,
the baby is lifted up and the participants call out “Holle, Holle.” Even more
important, in both cultures, the practices surrounding Frau Holle are not part
of any official religious practice.^26 Rather, they accompany or precede an
official birth ritual, such as baptism or circumcision. It is significant that
the participants are women in the Christian case, and children in the Jewish
case, as this seems to highlight the unofficial nature of the practice. This
phenomenon serves as a fascinating example of how members of two reli-
gious groups can nonetheless adopt the same practice, each to serve its own
purposes.
In the context of our discussion of birth rituals, the Jewish Hollekreisch rit-
ual is yet another indication of the shared worlds and mentalities of Jews and
Christians, particularly as they relate to the world of women. Members of each
religious group chose to express their fear of Frau Holle in different ways.
Christian children who were baptized at birth had no need for this ritual. Only
children whose baptism was postponed for some reason needed protection
from her.^27 On the other hand, it seems that every Jewish child, boys and girls
alike, had a Hollekreisch. As they never received Christian names, Jews may
have feared the consequences of lacking such. It should be noted that Frau
Holle also had a Jewish equivalent, Lilith. According to traditions known cen-
turies before the period under discussion, Lilith was a she-demon, extremely
dangerous for newborns. Like Frau Holle, she would snatch them from their
mothers and carry them off. Many Jewish amulets and incantations from the
rick simeone
(Rick Simeone)
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