In the news1685
Huguenot migration to Brandenburg
The Great Elector issued the Edict of Potsdam, inviting French Huguenot refugees to settle in Brandenburg and Berlin to help rebuild the economy.
Bad Arolsen, 21 Aug 1681 – Hildburghausen, 9 Mar 1724
10 facts3 sources
21 Aug 1681
Born in Bad Arolsen
1713
A daughter is born
9 Mar 1724
Dies in Hildburghausen, aged 42
He lived through 5 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Bad Arolsen.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
In the news1685
The Great Elector issued the Edict of Potsdam, inviting French Huguenot refugees to settle in Brandenburg and Berlin to help rebuild the economy.
Work
Common Jobs in Rural Villages
Most common occupations were in agriculture, including fullholders, smallholders, and landless laborers like cottars (Seldner) and day laborers who often combined farming with small-scale craft or wage work. Female labor was essential and included tasks like spinning, sewing, agricultural labor, and working as live-in maidservants.
What people wore
Men's multi-functional hat design
The Winkelmann hat for men featured an integrated fabric bag designed to carry items like a prayer book, bread, and a hip flask.
Daily life
Poor lighting in winter homes
During the winter, homes were lit by poor-quality light from resin torches, tallow candles, or oil lamps with open flames.
News and letters
Chaotic cargo on post wagons
Post wagons often carried a chaotic mix of goods, including barrels, crates, and even unpackaged game like deer or pigs.
Music
Village dance in 1678 with bagpipes
A painting of a 1678 village dance shows young people dancing to a bagpiper and a drummer while villagers drink beer in the outdoor setting.
At the table
Alcoholic beverages replaced water for safety
People rarely drank water due to contamination risks, relying instead on wine or beer, which were considered safer because of the fermentation process. Milk was almost exclusively for small children, as most of it was processed into butter and cheese for storage.