ABSTRACT
In this chapter, I focus on family strategies used by the German merchant elite in the Northern Baltic, particularly in terms of marriage and education. I begin by examining the background of this group and outline the marriage and education opportunities in the area. I then offer an in-depth analysis of the educational choices of the studied families. Among the Northern Baltic merchant elite, family strategies were not set in stone; they could be adapted to changing situations, such as changes within the family, altered local political or administrative circumstances, or developments in technology. The most important family value was the preservation of the family business, and every action the families undertook supported this aim.
