ABSTRACT
Yoysef (Joseph) Opatoshu's A tog in Regensburg (A day in Regensburg), published in 1933, is a novella which tells the story of a wedding celebration in Regensburg. The comedian's way of life, his/her conduct and behaviour, the culture he/she performs and represents is pivotal to the novella's message, and Opatoshu aims to unfold a subversive tale of Jewish life in the late Middle Ages and early modern period. The novella's plot is most likely inspired by a study on the history of Old Yiddish literature. Opatoshu most probably dates his narrative to or just before 1519, when the Regensburg Jews were expelled from the city. Locating the novella in Regensburg is a deliberate choice because the plot is based on a study of Old Yiddish and its close connections to German folk culture. Opatoshu is preoccupied with the presentation of a long series of details and contemplations creating a sphere and a mood which may reflect sixteenth-century Ashkenazi life.
