Extreme western district of the Austrian empire. In the Middle
Ages it was called "Vor dem Arlberg," and was divided into the
estates of Bregenz, Feldkirch, and Bludenz. To these was added
in 1560 the imperial county of Hohenems. The first three
districts were held by the counts of Montfort-Werdenberg, but
gradually came under Austrian control. Jews were in Vorarlberg
as early as the fourteenth century. They were for the most part
exiles from Switzerland and the German and Austrian countries
bordering the Lake of Constance, and they ventured to settle
only in the immediate neighborhood of the lord of Vorarlberg or
his bailiffs. The "Stadtrecht" of Feldkirch (printed and
discussed in "Zeit. für die Gesch. des Oberrheins," xxi.
129-171) contains four regulations referring to Jews (folios 3b,
13b, 15a). The statements made by modern historians regarding
persecutions at Feldkirch in 1348-49 on account of the Black
Death, and in 1443-44 because of an accusation of ritual murder,
have been shown to be erroneous and