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From: Stewart
Remote Name: 66.190.218.99
Date: 06/04/2008
Time: 09:14:33 PM
I have no information about whether there were actual Jewish steinmakers. There is no particular reason why not; however, the phenominum that you have noticed is something different. The hexagram, or six pointed star, is not only the Jewish Star of David but also the Brewer's Star of the brewers' guilds in south Germany. Many people believe that this is a coincidence; but, I do not. Or, rather, it is too much of a coincidence! Jews have been around some 6000 years and lived around the world; beer is also at least 6000 years old and almost worldwide. But, the six pointed star was not the symbol of either anywhere until the 14th century in the southern part of the Holy Roman Empire. Then it appears in illustrations depicting brewers and taverns in Nurenberg, and also appears on Jewish quarter city militia flags, first in Prague. It spread to become the favored Jewish symbol quickly, but only became more or less official in the late 19th century with the Zionist movement. Meanwhile, it remained the traditional symbol favored by many German brewers and brewers of German heritage. The actual connection between the two uses of the star has been debated but no theory has so far been at all convincing.