Читать книгу The Great Hollenberg Saga - Heinz Niederste-Hollenberg - Страница 60

Contribution to Church and Crown

During the year 1543 A.D. the two Hollenberg estates had to make the following obligatory payments based upon existing records:

Hermann ton Hollenberg

Joan ton Hollenberg

Geldpacht (lease-pay)

2 Gulden

2 Gulden

Herbstschatzung (tax

assessment on fall-harvest )

9 Schillinge

9 Schillinge

Markengeld (tax on acreage)

1 Ort=1/4 Gulden

1/2 Gulden

A little later, in the year of 1603, the payment of “Markenrente” (= annuity for acreage) is, documented for both: -- Erich Hollenberg and Luike Hollenberg --.

Again, 20 years later – 1623/24 –, the “Inventarium” of the archives of the Prince of Solms list the place of “Jo-han to Hollenberge” and “Lueke tom Hollenbergh” (=Niederste Hollenberg).

At that time, both were subject to tithe payments to the Count of Tecklenburg.

In 1707 A.D., the Kingdom of Prussia acquired the County of Tecklenburg, and that included the Parish of Cap-peln. Consequently, that whole district became subject to tithe to the King of Prussia.

Another listing from the year 1770 A.D. shows the parish of Westerkappeln with 106 farms (of a given size) all subject to the tithe to the King of Prussia.

As a consequence of the “tithe” obligations which the operating family farm had to fulfil against the authorities (Church and Crown) and the change of the general economic climate due to the upcoming industrialization, the tenant farmer (“Heuerling”) were caught in between – without their fault.

This forced them virtually to look for additional income on the side in order to make a living: For some time, the handcrafted linen production in the area served this purpose, whereby special “linenkeepers” kept the trading routes on foot open into nearby Holland and the coast-line.