Wedde I
Item
Country
DE
Name of institution (English)
Hamburg State Archive
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
deu
Contact information: postal address
Kattunbleiche 19, 22041 Hamburg
Contact information: phone number
0049 (0)40 428313200
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
office-staatsarchiv@hamburg.de
Reference number
332-1 I
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Wedde I
Title (official language of the state)
Wedde I
Language of title
deu
Creator / accumulator
Wedde
Date(s)
1577/1811
Language(s)
deu
Extent
8.1 linear metres (171 files)
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Good
Scope and content
The Wedde was an authority that had police duties and thus dealt with law enforcement among the Jews of Hamburg. However, among the volumes that have been preserved in this collection, there is only one "Protocollum der bey der Wedde vorkommenden Juden-Sachen", a Jewish related protocol, dating from 1786 to 1799, which summarises 23 cases. Weddings had to be registered and approved by the Wedde; the so-called “Hochzeitsbücher“ (marriage books) of the Wedde document Jewish marriages from 1750 to 1810 and thus also replace the destroyed marriage books of the Jewish congregation. Even marriages where the Jewish spouses have decided to save fees and avoid the official way involving the Wedde left their traces in this collection: if they were caught, they were handed back to the Wedde and therefore their decision is documented in this collection. Until 1849, Jewish immigrants could not acquire citizenship – their affiliation with Hamburg was linked to the membership in a Jewish congregation in Hamburg. Only with the birth of the second generation was the right to stay inherited. When a Jewish family moved to Hamburg, they were able to conclude a contract concerning their nationality in case they presented the necessary funds in order to pay in addition to an “entry fee“ also an annual "Fremdenschoss"; the money went to the “Kämmerei“. All other immigrants fell within the mandate of the Wedde. Accordingly, the holdings of the Wedde contain lists of new residents of Hamburg, such as the Sephardic Jews.
Archival history
The history of Hamburg State Archive dates back to 1710, when it became an independent administrative institution managed by a member of the Senate. As a matter of fact, for a long time, the archive was directly subordinate to the Senate. Since 2006, it has functioned as an office of the Ministry of Culture and Media.
In 1842, a great fire destroyed a district of Hamburg and the municipal archive was severely damaged. The surviving documentation was removed to rooms in today's Town Hall. Although this new location soon became too small for the increasing number of materials, it was only in 1972 that the archive was transferred to a new building on ABC-Strasse. Since 1997, the Hamburg State Archive has been located in a building at Kattunbleiche designed by the architect Jan Störmer.
The Wedde I contains the remains of a once more extensive collection, which was partly destroyed.
In 1842, a great fire destroyed a district of Hamburg and the municipal archive was severely damaged. The surviving documentation was removed to rooms in today's Town Hall. Although this new location soon became too small for the increasing number of materials, it was only in 1972 that the archive was transferred to a new building on ABC-Strasse. Since 1997, the Hamburg State Archive has been located in a building at Kattunbleiche designed by the architect Jan Störmer.
The Wedde I contains the remains of a once more extensive collection, which was partly destroyed.
Administrative / Biographical history
Until Hamburg was incorporated into the French Empire in 1811, the pretor and the Wedde practically constituted the police department of the city. The name "Wedde" means penalty and refers to the duties of this authority to punish the violation of Council regulations with a fine. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Wedde functioned as market and commercial police, as well as carrying out “moral” and “foreigner” police duties.
Access points: locations
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The collection is partly arranged in a thematic series (including general administrative documents, Citier- und Strafbücher (1652-1811) and the marriage books (1708-1810, registrations of marriages, sorted by groom and bride, phonetic name register) and partly according to the “nummerus currens” principle.
Access, restrictions
Unrestricted
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Linked resources
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| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Staatsarchiv Hamburg | Collections (official language of the state) |