Width at front: c. 3.3 metres
The Schlüssel seems originally to have been the house of the cantor, among the first houses to be built in 146062 with the creation of the Judengasse. In 1515 it was extended by the community for the dyer David Gans. Twelve years later it was given its house sign ("key"). From the start the house was occupied by the few Jewish tradesmen, such as the cantor Jitzchak, who was also a black dyer, and his son Lejzer, a glazier. It is reported that his wife was not allowed to offer any goods for sale outside the Judengasse. Around 1510 the innkeeper Knebel used the Schlüssel as temporary accommodation before moving into the inn Der Affe. Following the death of the dyer David around 1553, Jakow the lutenist from Nierstein lived here. He was both a musician and a dyer, and most likely was a member of the Schloß family from the Rheinland whose members lived in the house for some two centuries. Their family home was the neighbouring Schloß. In the mid17th century the lutenist
"Jukeff the fiddler" lived in the Schlüssel. He was blind and worked as a musician in the synagogue. Towards the end of the century a butcher and a dealer in cloth lived here. The house was destroyed in the fire of 1711 but soon rebuilt. In 1884 the city took it over for demolition.