Henry Volrad of Stolberg-Wernigerode

What people wore

Clothing as an Investment and Charity Gift

Ordinary people took great care of their clothing, which was considered an investment; garments were frequently passed down, gifted, or sold second-hand rather than discarded. In a 1577 charitable donation in Nuremberg, 100 poor men each received a standardized, durable outfit consisting of a black wool coat, a black wool waistcoat, black wool trousers, a black hat, a white linen shirt, and a pair of shoes.

Daily life

Regulation of waste and public conduct

Public authorities in the 16th century strictly regulated domestic waste disposal, punishing the act of pouring urine or dirty dishwater onto the streets. Naked swimming was also heavily sanctioned, with eight men in Frankfurt being sentenced to four weeks of prison on bread and water for swimming in the Main river in 1541.

News and letters

Efficient Relay System and Delivery Times

To speed up delivery, the postal system used a relay method where couriers handed off letters at fixed intervals of 15 to 35 km, allowing riders to travel day and night. On the main route between Brussels and Innsbruck, which spanned about 920 kilometers, a letter could be delivered in approximately five to six days.

Music

Town pipers performed music from towers

Civic musicians known as Stadtpfeifer regularly performed music from church towers and town hall balconies, often using loud brass and wind instruments like the cornett, sackbut, and shawm.

At the table

Grains and vegetables as staples

For ordinary families, grains served as the foundation of the diet in the form of porridges or coarse breads. Vegetables such as turnips, cabbage, and onions were essential daily staples, often cooked with lard or bacon.

Getting around

Travel challenges and gate closures

Traveling was physically demanding, often on unpaved roads through forests or fields, and travelers had to reach their destination before nightfall because city gates were locked at sunset. Common travelers often struggled with bad weather and the lack of comfortable transport, making a simple journey a serious endeavor.

Work

Remarkable Skills of Ordinary People

A Tübingen cobbler reportedly used advanced swimming and breath-holding techniques to dive into dangerous whirlpools in the Neckar River to steal high-quality fish. Such specialized knowledge of swimming was documented in early training manuals, which even suggested using reeds or animal bladders as buoyancy aids.