Tithing in Baden

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The tithe replacement in Baden by the tithe law of 1833 resulted in the abolition of the tithe in Baden and lasted until 1893. The tithe was only part of the basic burden to which the peasants were obliged to the landlord .

The tithe in Baden

The tithe payment, that is, the delivery of part of the harvest in kind, by the peasants was usually offset by consideration from the landlord and tithe lord . These considerations related primarily to the construction and maintenance of church buildings. Considerations such as the delivery of construction timber were also possible.

The grand ducal domain administration was the largest tithe in Baden, who received around 50% of the total tithe. In addition to the nobility , other private individuals, parishes and schools could also be entitled to tithe.

The way to abolish tithe

In the First Chamber of the Baden Estates Assembly , the abolition of the tithe was discussed as early as 1819, because the tithe had the following disadvantages for the country: Loss of parts of the harvest due to the necessary transport, high storage and administrative costs and finally the hindrance to the free development of agricultural trade. For years, the first and second chambers of the Baden assembly of estates debated the replacement or conversion of tithe into a cash pension .

Tithe Act of 1833

The law promulgated on December 17, 1833 provided for the following provisions:

  • The redemption of the tithe is basically possible
  • The compensation is 20 times the amount of the annual tithe income
  • The Baden state pays 1/5 of this amount of compensation and the tithing party pays the remaining 4/5
  • A tithing debt repayment fund is set up by the state, which is supposed to provide loans for tithing.

The law stipulated that until January 1, 1838, a tithe could only be redeemed through a free agreement between those liable to pay and those entitled to tithe. After this point in time, a third of those liable to pay tithe in a congregation could request redemption if they together raised more than half of the tithe. Estate owners were generally able to redeem them on their own and after 1838 they were also able to demand this. After January 1, 1842, the tithe was also able to request a replacement.

The average market price of the natural produce, from which the redemption sum was calculated, should be determined by the state. The taxpayer should pay 5% interest annually for the delay in the redemption sum and have repaid his debt at the latest after five years. If the interest payments are delayed, the tithe should continue to be collected in kind.

The tithe replacement was seen as a "decisive breach in the feudal agrarian constitution" and met with decided resistance among those entitled to tithe. As a result, there were a number of processes and negotiations in the Federal Assembly , which delayed the process.

The slow progress of the tithe replacement in Baden is evident from the fact that the last 67 replacements were not completed until 1893.

See also

literature

  • Christinezeile: For basic relief in Baden from 1819 to 1848 . In: Journal for the history of the Upper Rhine 139 (1991) ( ISSN  0044-2607 ) pp. 199-238.
  • Vollrath Vogelmann: The tithe replacement in the Grand Duchy of Baden, its progress and its consequences: In addition to the tithe law and all enforcement ordinances and instructions (1838), online

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Hans-Ulrich Wehler : German history of society. Volume 2, Issue 3, 1987, ISBN 340632262X , page 668 [Online]