Dike penalty
The dike punishment was the sanction that was imposed when landowners not their dike duty nachkamen. The punishment could range from the fine , the prison sentence , the deprivation of the yard and land up to the death penalty .
The death penalty was only used for a short time. In 1537/38, for example, a person responsible for dykes in Winsen (Luhe) was sentenced to death for having caused a dyke breach by neglecting to maintain the dike . The first building pile was to be knocked through his body at the break. In 1563 in Bleckede a person responsible for a dike was sentenced to death after breaking a dike by “stealing a pall through sin Liff” (pushing a stake through his body ). Those who did not report damage to the dike or who did not help defend the dike could also be punished . In later years, a penalty was only payable if the damage was not repaired within a time limit and was mainly payable as a fine. The deadline was to be communicated in writing.