Suesskind of Trimberg, the Jewish troubadour

Suesskind of Trimberg: He was a poet and probably a singer too. He wrote and recited poems for the nobility and wealthy people of his time, who lived in the second half of the thirteenth century. This was not unusual; history knows of many travelling troubadours, often of noble birth, who left behind works of art. Wolfram von Eschenbach and Walther von der Vogelweide are familiar names; they are part of our perception of the Middle Ages.

Twelve songs or verses by this special poet, who left behind only a few but interesting traces, can be found in the famous Heidelberg song manuscript, the Codex Manesse. There he is referred to as 'Suesskind, the Jew of Trimberg', and a miniature in the codex depicts him as a Jew, as is evident from his name.

In the miniature, the singer stands before a court, dressed in fine clothes and wearing the distinctive Jewish cap that his people were required to wear at that time. Medieval images were highly symbolic, revealing background information through elements such as hand and body posture.

If you 'read' the illustration in a contemporary way, you can see that the scene depicts a dispute or negotiation of some kind. The third person in the picture probably plays the role of a lawyer or mediator. We don't know much else about Suesskind of Trimberg, but considering his profession, his religious affiliation alone makes him someone very special. Trimberg was probably the only travelling singer of the Jewish faith at that time.

In 1972, the Austrian writer Friedrich Torberg (1908–1979) wrote a fictional biography about Trimberg, following in the footsteps of this remarkable man. Torberg portrays the character at a time when being Jewish excluded its bearers from most aspects of public life, unless they concealed their wealth – a practice that did not protect them from the occasional anti-Semitic attack.

Torberg's protagonist is faced with the choice of renouncing his Judaism in order to fulfil his destiny, but he chooses his Jewish cap and to pursue his art. This may have worked to his advantage, as people are curious about fascinating outsiders, especially when they are in vogue.

Trimberg may have been a driven man; whose passion prevented him from ever truly belonging to either side. His lyrics refer to social injustices with which he was undoubtedly familiar. He was probably not wealthy, as he wrote about his poverty and hungry children. He sang about the poor and sick, highlighting the heartlessness of the rich and princes. His songs definitely have a satirical tone, attacking both the ruling class and those who benefited from it. He also used fables to portray issues that were important to him. He could well be seen as the prototype of the protest singer.

In Torberg's fictional biography, the poet dies in the street, beaten to death by a mob or hired assassins. Nothing is known about the beginning or end of Trimberg's life. All that remains are the texts he wrote and his depiction in the Manesse manuscript. However, it is his uniqueness, and perhaps also his courage, that has paved a narrow path through the centuries to the present day. If you read his poetic works carefully, you will realise that they remain surprisingly relevant today.

'Suesskind of Trimberg, the travelling troubadour. A man who chose the Jewish cap and his art': An article by Pressenet (translated by Izabel Comati), 05/2025. The illustration shows 'Suesskind, the Jew of Trimberg', portrait from the Codex Manesse, around 1300, licence: public domain.