German units of measurement

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The units of measurement of German-speaking countries consist of a variety of units, with varying local standard definitions. While many were made redundant with the introduction of the metric system, some of these units are still used in everyday speech and even in stores and on street markets as shorthand for similar amounts in the metric system. For example, some customers ask for one pound (ein Pfund) of something when they want 500  grams.

Contents

The metric system became compulsory on 1 January 1872, in Germany and on 1 January 1876, in Austria. [1]

Some obsolete German units have names similar to units that were traditionally used in other countries, and that are still used in a limited number of cases in the United Kingdom (imperial units) and fully in the United States (United States customary units).

German system

Before the introduction of the metric system in German, almost every town had its own definitions of the units shown below. Often towns posted local definitions on a wall of the city hall. For example, the front wall of the old city hall of Rudolstadt (still standing) has two marks which show the “Rudolstädter Elle”, the proper length of the Elle in that city. Supposedly by 1810 there were 112 different standards for the Elle around Germany. [ citation needed ]

“...the measure of cloth, for example, was elle which in each region stood for a different length. An elle of textile material brought in Frankfurt would get you 54.7 cm of cloth, in Mainz 55.1 cm, in Nuremberg 65.6 cm, in Freiburg 53.5 cm...”

Length

Meile (mile)

A German geographic mile (geographische Meile) is defined as 1⁄15 equatorial degrees, equal to 7,420.54  m (24,345.6  ft ). A common German mile, land mile, or post mile (Gemeine deutsche Meile, Landmeile, Postmeile) was defined in various ways at different places and different times. After the introduction of the metric system in the 19th century, the Landmeile was generally fixed at 7,500 m (24,606 ft) (the Reichsmeile), but before then there were many local and regional variants (of which some are shown below):

Some kinds of Meile
PlaceDistance
in metres (feet)		Notes
Breslau (Wrocław)6,700 m (22,000 ft)Used in all Silesia [2] [3]
Bavaria (Bayern)7,415 m (24,327 ft)Connected to a 1⁄15 equatorial degree as 25,406 Bavarian feet.
Württemberg7,449 m (24,439 ft)
Reichsmeile7.5 km (4.7 mi)
7,500 m (24,606 ft)		'imperial mile' – New mile when the metric system was introduced. Prohibited by law in 1908.
Anhalt7,532 m (24,711 ft)
Denmark, Prussia7,532 m (24,711 ft)24,000 Prussian feet. Also known as "(Dänische/Preußische) Landmeile". In 1816, king Frederick William III of Prussia adopted the Danish mile at 7,532 m (24,711 ft), or 24,000 Prussian feet.
Saxony (Sachsen)7,500 m (24,606 ft)In the 17th–18th century or so, 9,062 m (29,731 ft) = 32,000 (Saxon) feet; later 7,500 m (24,606 ft) (as in Prussia and the rest of Germany).
Schleswig-Holstein8,803 m (28,881 ft)
Baden8,000 m (26,247 ft)8889 m before 1810, 8,944 m (29,344 ft) before 1871
Hesse-Kassel9,206 m (30,203 ft)
Lippe-Detmold9,264 m (30,394 ft)
Saxony (Sachsen)9,062 m (29,731 ft)32,000 (Saxon) feet (in the 19th century 7,500 m or 24,606 ft see above).
Westfalia (Westfalen)11,100 m (36,417 ft)but also 9,250 m (30,348 ft)
Oldenburg9,894 m (32,461 ft)
Rhineland (Rheinland)4,119 m (13,514 ft)
Palatinate (Pfalz)4,630 m (15,190 ft)
Osnabrück/France5,160 m (16,929 ft)
Wiesbaden1,000 m (3,281 ft)

Wegstunde

One hour's travel, used up to the 19th century. In Germany 1⁄2 Meile or 3.71  km (2.31  mi ). After 1722 in Saxony 1⁄2 post mile = 1000 Dresden rods = 4531 m. [4] In Switzerland 16,000 ft or 4.88 km.

Fuß (foot)

The Fuß or German foot varied widely from place to place in the German-speaking world, and also with time. In some places, more than one type of Fuß was in use. One source from 1830 [5] gives the following values:

Some kinds of Fuß
PlaceNameLocal equivalentMetric (Imperial/US) equivalents
 
Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle)Feldmaßfuß1⁄6 Klafter282  mm (11.10  in )
AachenBaufuß1⁄16 Ruthe288 mm (11.34 in)
Aargau, Canton of Fuß300 mm (11.81 in)
Aichstadt, Bavaria old Fuß307 mm (12.09 in)
Altona, Holstein Fuß286 mm (11.26 in)
Anspach, BavariaWerkfuß299 mm (11.77 in)
Appenzell, Canton of Fuß313 mm (12.32 in)
Aschaffenburg, BavariaFuß288 mm (11.34 in)
Augsburg, BavariaWerkschuh296 mm (11.65 in)
Baden Reichsfuß10 Zoll, 1⁄10 Ruthe300 mm (11.81 in)
Baireuth, BavariaFuß298 mm (11.73 in)
Bamberg, BavariaFuß303 mm (11.93 in)
Basel, Canton of Stadtschuh304 mm (11.97 in)
BavariaFuß292 mm (11.50 in)
Bergamo, Austria Fuß1⁄6 Cavezzo435 mm (17.13 in)
Berlin Prussian Reichsfuß313.8536 mm (12.36 in) [6]
Bern, Canton of gewöhnlicher Fuß12 Zoll298 mm (11.73 in)
Bern, Canton ofSteinbrecherfuß13 Zoll317 mm (12.48 in)
Bohemia Fuß or Stopa296 mm (11.65 in)
Bozen, AustriaTyroler-Fuß334 mm (13.15 in)
Braunschweig (Brunswick)Fuß1⁄16 Ruthe285 mm (11.22 in)
Bremen Fuß1⁄16 Ruthe289 mm (11.38 in)
Breslau old Silesian Fuß1⁄16 Ruthe283 mm (11.14 in)
Bünden, Canton of churischer Fuß322 mm (12.68 in)
Calenberg Land Fuß1⁄16 Ruthe292 mm (11.50 in)
Carlsruhe (as Baden)Fuß300 mm (11.81 in)
Cassel, Hessen Fuß1⁄14 Ruthe287 mm (11.30 in)
Cleve, PrussiaFuß295 mm (11.61 in)
Cöln am Rhein (Cologne), PrussiaFuß287 mm (11.30 in)
Cremona, Austriaold Fuß480 mm (18.90 in)
Danzig, Prussiaold Fuß1⁄2 Elle287 mm (11.30 in)
Darmstadt Hessian Reichsfuß10 Zoll250 mm (9.84 in)
Darmstadtold Darmstadt Fuß12 Zoll288 mm (11.34 in)
Dordrecht, NetherlandsFuß361 mm (14.21 in)
Dresden, Saxony Fuß260 mm (10.24 in)
Duderstadt, Hanover Fuß290 mm (11.42 in)
Durlach (as Baden)Fuß300 mm (11.81 in)
Durlachold Fuß291 mm (11.46 in)
Emden, HanoverFuß296 mm (11.65 in)
Erfurt, Prussiaold Fuß1⁄14 Feldruthe, 1⁄16 Bauruthe283 mm (11.14 in)
Frankfurt am Main Fuß285 mm (11.22 in)
Freiburg, Canton of Werkfuß12 Zoll, 1⁄10 Werkklafter293 mm (11.54 in)
Friedberg in der Wetterau, Oberhessen Fuß291 mm (11.46 in)
Friedrichsstadt, DenmarkFuß296 mm (11.65 in)
Fulda, Kurhessen Werkfuß1⁄2 Elle250 mm (9.84 in)
Genf (Geneva), Canton ofFuß1⁄8 Ruthe325 mm (12.80 in)
Gießen, OberhessenFuß298 mm (11.73 in)
Glarus, Canton of Fuß300 mm (11.81 in)
Glatz, PrussiaWerkfuß287 mm (11.30 in)
Göttingen, HanoverFuß291 mm (11.46 in)
Gotha, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Fuß287 mm (11.30 in)
Halle an der Saale, PrussiaWerkfuß288 mm (11.34 in)
Halle an der Saale, PrussiaFeldfuß433 mm (17.05 in)
Hamburg Fuß1⁄6 Klafter, 1⁄16 Geestruthe286 mm (11.26 in)
Hanau, HessenFuß2⁄25 Ruthe285 mm (11.22 in)
Hanover, capital of the KingdomFuß1⁄2 Elle, 1⁄16 Ruthe292 mm (11.50 in)
Heidelberg, BadenFuß278 mm (10.94 in)
Heilbronn, Württemberg Fuß278 mm (10.94 in)
Heiligenstadt, Prussiaold Fuß283 mm (11.14 in)
Herford, Prussiaold Fuß295 mm (11.61 in)
Hildesheim, HanoverFuß1⁄16 Ruthe280 mm (11.02 in)
HolsteinFuß296 mm (11.65 in)
Innsbruck, AustriaTyroler-Fuß317 mm (12.48 in)
Königsberg, Prussiaold Fuß1⁄15 Ruthe307 mm (12.09 in)
Krakau Fuß or Stopa356 mm (14.02 in)
Lausanne, Canton of Waadt Fuß293 mm (11.54 in)
Leipzig, Saxonygewöhnlicher Fuß1⁄2 Elle, 1⁄6 Klafter 1⁄16 Ruthe282 mm (11.10 in)
Lemberg, Austria Galizian Fuß297 mm (11.69 in)
Lemgo, Lippe Fuß287 mm (11.30 in)
Lindau, BavariaFuß307 mm (12.09 in)
Lindau, BavariaFeldmeßschuh, Bauschuh289 mm (11.38 in)
Linz, AustriaFußKlafter303 mm (11.93 in)
Lübeck Fuß291 mm (11.46 in)
Lucern, Canton of Fuß (for wood measure)314 mm (12.36 in)
Lucern, Canton ofZimmerwerkschuh304 mm (11.97 in)
Lucern, Canton ofBau- and Feldmeßschuh284 mm (11.18 in)
Milan, Austriaold Fuß398 mm (15.67 in)
Mainz, HessenWerkfuß314 mm (12.36 in)
Mainz, HessenKameralfuß (for firewood)287 mm (11.30 in)
Mannheim, BadenFuß290 mm (11.42 in)
Mecklenburg Fuß1⁄2 Elle, 1⁄16 Ruthe291 mm (11.46 in)
Metz, Franceold Fuß406 mm (15.98 in)
Mühlhausen, PrussiaFuß1⁄16 Ruthe281 mm (11.06 in)
Neufchatel, Principality of Werkfuß293 mm (11.54 in)
Neufchatel, Principality ofFeldmeßfuß318 mm (12.52 in)
Nordhausen, Prussiaold Fuß292 mm (11.50 in)
Nuremberg, BavariaStadtfuß1⁄16 Ruthe304 mm (11.97 in)
Nuremberg, BavariaArtillery Fuß292 mm (11.50 in)
Oldenburg Fuß1⁄20 Ruthe296 mm (11.65 in)
Osnabrück, HanoverFuß279 mm (10.98 in)
Padua, Austria Fuß1⁄6 Cavezzo428 mm (16.85 in)
Prague, Austria Bohemian Fuß or Česká stopa296 mm (11.65 in)
Prussia, Rheinland Reichsfuß313.8536 mm (12.36 in) [6]
Ratzeburg, Mecklenburg-Schwerin Fuß291 mm (11.46 in)
Regensburg, BavariaFuß313 mm (12.32 in)
Rheinbaiern Fuß12 Zoll, 1⁄3 metre333 mm (13.11 in)
Rheinland Rheinländischer Fuß313.8536 mm (12.36 in) [6]
Rostock, Mecklenburg-SchwerinFuß1⁄2 Elle, 1⁄16 Ruthe286 mm (11.26 in)
Sanct Gallen, Canton of Fuß313 mm (12.32 in)
Schaffhausen, Canton of Fuß298 mm (11.73 in)
Silesia (Austrian part)Fuß289 mm (11.38 in)
Solothurn, Canton of Fuß293 mm (11.54 in)
Stade, HanoverFuß291 mm (11.46 in)
Stettin, Prussiaold Pomeranian Fuß285 mm (11.22 in)
Stralsund, Prussiaold Fuß291 mm (11.46 in)
Strassburg, FranceFuß289 mm (11.38 in)
Stuttgart Reichsfuß1⁄2 Elle, 1⁄10 Ruthe286 mm (11.26 in)
Tessin, Canton of Fuß397 mm (15.63 in)
Thorn, Prussiaold Fuß297 mm (11.69 in)
Trento, AustriaFuß366 mm (14.41 in)
Trier, PrussiaLand- and Werkfuß294 mm (11.57 in)
Trier, PrussiaWaldfuß310 mm (12.20 in)
Trier, PrussiaZimmermannsfuß305 mm (12.01 in)
Tyrol, AustriaFuß334 mm (13.15 in)
Udine, AustriaFuß329 mm (12.95 in)
Ulm, WürttembergFuß289 mm (11.38 in)
Venice, AustriaFuß1⁄5 Passo348 mm (13.70 in)
Verden, HanoverFuß291 mm (11.46 in)
Verona, Austria Fuß1⁄6 Cavezzo347 mm (13.66 in)
Vienna, AustriaFuß1⁄6 Klafter316 mm (12.44 in)
Waadt, Canton of Fuß10 Zoll, 1⁄10 Ruthe300 mm (11.81 in)
Wallis, Canton of Fuß325 mm (12.80 in)
Weimar Fuß282 mm (11.10 in)
Wesel, Prussiaold Fuß236 mm (9.29 in)
Wetzlar, Prussiaold Fuß274 mm (10.79 in)
Wiesbaden, Nassau Fuß288 mm (11.34 in)
Wismar, Mecklenburg-SchwerinFuß292 mm (11.50 in)
Wittenberg, Prussiaold Fuß283 mm (11.14 in)
Worbis, Prussiaold Fuß286 mm (11.26 in)
WürttembergReichsfuß1⁄2 Elle, 1⁄10 Ruthe286 mm (11.26 in)
Würzburg, BavariaFuß1⁄2 Elle294 mm (11.57 in)
Zug, Canton of Fuß301 mm (11.85 in)
Zug, Canton ofSteinfuß268 mm (10.55 in)
Zürich, Canton of Fuß1⁄6 Klafter, 1⁄10 Ruthe301  mm (11.85  in )
Except where noted, based on Niemann (1830). [5] The values of the other local units mentioned also varied widely.

Rute (rod)

A standard at the City Hall in Munster, Germany from 1816; the bar shown is one "Prussian half rod" long. MuensterRathausPreussischeHalbeRute2805.jpg
A standard at the City Hall in Münster, Germany from 1816; the bar shown is one "Prussian half rod" long.

The Rute or Ruthe is of Carolingian origin,[ citation needed ] and was used as a land measure. Many different kinds of Ruthe were used at various times in various parts of the German-speaking world. They were subdivided into differing numbers of local Fuß, and were of many different lengths. One source from 1830 [5] lists the following:

Some kinds of Ruthe
PlaceNameLocal equivalentMetric (Imperial/US) equivalents
Aachen (Aix-la-Capelle)Feldmeßruthe16 Fuß4.512  m (14  ft 9.6  in )
BadenRuthe10 Fuß3 m (9 ft 10 in)
Basel, Canton ofRuthe16 Fuss4.864 m (15 ft 11.5 in)
Bern, Canton ofRuthe10 Fuss2.932 m (9 ft 7.4 in)
Braunschweig (Brunswick)Ruthe16 Fuß4.565 m (14 ft 11.7 in)
BremenRuthe8 Ellen or 16 Fuß4.626 m (15 ft 2.1 in)
CalenbergRuthe16 Fuß4.677 m (15 ft 4.1 in)
Cassel, HessenRuthe14 Fuß4.026 m (13 ft 2.5 in)
HamburgGeestruthe16 Fuß4.583 m (15 ft 0.4 in)
HamburgMarschruthe14 Fuß4.010 m (13 ft 1.9 in)
HannoverRuthe16 Fuß4.671 m (15 ft 3.9 in)
Lever, OldenburgRuthe20 Fuß4.377 m (14 ft 4.3 in)
MecklenburgRuthe16 Fuß4.655 m (15 ft 3.3 in)
Nuremberg, BavariaRuthe16 Fuß4.861 m (15 ft 11.4 in)
OldenburgRuthe20 Fuß5.927 m (19 ft 5.3 in)
Prussia, RheinlandRuthe12 Fuß3.766 m (12 ft 4.3 in)
SaxonyRuthe16 Leipziger Fuß4.512 m (14 ft 9.6 in)
WürttembergReichsruthe10 Fuß2.865 m (9 ft 4.8 in)
Württembergold Ruthe16 Fuß4.583 m (15 ft 0.4 in)
Zürich, Canton ofRuthe10 Fuss3.009 m (9 ft 10.5 in)
Except where noted, based on Niemann (1830). [5] The value of the local Fuß also varied widely.

Klafter

Originally 6 feet, after introduction of the metric system 10 feet.[ dubious – discuss ] Regional variants from 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) in Baden to 3 m (9 ft 10 in) in Switzerland.

Lachter

The Lachter was the most common unit of length used in mining in German-speaking areas. Its exact length varied from place to place but was roughly between 1.9 and 2.1 metres (6 ft 3 in and 6 ft 11 in).

Elle (ell)

Distance between elbow and fingertip. In the North, often 2 feet, In Prussia 17⁄8 feet, in the South variable, often 2+1⁄2 feet. The smallest known German Elle is 402.8  mm (15.86  in ), the longest 811 mm (31.9 in).

Zoll (inch)

Usually 1⁄12 foot, but also 1⁄11 and 1⁄10.

Linie

Usually 1⁄12 inch, but also 1⁄10.

Volume

Quent

Being 1/5 of any measure

Malter

Is a larger volumen unit of around one large sack of wheat a person could carry. However, the exact volumetric size and weight was locally very different in each feudal state. For more details, see .

Klafter

For firewood, 2.905 m3 (102.6 cu ft)

Nösel

In general, the Nösel (also spelled Össel) was a measure of liquid volume equal to half a Kanne ("jar," "jug," "bottle," "can"). Volume often varied depending on whether it was beer or wine. Its subdivisions were the Halbnösel ("Half-Nösel") and the Viertelnösel ("Quarter-Nösel).

An Ahm was a measure used for wine or beer. An Eimer ("Bucket") was a container that was a fifth of an Ahm. A Viertel ("Fourth") was a fourth of an Eimer. A Stübchen ("Cozy Room") also a Stauf was a measure of wine or beer that was equal to 2 Kannen. It was the approximate amount of wine or beer that could serve an entire room in a tavern. A Kanne was a measure of wine or beer large enough to fill a humpen (tankard) or krug (wine flagon or beer pitcher). A Quartier ("quarter-measure") was a fourth of a Stübchen. A Nösel was a cup or mug of wine or beer.

Actual volumes so measured, however, varied from one state or even one city to another. Within Saxony, for example, the "Dresden jar" held approximately 1 US quart or 0.95 litres or 0.83 imperial quarts, so a nösel in Dresden was about 1 US pint (0.47 L; 0.83 imp pt). The full volume of a "Leipzig jar" measured 1.2 liters (1.3 U.S. qt; 1.1 imp qt); the Leipzig nösel was therefore 0.6 liters (0.63 U.S. qt; 0.53 imp qt).

1⁄320 Ahm = 1⁄64 Eimer = 1⁄16 Viertel = 1⁄8 Stübchen / Stauf = 1⁄4 Kannen = 1⁄2 Quartiers = 1 Nösel = 2 Halbnöseln = 4 Viertelnöseln

The nösel was used in minor commerce, as well as in the household to measure meal, grain, and such. These units of measure were officially valid in Saxony until 1868, when the metric system was introduced. Nevertheless, the old measures have continued in private use for decades.

One modification was introduced in Thuringia. There, the nösel was, by extension, also a measure of area; namely, the area of land which could be sown with one nösel of seed — or about 19.36 square yards (16.19 m2; 0.00400 acres)

Weight

Pfund

Mark

1⁄2Pfund. Equal to 233.856  g (Cologne).

Unze

1⁄16 of a Pfund. Roughly equal to 29.23  g .

Loth

1⁄32 of a Pfund, or 1⁄16 of a Mark. Equal to 14.606  g (Prussia).

Quentchen

1⁄96 of a Pfund. Roughly equal to 4.872  g .

Quint

1⁄128 of a Pfund. Roughly equal to 3.65  g .

Pfennig

1⁄512 of a Pfund. Roughly equal to 0.9135  g .

Gran

1⁄7690 of a Pfund. Roughly equal to 0.0609  g .

See also

References

  1. ↑ Barnard, Frederick Augustus Porter (1879). The Metric system of weights and measures. American Metric Bureau. pp.  220–2. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  2. ↑ Harasimowicz, Jan [in Polish]; Suleja, Włodzimierz [in Polish] (2000). Encyklopedia Wrocławia (in Polish) (Wyd. 1 ed.). Wrocław: Wydawn. Dolnośląskie. ISBN   9788370237493. OCLC   46420892.
  3. ↑ Davies, Norman; Moorhouse, Roger (2002). Mikrokosmos : portret miasta środkowoeuropejskiego : Vratislava, Breslau, Wrocław (in Polish). Translated by Pawelec, Andrzej (Wyd. 1 ed.). Kraków: Wydawn. Znak. ISBN   9788324001729. OCLC   50928641.
  4. ↑ "Historie der Postsäulen" (in German). Forschungsgruppe Kursächsische Postmeilensäulen e.V. und 1. Sächsischer Postkutschenverein e.V. Archived from the original on 5 February 2017. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Niemann, Friedrich (1830) Vollständiges Handbuch der Münzen, Masse, und Gewichte aller Länder der Erde fur Kaufleute, Banquiers ... : in alphabetischer Ordnung. Quedlinburg und Leipzig, G. Basse. p. 286
  6. 1 2 3 Tate (1868) , p. 49

Bibliography

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