ABSTRACT
“Ambrosius and Hans the Brothers Hochstetter and Associates” ceased business in 1529. By 1531, the partners had fled or been imprisoned. The testimony gathered in that year documented clearly to what extent and by what means the Hochstetters had violated their oath to cede all their property and to transact no business. The conclusion was swift and final: The elder Hochstetter and his partners had violated their oath; they had borrowed money with no intention to repay it. Yet, though the Hochstetter bankruptcy had formally concluded, the Hochstetter bankrupts continued to attract the attention of the authorities. Ambrosius II and Joseph never ceased protesting their innocence and petitioning for their freedom. They campaigned relentlessly to restore their Trauen und Glauben and escape imprisonment. In appealing to the long-term patrons of their family and firm, the House of Habsburg, Ambrosius II and Joseph utilized a standard capitalistic practice. Patronage had long served the Hochstetters well.
