Textiles were repeatedly reused and repurposed in the Hanse era. The woolen cloth fragment from Tallinn shown here, for example, has strong signs of wear from at least two cycles of use: the original workmanship indicates a first life as outerwear. Further seams and abrasions indicate a second function as a lining fabric. 

In addition to the multiple reuse of fabrics, good clothing in the Hanse era is bequeathed in virtually every will. Lübeck burgher Hinrik Meyer primarily remembered his siblings in his will. He bequeathed a particularly fine cloth imported from Ypres in Flanders to his brother Johann so that he could have a robe* made out of it. He left another brother, Robek, a garment in the expensive fashionable colours of red and black. His other siblings did not go empty handed, either. Herman, for instance, inherited his best cloak.

“… Moreover, I give my brother Johann 20 marks and a piece of cloth for a robe from the cloth from Ypres. I give my brother Tydeke 10 marks and my best robe. I give my brother Robek 10 marks and my black and red robe. I give my brother Herman 10 marks and my best heuke …”

For Stralsund wills we can say that up to the 16th century textiles are mentioned in about 30% of all wills. Above all, representative outer garments and high-quality woollen cloths from Bruges and England are mentioned. But also cheaper grey cloth from Lübeck or Osnabrück was bequeathed in the wills or donated to the church.

Information: ROCK | ROBE – The term skirt stands for any type of outerwear.