Villach had one of the oldest Jewish communities having a synagogue (first mentioned in 1354) and a cemetery, dating from the first half of the 13th century. It was one of the larger communities of Carinthia. Conditions in Villach were good for the settlement of Jews, especially due to the favorable location of the town on main commercial routes. Villach turned into an important trade center.
The Jewish convert ‘nicla, tauben sun’, (Nicolas, the son of Taube), became a noble member of the city council even while his Jewish mother was still alive. He eventually served as the judge of town. The “Nuernberger Martyrologium”, a Hebrew source listing persecutions, mentions Villach as one place where Jews were persecuted in 1338 and again in 1349. During 1350-1399 six Jewish adults were known to have lived in Villach.