ABSTRACT
This excerpt from the Holderbuel–Kangiesser matrimonial case records the effects of the Thirty Years’ War on the life prospects of a young couple. True, the minutes of a church official offer only rough outlines of what actually happened, and can only hint at which moral judgments, interests, and emotions guided the actions of the parties involved. It is possible, however, to begin to discern in this document the different perspectives of the bride, the groom, and the village officials regarding the complex events as well as the significance of public opinion for one’s reputation and honor in early modern rural society. The Holderbuel–Kangiesser case is unique in Hütterodt’s journal, in which instances of alleged ‘fornication’ with soldiers predominate. The case nevertheless provides insight into the difficult situations which confronted young couples during the worst years of the Thirty Years’ War in Germany, and the various strategies they employed to overcome them.
