Corporal punishment and forced laborers' houses for apprentices who didn't listen, or vocational school on Sundays. 150 years ago, apprentice life was very different. Servant's books from the archives of the Schäftlarn monastery tell of everyday life at that time.
Today, September 2nd, is the beginning of a new phase in life for many former students. Instead of sitting in a school desk, they now have to learn a trade in shops, offices or companies. A contract regulates the length of vacation as well as the rights and obligations of the trainee and his or her employer. More than 150 years ago, things were similar – but it cannot be compared to today.
Father Norbert Piller, prior and archivist of the Schäftlarn monastery, has two of the service books that were common at the time and that farm workers and servants were given at the beginning of their working lives. One dates from 1861 and belonged to 16-year-old Ursula Popp, who also hired herself out as a “housemaid” in Landshut on September 2nd, Candlemas.
Punishments: corporal punishment and forced labor house
The first page is devoted to the young woman's appearance. Her face was full, her eyes were described as green and her eyebrows as brown. She was of “medium height” and spoke Bavarian. The next 18 pages contain the exact duties and possible punishments for non-compliance “in the name of His Majesty the King”. “Since complaints about the licentiousness of agricultural servants in particular are still being raised and most of these complaints are entirely justified,” explains the introduction, “the undersigned finds itself compelled to formulate the following provisions of the servants' regulations of May 2, 1781 in the most precise form.” To remind people of their compliance.”
These, in turn, were not without their problems: a servant had to “conduct himself honestly, obediently, faithfully and diligently in accordance with his duty”. If he did not comply – for example, in order to be released before the end of the year – he had to expect “longer arrest, corporal punishment and, depending on the circumstances, placement in a forced labour house”. Servants who simply “escaped” “without their master's prior knowledge” could be arrested and sentenced to a fine of six Reichstaler – and also had to return to their old job. In general, the employer allowed them to go out on Sundays and public holidays. If they were allowed to, however, they had to stay away from pubs and dance halls. At least: if one of those employed at that time was caught torturing an animal, this had to be “reported to the police authorities” and the employer was required to “take serious action”.
The next few pages are reserved for an extraordinary assessment. “With what diligence, loyalty and efficiency did you serve?” is the question that employers have to answer briefly and succinctly. Ursula Popp was hardworking. Over the years she worked her way up to the position of cook in jobs in Landshut, Passau and Munich. The last entry is from May 4, 1905. Ursula Popp, now 64 years old, worked for a lady who described herself as a “private person”. She praised Popp as an “outstanding” member of her household. Every judgment had to be stamped by the municipality, the magistrate or the responsible police authority.
The second servants' book dates from 1889. Berger Johann Bauer had to pay a fee of 50 Pfennigs for it. He was just 15 years old when he found a job in agriculture. It is no wonder that his height was recorded as “growing”. Whether the blond boy could write or not is no longer known. In any case, the line “Owner's handwriting” is not filled in.
Employer had to allow going out on Sunday
After all, around 30 years later, the “rules and teachings” are limited equally to the owner of the book and his employer. And the first signs of labor law are becoming apparent: “Employers and servants who enter into an employment contract with immoral conditions are punished with up to eight days' imprisonment or a fine of up to 15 thalers.” The same penalties threaten both sides in the case of illegal work.
However, the punishment for agricultural servants who were absent during the harvest season without sufficient reason had become more severe: they faced imprisonment for up to two weeks. In general, the detention cell was a very common punishment. Truants from Sunday school had to serve up to three days, and anyone who refused to work on abolished holidays was given eight days in detention. “The servant should lead an orderly, religious and legal lifestyle, get used to being thrifty and be confident that he will stay with his employer for a long time.” The servant's book was of particular value. Under no circumstances was anything to be “erased, crossed out, changed, cut out or torn out.” Theft and use of someone else's servant's book was punishable with “50 thalers.”
Bauer had done everything right. He stayed in Traubling for four years, then moved to Feldafing and later Percha before being employed at the Schäftlarn monastery. He stayed there until 1907. The last entry is dated September 1, 1914. The termination of the employment relationship with the 40-year-old was due to “war reasons.” The First World War had begun around six weeks earlier.
