During the Black Death, which ravaged Europe from 1347 to 1351, widespread fear and panic led to the scapegoating of Jewish communities, who were falsely accused of poisoning wells to spread the plague. The panic resulted in pogroms across the continent, including the burning of Jewish communities in Strasbourg, Frankfurt, and other cities, as terrified mobs sought to blame the disaster on outsiders. The persecution was fueled by religious prejudice, economic jealousy, and the desperate need for a scapegoat.

The Black Death pogroms have been a recurring theme in literature, from medieval chronicles to modern works that explore the dynamics of fear, prejudice, and collective violence. The event has inspired poets and writers to reflect on the human capacity for cruelty in times of crisis and the dangers of scapegoating. It serves as a powerful symbol of the consequences of mass hysteria and has been referenced in works that address anti-Semitism, religious conflict, and the ethics of survival.