Purchase Contract for Stätte No. 10 in Berenbusch (5 Sep. 1849)

Explanation of the Sales Contract

This document records the formal sale of Stätte No. 10 in Berenbusch by Colon Krückeberg to the Einlieger (cottager) Wilhelm Bornemann. The sale was made in anticipation of Krückeberg’s emigration to America. Because the holding was a regulated Kolonat rather than freely owned land, its transfer could not occur privately. It had to be brought before the Amt Bückeburg, recorded, witnessed, and then forwarded to the Fürstliche Rentkammer for higher confirmation.

The contract defines the Stätte not merely as a parcel of property, but as a complete holding with dwelling house, bakehouse, garden land, and yard (Hofraum), along with the associated social and legal status in the village. It specifies that the buildings are conveyed with all fixtures “held by earth, wall, band, rivet, and nail,” and that the buyer, Bornemann, assumes not only the property but also all of the hereditary obligations tied to it. These include labor duties, forest work, parish offerings, watch payments, and other communal responsibilities.

Bornemann agrees to pay seven hundred Thaler Courant for the holding. He assumes the debts currently resting on the property as a Selbstschuldner (principal debtor) and pays the remaining amount in cash at the time of the contract’s execution. The document is formally dated and authorized with the closing formula “So geschehen Bückeburg, den 5. September 1849.” After both parties make their marks, the contract is prepared for transmission to the Fürstliche Rentkammer for superior confirmation.

In practical terms, this contract documents Krückeberg’s departure from the village social order and Bornemann’s accession into the position of Kolonat holder—a significant upward shift in rural status and responsibility.

Glossary of Terms

Colon

A hereditary tenant-holder a Kolonat under long-standing obligations to the local lordship. Not a free owner in the modern sense.

Einlieger

A landless or small-plot cottager living within the village. Socially below a Colon; acquiring a Stätte raised a person’s standing.

Stätte

The holding as a whole: house, yard, outbuildings, garden, and the status and obligations attached to it.

Hofraum

The enclosed yard / work and storage space surrounding the dwelling and barns.

Handburgfesten

Annual labor duties owed to the estate authority, often field or road maintenance work.

Erntetage

Days of compulsory harvest labor provided to the local manor/estate.

Waldarbeit

Required labor in the lord’s forest: cutting, hauling, clearing, charcoal wood preparation, etc.

Amtsgefälle

Monetary dues owed to the Amt (local administrative authority).

Contribution pro simplo

A standardized tax rate assessed at the base level (“simplo”).

Opfergeld

Small offering-tax paid to the local parish (here: Petzen).

Rauchhuhn

A yearly hen tax associated with the right to maintain a household (“smoke tax”).

Wächtergeld

Payment toward the village watchman/night-watch system.

Landfolgen / Wachten / Dorfsfolgen

Collective village labor and communal service obligations (road repair, fire watch, bridge maintenance, etc.).

Images

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Transliteration and Translation

Abschrift

Kund und zu wissen sei hiermit, daß zwischen dem Colon Krückeberg
Nro 10 in Berenbusch einerseits und dem Einlieger Wilhelm Bornemann
von Nro 14 in Nordholz andererseits nachstehender Kaufcontract
verabredet und abgeschlossen worden ist.

                           1,
Der Colon Krückeberg Nro 10 in Berenbusch verkauft an den Einlieger
Wilhelm Bornemann Nro 14 in Nordholz seine aus seinem Wohnhause,
einem Backhause und ungefähr 1 3/4 Morgen Gartenland und respektiv
Hofraum bestehende Stätte Nro 10 in Berenbusch in toto complexi
unter den bestehenden rechtlichen Verhältnissen.

                           2,
Die Gebäude werden verkauft mit allem, was daran Erde, Wand, Band,
Niet und Nagel fest ist, desgleichen mit den Ofen und den statt des
Beschusses auf den Böden etwa lose liegenden Dielen und Pfosten. Die
Grundstücke werden mit den darauf stehenden Baumen und darum
befindlichen Einfriedigungen verkauft. Für die Größe der Grundstücke
wird vom Verkäufer keine Gewähr geleistet.

                           3,
Der Käufer hat sämmtliche auf der gekauften Stätte haftenden
Lasten und Abgaben, es mögen dieselben im Nachstehenden verzeichnet
sein oder nicht, zu übernehmen und vom Tage der Aushändigung des
Contractes an abzuführen, als namentlich:

   12 Handburgfesten,
   5 Erntetage,
   6 Tage Waldarbeit,
   26 mg 5 d. Amtsgefälle,
   2 mg 6 d. Contribution pro simplo,
   5 Eier und 5 d. Opfergeld an die Pfarre in
   Petzen;
   ein Rauchhuhn,
   4 Pfennige Wächtergeld,
   Landfolgen, Wachten, Dorfsfolgen und
   sonstige Gemeindelasten.

                           4,
Der Käufer zahlt an den Verkäufer für die benannte Stätte die
Kaufsumme von siebenhundert Thaler Courant, und zwar in der Art, daß
er die auf der Stätte haftenden Schulden als Selbstschuldner
übernimmt und den Rest der Kaufgelder bei Aushändigung des
Contractes sofort an den Ver- käufer baar entrichtet.

                           5,
Die Stätte wird sofort nach erfolgter Aushändigung des Kaufbriefes
an den Käufer zum Eigenthum übergeben.

                           6,
Die Kosten dieses Kaufbriefes hat der Käufer zu tragen.

                           7,
Beide Theile entsagen allen diesem Contracte etwa entgegenstehenden
Einreden, nament- lich den Einreden des Betrugs, Irrtums, Zwanges,
der Verletzung unter oder über die Hälfte, der anders niederge-
schriebenen als verabredeten Sache, um welchen Namen sie sonst haben
mögen.

Urkundlich dessen ist über den vorstehenden Kaufhandel, welchem
hierdurch die ge- richtliche Bestätigung ertheilt wird, dieser
Kaufbrief vom unterzeichneten Amte aus- gestellt worden, und soll
derselbe nach dem er von den Contrahenten vollzogen sein wird, zur
höheren gutsherrlichen Bestätigung an Fürstliche Rentkammer
eingesandt werden.

So geschehen Bückeburg, d. 5. Sept. 1849.

Krückeberg Nro 10. Hand ✝✝✝ zwischen
des Wilhelm Bornemann

Fürstlich Schaumburg-Lippes Amt.

Hocker        König

(L.S.)
Copy

Let it be known hereby that a purchase contract has been agreed upon
and concluded between Colon Krückeberg No. 10 in Berenbusch on the
one side and the Einlieger (cottager) Wilhelm Bornemann of No. 14 in
Nordholz on the other.

                              1.
Colon Krückeberg No. 10 in Berenbusch sells to the Einlieger Wilhelm
Bornemann No. 14 in Nordholz his homestead No. 10 in Berenbusch,
consisting of his dwelling house, a bake house, approximately 1 3/4
Morgen of garden land, and the associated yard (Hofraum), in its
entirety, under the existing legal conditions.

                              2.
The buildings are sold with everything attached to them by
foundation, wall, joint, rivet or nail, as well as the stoves and
any loose floor-boards and posts lying on the upper floors. The
plots are sold with the trees standing upon them and the fences and
enclosures surrounding them. The seller gives no warranty as to the
exact size of the land.

                              3.
The buyer is to assume all burdens and dues resting upon the
purchased property, whether or not they are listed below, and to
discharge them from the date the contract is handed over, namely:

   12 Handburg labor duties,
   5 harvest days,
   6 days of forest work,
   26 Mariengroschen and 5 Pfennige seigneurial dues,
   2 Mariengroschen and 6 Pfennige contribution tax,
   5 eggs and 5 Pfennige offering money to the parish
   in Petzen;
   one smoke-hen, 4 Pfennige watchman’s pay,
   land-service, watch-duty, village labor service,
   and other communal obligations.

                             4.
The buyer pays the purchase sum of seven hundred Thaler Courant for
the homestead, in such a manner that he assumes the debts resting on
the property as principal debtor, and pays the remaining purchase
money in cash to the seller upon delivery of the contract.

                             5.
The homestead shall be transferred into the buyer’s possession
immediately upon delivery of the deed.

                             6.
The costs of this deed are to be borne by the buyer.

                             7.
Both parties renounce any objections that might be brought against
this contract, particularly those of fraud, mistake, coercion,
injury by over- or under- valuation, or that something other than
what was agreed upon has been written down.

In witness whereof, and granting hereby judicial confirmation, this
purchase deed has been issued by the undersigned Amt, and after
being executed by the contracting parties, shall be forwarded to the
Princely Rent Chamber for superior confirmation.

Thus done at Bückeburg on 5 September 184      9.

Krückeberg No. 10 (his mark ✝✝✝)
and that of Wilhelm Bornemann.

Princely Schaumburg-Lippe Amt.

Hocker        König

(Seal)