WEAVING, A COTTAGE INDUSTRY
IN THE COUNTY OF BENTHEIM

Researchers all over Northern Germany agree that almost every second emigrant who left for North America, during the latter half of the 19th century, was a weaver. For many centuries weaving had been a cottage industry in the County of Bentheim. Linen, the end product 'of a long and tedious progress, was sold into the Netherlands and even overseas. In 1863, there were in the County of Bentheim 979 looms going. In the larger district of Osnabruck 14,129 looms. (1863) 

The upcoming cotton mills in the nearby Netherlands and also in Nordhorn and Schuttorf brought great stress and also hardships into the homes of the weavers. Emigration was a welcome solution to a distressed situation. 

The weavers in the County of Bentheim had their own Weavers Guild. The Guild letter wasissued by the Count Ernst Wilhelm in 1684.

Webstuhl, dat. 1714

This is the home of a weaver in the county of Bentheim, Germany. It was built during the 17th century; The newer addition in the front consists of a weaving room with a washroom directly to the left. In the courtyard between the addition and the main house is the open well and a place where in good weather the milking utensils were washed and aired. The door to the far left leads to the big kitchen, which was used for cooking, eating and entertaining. It was the only heated room in the house. The upstairs of the addition stored unshelled beans. Many_ emigrants from Bentheim were weavers and came from homes such as this one. Many had a trade and also worked, with the help of their families, a small farm.

This picture was taken in 1934. In the 18th century, the weaving room became a bedroom. This place housed a business for centuries in which several generations worked and lived together with the livestock under one roof. It was the homestead of the family Buter of Veeldgaar near Veldhausen. The house was demolished in 1960. Interior next page.

Translation of German descriptions of the interior of the house on the previous page. 

Starting in the upper left: 

Bienen = bees
Torf  = peat
Scheune = barn
Heu = hay
Schweinestall = pig pen
Garten = garden
Hof = yard
Brunnen = open well
Lagerraum = storage room
Pferdestall = stable
Huhnerstall = chicken coop
Toilette = same
Lagerraum = storage room
Schweinestall = farrowing coop
Kasten or Tegenkamer = side or chest room
Diele = threshing floor
Kuhstall = cow stable
Weg = road
Bleeke = place for bleaching linen
Butze = wall bed
Futterkessel = large kettle for cooking potatoes for animals Herd = open fireplace
Kuche = kitchen, also living, eating and cooking room
Kucheneingang = entrance to kitchen.
Zimmer = smaller room that housed storage chests and sometime a bed for guests.
Linde  linden tree
Wasch Mi1chkammer = washroom, (also used for making butter)
Mi1chkannen = milk cans
Schlafzimmer (Vater, Mutter) = parent's bedroom
Hecke = hedge 

Drawing by Johanes Buter, Nordhorn, West Germany.

This is a translation from the German of a guild letter for weavers issued by Count Ernst Wilhelm. The original is at the state Archives in Osnabruck, Rep. 117, I. Inv. III, No.9.

Guild letter of the weavers of the City of Nordhorn, the 28th of January 1684.

           We, Ernest Wilhelm, Count of Bentheim, Steinfurt, and Limburg, Master of Rheda, Wevelinghoven, Hoya, Alpen, and Helfenstein, member of the Council of Cologne, secret counselor of the Royal Roman Empire, declares through this letter an orderly way of giving a policy to the linen weavers of the city and the hamlets belonging to the parsonage of Nordhorn. 

That from now on through this order all undercuttings shall cease and strangers who without training practice shall be discharged. The linen weavers shall have a Guild, like their neighboring places in our land, and the statutes shall be in' line with theirs. All are asked to abide by the following ordinances: 

1.   If anybody who is not a native desires to be a linen weaver, he shall be legitimate born and show his birth certificate, and become a citizen of the place, and pay his six thaler dues to the local Guild. If he marries into the Guild, the dues shall be four dollars, and he shall be examined. 

2.   A citizen or his son who was not born into the Guild and wants to become a Guild member shall pay 4 thaler. If he marries into the Guild, it shall be a fee of 2 tha1er; also, he shall pass the exam and give 10 stuber to the poor. 

3.   If the wife of a Guild brother dies or if the husband himself dies and they remarry outside of the Guild, they shall pay 2 thaler and 10 stuber for the poor. If they remarry inside of the Guild, they shall give 10 stuber to the poor, and pass the exam. 

4.   If somebody who is a Guild member dies, the youngest member shall ask all the others to pay their respect and follow the body to the Church. If they don't obey, a thaler punishment shall be enforced. If they are lIot asked, a stuber per person punishment shall be charged to the person in charge, since he neglected his duty. 

5.   If somebody does not conform to the statutes of the Guild, he shall be obliged to spend a half ton of beer for the Guild, except if it is a government crime. 

6.   A native apprentice who works for a master, shall pay into the Gui\d a fee of 12 stuber per year. A stranger shan contribute to the common welfare; this will be a loss to the Guild. 

7.   All income of the Guild, dues, fees, and other income, shall go to the poor guild brothers, their widows, and orphans. The Guild masters shall give a financial report on a yearly basis. 

We have obliged to your wishes and set up this ordinance that you too, have a Guild or Zunft as your neighboring places. That people without degree cannot practice and take work away from others. We did this with much care, counsel, and knowledge, that the.

weavers and their descendants have an ordinance to go by. The government of the land takes the privilege to alter or amend the above guidelines. May the Guild members have strength, peace, and good habits in their respective places. May we as the governing body of the land enforce punishment to those who break the law. 

We will advise our government body, to help the masters and linen weavers to do their work in truthfulness and grace, that punishments are not necessary. We signed this Guild letter with our own hand and secret seal in truth. 

Bentheim, the 28th of January, 1684
Ernst Wilhelm

Nordhorn