Spanish Town Officially Dumps ‘KIll Jews’ Name
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
Who would want to live in a town that’s called, “Camp Kill Jews”?
Well, the mayor of the Spanish town of Castrillo Matajudios asked himself the same question, according to the . After a referendum and regional government, Castrillo Matajudios is no more.
Instead, the town’s new name, Castrillo Mota de Judios, translates to “Jews’ Hill Camp,” which was actually the town’s old name before it was changed in 1627 to “Camp Kill Jews.”
In 1492, a Spanish edict ordered that all Jews convert to Catholicism or flee the country. Many of the Jews who defied the law burned at the stake. Currently, no Jews live in Castrillo Mota de Judios, but their official shield includes the Star of David.
Still, on Monday the name change became official and the news was published in the region’s official gazette.
Of course, anti-Semitic names were not rare in Europe. Last year, a small hamlet in France garnered unwanted attention because their name translated to “Death to Jews.” The town, La Mort aux Juifs, refused to change its name to something less offensive. The deputy mayor claimed, “It’s ridiculous. This name has always existed.”
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