Karen S. Rowe

Buchmeier - Lowe - Rowe

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Armutszeugnis
(Evidence of incapacity)

Brennholzinteressenten
(Persons interested in firewood.)

Baumuehle, Bolsehle, Borstel, Brockoloh, Brunenborstel, Eilvese, Finkalenheide, Husum, Gross Varlingen, Hagen, Laderholz, Langendamm, Linsburg, Mariensee, Noepke, Schessinghausen, Vorthoff, Wenden (places between Nienburg and Neustadt am Rubenberge, borderlined to the Lippe area, west of Hannover).

This list contains names of persons receiving firewood and the amount of firewood from the responsible forester. It was written in the winter of 1846 / 1847 by the forester Mr. Piepho. Persons ordered and paid for firewood, others like Eleonore Koehler (document on the left) were too poor to purchase firewood. Others had the traditional right to get it at no cost, such as schools or cloisters.

Between the towns of Nienburg and Neustadt is a big forest named Grinderwald. The prussian government employed many people to use the forest for hunting and also for doing other business. Foresters were responsible for spreading or delivering firewood before each winter to people in the surrounding villages. In those days heating and cooking was done with wood (no gas, electricity, or oil). In the years after 1800 many people became quite poor as the industries, mainly enforced by steam engines and large factories where goods were produced more and more in masses and not by single persons.

Many of the names appearing on the list have descendents who immigrated to America hoping to have a better life. It was mainly the work of the church to collect money for the poor and to organize other kind of help. The Armutszeugnis is a good example. Unmarried and old women or widows were in a quite poor situation. Often widows will marry relatives such as a brother of their deceased husband. They would care for the household while he would earn money for the family. It was a better situation on the farms as traditionally the older persons had already for centuries the right to spend their last days at home on the "Altenteil" and the younger ones who took over the farm had to care for food. The Altenteil was mainly one or two rooms, sometimes a small house on the farm.

Map	Documents, descriptions and translations courtesy of Manfred Moersner (2005). [List found at a locat flea market in Germany.]

A woman so poor that officials would give her firewood for the cold winter.

Das die unverehlichte Eleonore Koehler in Langendamm arm ist, nur wenig mit ihrer Hande Arbeit verdient und daher der Unterstutzung, vornehmlich in diesem strengen Winter, sehr bedarf, wird hiermit attestirt.
Husum, d. 8. Januar 1861
SEAL PARISH HUSUM H. Boening, Pastor

An den Herrn Rvs. Wallmann zu Linsburg
No 81
die unverehelichte Eleonore Koehler zu Langendamm deren Armuth von dem Pastor Bening zu Husum bescheinigt ist, hat um eine Unterstutzung durch Brennholz gebeten. Der Herr Revierfoerster wolle dieselbe bei der diss- jahrigen Brennholzabgabe berucksichtigen und die Abgabe in das betr: Verzeichnis mit aufnehmen. Nienburg, den 15. Jan: 61

The unmarried Eleonore Koehler from Langendamm, whose poorness is certified by Pastor Boening from Husum, asked for being supported with firewood. The district forester gets order to initiate it when firewood gets arranged this year. He also is asked to write it in the corresponding list of Brennholzinteressenten for this year.

Church at Husum
(Photo courtesy of Georgia Neuhring Bruns.)

Hannover 28 AUG 1862

Foresters of the area who asked for support as all the goods they buy for living became more expensive. List contains titles, names, location and amount of money, etc.

Surnames: Blume, Heitmann, Block, Hagenburg, Scheibe, Hillmann, Winkelmann, Lahmann, Weber, Leeseberg, Schulz, Hahne, Fielitz.

Karen S. Rowe
No telephone calls please.

Buchmeier - Lowe - Rowe