among the curiosities i picked up in the course of my wanderings about saxon villages is a large zinc dish sixteen inches in diameter, curiously engraved and inscribed. on the outside rim there is a running pattern of hares and stags; on the inside a coat-of-arms, and this inscription:
“neu jahrs geschenk von der
ehrlichen bruderschaft.[10]
alt gesel georg bayr,
junger tomas fraytag
1791.”
the dish makes a convenient tray for holding calling-cards, and its origin is an interesting addition to the history of these saxon people, as it comprises two noteworthy features of their organization—namely, the bruderschaften (brotherhoods) and the nachbarschaften (neighborhoods).
the bruderschaft is an association to which belong all young men of the parish, from the date of their confirmation up to that of their marriage. this community is governed by strict laws, in which the{80} duties of its members respectively, as citizens, sons, brothers, suitors, and even dancers, are distinctly traced out. in their outward form these brotherhoods have some sort of resemblance to the religious confraternities still existing in many catholic countries, and most probably they originated in the same manner; but while these latter have now degenerated into mere outward forms, the saxon brotherhoods have retained the original spirit of such institutions, principally consisting in the reciprocal watch its members kept over one another’s morality. mr. boner, in his book, very aptly compares the saxon bruderschaften to the heidelberg burschenschafts; and spite of the great difference which may at first sight appear, these institutions are the only ones to which the saxon brotherhoods may at all be likened. in the towns these confraternities have now completely disappeared; but in villages they are still in full force, and have but little or nothing of their original character.[11]
the head of the brotherhood is called the alt-knecht. he is chosen every year, but can be deposed at any time if he prove unworthy of his post. it is his mission to watch over the other members, keep order, and dictate punishments; but when he is caught erring himself he incurs a double forfeit. when a new alt-knecht is about to be chosen, the seven oldest brothers are proposed as candidates. with money received from the treasurer these repair to the public-house, there to await the decision of the confraternity. the other members meanwhile proceed to vote, and when they have made a decision, send a deputation of two brothers to invite the candidates to come and learn the result.
twice the deputation is carelessly dismissed, the candidates affecting to feel no interest in the matter; only when the ambassadors appear for the third time two glasses of wine are filled for them, and they are desired to salute the new alt-knecht.
the two emissaries then take place on either side of the newly chosen leader and drink his health, with the words, “helf gott, alt-knecht.” they then all proceed back to the assembly-room, where the senior candidate says,
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“god be with you, brother: you have sent for us; what do you want?”
the eldest among the voters answers for the others,
“we have chosen n. n. for our alt-knecht; the other six can sit down.”
the lucky candidate is now expected to play the shamefaced, modest r?le, and say,
“look farther, brother; seek for a better one.”
“we have already looked,” is the answer.
“and is it in truth your will that i and no other should be your head?”
“it is our will.”
“and shall it then be so?”
“it shall be so.”
“and may it be so?”
“it may be so.”
“then god help me to act righteously towards myself and you.”
“god help you, alt-knecht.”
the senior brother then solemnly presents him to the assembly, saying,
“see, brothers, this is the alt-knecht you have chosen for the coming year. he is bound to undertake all journeys on behalf of the affairs of the confraternity, he will preside at our meetings, superintend the maids at their spinning evenings, and will punish each one according to his deserts; but when he is himself at fault, he shall be doubly visited (punished) by us.”
six other brothers occupy different posts of authority under the alt-knecht. the first in rank of these is the gelassen alt-knecht, who takes the place of the alt-knecht when absent; he is likewise treasurer, and has the office of presenting newly chosen members to the pastor. once or twice a month there is a meeting of the brotherhood at which the affairs of the confraternity are discussed and misdemeanors judged. in presiding at these meetings the alt-knecht has in his hand, as insignia of his office, a wooden platter, with which he strikes on the table whenever he wishes to call the brothers to order.
whoever, on these occasions, freely accuses himself of his faults incurs only half the penalty; but i am told that this contingency rarely occurs. the finable offences are numerous, and are taxed at{82} six, ten, twenty kreuzers and upwards, according to the heinousness of the offence. here are some of the principal delinquencies subject to penalties:
1. carelessness or slovenliness of attire—every missing button having a fine attached to it.
2. bad manners at table, putting the elbows on the board, or striking it with the fist when excited.
3. irregularity in church attendance, falling asleep during the sermon, yawning, stretching, etc., a particularly heavy fine being put upon snoring.
4. having, on fast-days, whistled loudly in the street, or worn colored ribbons in the hat.
whoever be discontented with the punishment assigned to him, and forgets himself so far as to grumble audibly, incurs a double fine.
four times yearly, before the sacrament is administered in church, the brotherhood hold what they call their vers?hnungs-abend (reconciliation evening), at which they mutually ask pardon for the injuries done.
eight days after quasimodo sunday the alt-knecht sends round an invitation to all newly confirmed youths to enter the confraternity. their incorporation is accompanied by various ceremonies, one of which is that each newly chosen member is laden with a burden of heavy stones, old rusty pots and pans, broomsticks, and such-like rubbish, secured round his neck by means of ropes, this somewhat obscure ceremony being supposed to signify the subjection of the new member to the rules of the brotherhood.
on his marriage a man ceases to be a member of the brotherhood, on leaving which both he and his bride must pay certain taxes in meat, bread, and wine. henceforth he belongs to the nachbarschaft, or neighborhood. every village is divided into four neighborhoods, each governed by a head, called the nachbarvater. this second confraternity is conducted in much the same manner as the brotherhood, with the difference that its regulations apply to the reciprocal assistance which neighbors are bound to render each other in various household and domestic contingencies. thus a man is only obliged to assist those who belong to his own quarter in building a house, cleaning out wells, extinguishing fires, and such-like. he must also contribute provisions on christening, marriage, and funeral occasions occurring within his neighborhood, and lend plates and jugs for the same.
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the nachbarvater has the responsibility of watching over the order and discipline in his quarter, enforcing the regulations issued by the pastor or the village maire, or hann, and assuring himself of the cleanliness of those streets which lie under his jurisdiction. when an ox or calf has perished through any accident, it is his duty to have the fact proclaimed in the neighborhood, each family in which is then obliged to purchase a certain portion of the meat at the price fixed by the nachbarvater, in order to lighten the loss to the afflicted family. his authority extends even to the interior of each household, and he is bound to report to the pastor the names of those who absent themselves from church. he must fine the men who have neglected to approach the sacrament, as well as the women who have lingered outside the church wasting their time in senseless gossip. children who have been overheard speaking disrespectfully of their parents, couples whose connubial quarrels are audible in the street, dogs wantonly beaten by their masters, vain young matrons who have exceeded the prescribed number of glittering pins in their head-dress, or girls surpassing their proper allowance of ribbons—all come under his jurisdiction; and the nachbarvater is himself subject to punishment if he neglect to report a culprit, or show himself too lenient in the dictation of punishment.
of the third confraternity, to which belong the girls—viz., the schwesterschaft, or sisterhood—there is comparatively little to say; but the description of one of these saxon village communities would not be complete without mention of the hann, who, after the parson, is the most important man in the village.
the designation hann has been derived by etymologists from the saxon word chunna (hundred), out of which successively hunna, hund, hunne, honne, and hann have been made. a hundding or huntari was a district comprising a hundred divisions (but whether heads of families or villages is impossible now to ascertain), and the hund, honne, or hann was the title given to the man who governed this district. the appellation hann is to be found in documents of the fifteenth century in the rhine provinces, but seems to have disappeared there from use since that time.
the saxon village hann is chosen every three years; and though but a peasant himself like the neighbors around, he becomes, from the moment when he is invested in “a little brief authority,” an influential personage, whose word none dare to question. he is forthwith{84} spoken of as the “herr hann,” his wife becomes the “frau hanim,” and euer weisheit (your wisdom) is henceforth the correct formula of address.
saxon peasant going to work.
in one village it is customary for the newly elected hann to be placed on a harrow (the points turned upward), and thus drawn in triumph round the village. the election takes place by votes, much in the same way as the nomination of a pastor, and with like circumspection. it is by no means easy to find a man well qualified for the office, for the hann requires to have a very remarkable assortment of the choicest virtues in order to fit him for the place. he must be upright, honest, energetic, and practical, impervious to bribery, and absolutely impartial; moreover, he must not be poor, for noblesse{85} oblige, and his new dignity brings many outlays in its train. the modest supply of crockery which has hitherto been ample for the requirements of his family no longer suffices, for a hann must be prepared to receive guests; such luxuries as coffee, loaf-sugar, and an occasional packet of cigars, must now find their way into his house, to say nothing of paper, pens, and ink: who knows whether even a new table or an additional couple of chairs may not become necessary?
of course the hann can only be chosen from among those residing in the principal street, and it is considered to be rather an indignity if he has taken his wife from some side-street family—a disadvantage only to be condoned for by very exceptional merit on his own part.
it would be endless were i to attempt enumerating all the duties of a village hann; so let it suffice to say that the whole responsibility of the arrangements for the health, security, cleanliness, and general welfare of the village rests upon his shoulders. school attendance, military conscription, and tax-collecting are but a few of the many duties which devolve on him. his it is to decide on what day the corn is to be cut or the hay brought home; through which street the buffaloes are to be driven to pasture, and at which fountain it is permitted for the women to wash their linen. he must assure himself that no cart return to the village after the curfew-bell has sounded; that the night-watchmen—one in each neighborhood—are punctual in going their rounds; and that the nachbarv?ter make discreet and worthy use of their authority.
