Former German  measurements are  very confusing. Measurements even if called the same varied from province to province,  Kingdom to Kingdom , Citystate to Citystate, and nose to nose. Between 1755 and 1793, three official measuring system were used in East Prussia alone. I you shake you head in wonderment just look at today’s measurement in the english speaking sphere of influence, it was not much better.  The list is towards the end of this page. 

 The beginning of this list should give you a general overview of measurements commonly used in Germany before the introduction of the metric system. I have restricted  my list to the me known measurements in the formerly eastern part of Germany, generally to extend of the database.

Today’s system is the Metric system or the International System of Units ( SI ). This system is, with the exception of the United States, used around the world. Contrary to what Americans believe it has nothing to do with a Communist conspiracy. Once the hype with the Internet is over this could be the new, get on the Bandwagon thing. :-))))

 One really does not  know when a system starts. As long as there is enough land and nobody needs to extract certain services or money to finance anything. measurements are not important.  Everything was done by barter and had certain value not much influenced by outside supply and demand.

At the beginning of the German kolonisation (1233)  the Alt kulmische Masz was introduced. It was based on the Flamisch system.

                                         LENGTH MEASUREMENTS.

 ALT KULMISCHE MASZ

     1 Meile     =   1800 Ruten           7777.24  Meter

     1  Rute      =   15 Schuh                    4.3218  Meter

     1 Schuh     =                                     0.28812 Meter

     1 Elle         =    2 Schuh                    0.57624  Meter

  NEU KULMISCHE MASZ

  I’m at a loss to explain why there was a need to change the System by as little as they did.  In 1577 it was decided to add two ( 2 ) thumbwidths to a Rute.

                   1  New  Rute  =   4.3892 Meter

                   1  Old  Rute    =   4.3218 Meter

                    Difference      =   0.0674 Meter, about 6.7 cm

      My not so small hands have thumbs width of 2.4 cm each for a total of 4,8 cm  and you can take it from there.  Some giant they must have used for measurement.

  OLETZKOISCHE MASZ.

 During a 1721 conference in Oletzko ( Treuburg)  it was decided  to change to a new measurement again. A Rute became a little shorter. It was referred to as oletzkoisches Maß.

                   1 Rute  =  4.1698  Meter

   MAGDEBURGISCHE MASZ.

  In 1755 by edict of Friedrich the II  the magdeburgische Maß was gradually adopted. By gradually is meant it was first used for the königlichen (noble) Vorwerke only.   Generally in use throughout Prussia, but not in Eastprussia, it was based on the rheinländische system which was somewhat based on the English system in the counting method (12)  versa the metric system of 10.

                 1  Meile      =   2000  Ruten                  7532. 5  Meter

                 1  Rute        =       12   Fuss                          3.7662 Meter

                 1  Fuss        =       12   Zoll                           0.31385 Meter

                 1  Zoll         =       12   Strich                         0.0261541 Meter

  Clearer heads prevailed and a further simplification took place in 1793 by declaring the magdeburgische system alone in  effect for all  transactions. A further simplification took effect in 1813 by converting part of it to the 10 (Zehnersystem) measurement of units and from 1816 all references converted to the 10 system. At which time it was refered to as:

 PREUSSISCHES MASZ

    It did change some measurement.

                 1  Meile      =     2000  Ruten                7532.5   Meter

                 1  Rute       =         10  Fuss, formerly 12 Fuss.

         Hallelujah ! Finally on  January 1, 1872 the metric system was introduced. See comparison to older and english system on bottom of this page.

                                           AREA MEASUREMENTS.

   If you consider the myriad of lenght measurements used you can well imagine the proliferation of area measurements it brings with it. The altkulmische Maß was hardly used. The Neu kulmische Feldmaß was not used after 1721 with the introduction of the oletzkoische Feldmaß ( Landmeasurements).

     1   Hufe       =    30   Morgen                                 17.3387   ha

     1   Morgen  =    300 Quadratruten, Ruten²      0.577955 ha

                                   1 Quadratrute                             19.2652 m² 

  Nothing was made easy with the handling of measurements. Between 1755 and 1793 three different Feldmaße were used. The kulmian Maß was used for adlige,(noble) kölmische(free) and Schatullgüter. The Oletzko Maß was used for the königliche (King’s) Bauerngüter (Estates), and the Magdeburger Maß was used for königliche Vorwerke.

 The magdeburgische Feldmaß was introduced about 1755. It did not changed the amount of land one had, but increased the numerical quantity.

     1   Hufe       =    30 Morgen                                        7.6597 ha       

     1   Morgen  =   180 Quadratruten(square-ruten)         25.5322 ar

     1   Quadratrute  =                                                       14.1876 m²

 In 1813 the preussische Feldmaß was introduced, which in turn was identical to the magdeburgische Feldmaß.  The Hufe/..n was dropped.  

                                                VOLUMES.

 If you read through the above measurements in confusion you may want to quit now. Volume measurements varied from city to city. It varied based on the distance to the next Handelsplatz ( trading center ) and from the sort of grain of material which was handled.

   1    Last      =   60  Scheffel                     54.961 Liters

   1   Wispel   =   24  Scheffel

   1   Scheffel  =   16  Metzen                   

                      =    48  Stof

    1 Viertel     =      4 Metzen

    1  Metze                                                  3.435 Liters     

     1  Stof                                                    1.145 Liter

                           From about 1750 the Scheffel was 40 Stof.

  Beer and alcohol made a large part of the trade. In careful guarded  privileges only a select few could brew and sell it.

         Bier (beer)     1  Tonne  =    100 Stof                                 114.5  liters  

         Brandwein       1 Ohm    =    120 Quart                              137.4  liters

                                                =     120 Stof

                                1 Quart =                                                        1.145 liter

                                              WEIGHTS.

 Again different measurements are used. The Stein (stone) had variation of 18 pounds. In Königsberg it was 40 Pfund (pounds, lbs.) in Danzig 34 Pfund and for Schafswolle ( sheepwool) it was 22 Pfund.

       1  Zentner      =    110 Pfund                                 51.448 Kg

       1  Stein          =   22 to 40 Pfund

        1  Pfund        =  32   Lot                                         467.7   grams

        1  Lot            =                                                         14.62 grams

       MEASUREMENT COMPARISONS  for different areas of  GERMANY.

 Ar            100 square meter (m²)

 Elle           2 Fuss

 Fuss         31.3 cm

 Haken      Königsberg  12.531 Hektar

                 Preussen         5.106 Hektar

 Hektar (ha) 10000 m²

 Hufe        Saxonian 19.9 Hektar, Frankonian 23.9 Hektar

 Hufe        30 Morgen

 Klafter     3 Ellen

 Last         60 Scheffel

 Linie        2.174 Millimeter

 Lot          14.62 grams

 Meile       2000 Klafter or  7421.5 Meter   

 Meter      100 cm or about 39 inches

 Metze      3.435 Liter

 Morgen    Named after what could be plowed in a Morgen ( morning)

                 15.532 Ar

 Pfund(pound) 467.7 grams.

 Ruthe       Hannover    16 Fuss

                 Oldenburg   15 Fuss

                  Preussen     12 Fuss                                     

 Ruten       2 Klafter

Scheffel     54.961 Liter

 Stein        22 to 40 pounds

 Stof          1.145 Liter

 Tagwerk  34.07 Ar  

 Wispel      24 Scheffel

 Viertel (quarter) 1374 Liter                                                            

 Zentner       51.448 Kg

 Zoll          2.6 cm

   The Elle was named after the length of somebody’s radius bone (lower arm). The Schuh (shoe) was later renamed to Fuss(foot).

 To have a better feeling for measurements  below are most  of today’s  and yesteryears measurements of  some importance to this database and website.  This should not  only be of help to english speaking people, but also provide some information to Europeans to comprehend  the myriad  of anglo/american measurements.

   All number are rounded to the last 3 digits.

   Length measurements

1 chain   - 66 feet             20.117  Meter

1 ell     -  45 inches             1.143  Meter

1  fathom                            1.829  Meter

1  foot                                 0.305  Meter

1 furlong 1/8 of mile, 220 yards --- 201.165  Meters

1 inch                                .0254   Meter

1 league (International )     5556    Meters

1 league (UK Nautical)      5560   Meters

1 league ( US Nautical)     4828   Meters

1 link (1/100 chain)           0.201  Meter

1 mile                                1609  Meter, rounded to 1.6 K's

1 mile ( International Nautical )  1852 Meters

1 mile ( UK Nautical)         1853   Meters

1 Geographische Meile 7420.44 Meters

1  pole                               5.029  Meters

1  rod                                 5.029  Meters

1 Schritt ( Step ) 0.8 Meters

1  yard                                0.914  Meter

      Area Measurements

      1 acre                                    0.405   ha  

      1  rood = 1210 yards ²   0.101  ha  

       1 section ( 1 mile ², 640 acres )  2.69 kilometer ²    

       1  square foot                       .093 meter ²

       1  square inch                       .00645 meter ²

       1  square mile                       2.6589 kilometer ²

       1  square yard                       0.836   meter ²

       1 township ( 36 sections )     93.240  kilometer ²

       Mass Measurement

        1   ounce                            31.10  grams

        1  pound                             0. 454 kg

        1  slug                                14.54 kg

        1  stone                                6.50 kg

        1  ton  ( long )                 1016.04  kg   

        1  ton ( short )                   907.18 kg

         Liquid Measurements

         1 Gallon ( Imperial )             4.546   liter

         1  Gallon ( US)                     3.785  liter

         1  pint ( Imperial )                 0.568  liter

         1  pint (US)                           0.473 liter       

                                               COINAGE.

 Gradually an coinage system was introduced. Better farming method and the need to feed Bürger in the larger cities required a system which was not based on barter. For several products existed a need in the area outside East- and Westprussia.

  During the 1800 the values are as follow:

     1 Reichsthaler      =     90 Groschen (dime)

     1 Groschen          =    18 Pfenning (penny, cent)

From 1822 on:

     1 Reichsthaler       =    30 Silbergroschen (silver)

     1  Silbergroschen  =    12 Pfenning

From  1872 on:

     1  Mark               =   100 Pfennig 

 Coinage in general was  Pfenning,(cent, penny) 5 Pfennige(Nickel), Groschen,(Dime) 50 Pfennige( half a dollar)  and a Mark coin.  Beside the above mentioned coins a Gulden(1/3 of a thaler) and a schilling(1/3 of a Groschen) was used.     

    The exchange rate between 1800 and 1822  was as follow:

    1 Silbergroschen  = 3  Groschen  and  1 new Pfenning = 4.5 old Pfenning

    Between 1822 and 1872 it was:

    1  Reichsthaler      =   3  Mark

    1  Silbergroschen  =   10 Pfenning

Last Update: Jaunary 1, 2004