In the news1572
Banking house collapse ruins economy (1572)
The collapse of the major merchant and banking house Loitz in Stettin in 1572 caused widespread economic turmoil throughout the region of Pomerania.
6 Jan 1571 – 10 May 1625
7 facts1 source
6 Jan 1571
Born
1593
A daughter is born
10 May 1625
Dies, aged 54
She lived through 6 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
In the news1572
The collapse of the major merchant and banking house Loitz in Stettin in 1572 caused widespread economic turmoil throughout the region of Pomerania.
Getting around
Walking as the primary mode of transport
Most ordinary people traveled on foot, often covering 20 to 30 kilometers in a day.
In the news1575
A widespread outbreak of smallpox and measles occurred in Holstein in 1575, severely impacting the lives of local families.
Daily life
Cooking with embers and kettles
Kitchens often featured a large metal kettle for boiling, while smaller quantities were baked in bowls placed on a grid and covered with glowing embers.
What people wore
The high value of clothing and tailoring
Clothing was highly valuable, often made to measure by tailors, and could be pawned to raise funds quickly. A typical working man's entire wardrobe might be worth only a few shillings to a pound.
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
Rare Festive Pastries
For ordinary families, sweet pastries fried in fat, known as Nonnenfürzle, were rare festive delicacies served on special occasions like church festivals. They were made from choux pastry and, according to local tradition, were named for the hissing sound they made as steam escaped in the hot fat.