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 .
20-556: The Scheffel was the German bushel . Scheffel is also used as a German surname . Notable people include: German units The metric system became compulsory on 1 January 1872, in Germany and on 1 January 1876, in Austria. 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
40-454: A Pfund . Roughly equal to 4.872 g . 1 ⁄ 128 of a Pfund . Roughly equal to 3.65 g . 1 ⁄ 512 of a Pfund . Roughly equal to 0.9135 g . 1 ⁄ 7690 of a Pfund . Roughly equal to 0.0609 g . Stauf (measuring unit) The German word Stauf was used in the Middle Ages up to the beginning of the modern times to indicate
60-725: A beaker and thus not provided with a foot. Yet, this word was then passed on to define other vessels like wooden buckets or containers used for milking. It is quite obvious that a Stauf was not a suitable drinking cup for one person. Yet, its use as decorative vessel on special occasions is mentionend several times. As measuring unit a Stauf , also written Stauff ( Low-German : Stoff , Swedish : Stop , Icelandic : Staupa , Anglo-Saxon : Stoppa ), corresponded in some regions to one Stuebchen (German: Stübchen ). In itself this unit correlated to about 3.7 litres when it came to beer (German: Bier ) in German-speaking areas. Depending on
80-593: A measure of capacity for liquids, which adhered to variable volumes in diverse regions and different periods of time. The German dictionary (German: Deutsches Wörterbuch ) of the Grimm Brothers (German: Brüder Grimm ) provides two meanings for the expressions Stauf or Staufen in this context. It was used as a measure of capacity, as well as to name a drinking vessel. However, it is assumed that both meanings correlated with each other. The German expression Stauf ( Old High German : stouf , stauf(f) , stouph )
100-530: Is 402.8 mm (15.86 in ), the longest 811 mm (31.9 in). Usually 1 ⁄ 12 foot, but also 1 ⁄ 11 and 1 ⁄ 10 . Usually 1 ⁄ 12 inch, but also 1 ⁄ 10 . Being 1/5 of any measure 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 [1] . For firewood, 2.905 m (102.6 cu ft) In general,
120-652: 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): One hour's travel, used up to
140-577: 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")
160-466: 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. In Switzerland 16,000 ft or 4.88 km. 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 gives
180-622: The Grimm Brothers also provides further entries for the expressions Stauf or Staufen which were sporadically in use. Examples in this context are (German) stauchen = to compress, (German) niederdrücken = to press down and (German) stauen = to retain. Gerhard Köbler sees the origin of this expression in the originally Germanic words *staupa- and *staupaz , meaning steep (German: steil ), elevated (German: hoch ), towering (German: aufragend ) in Old English : stéap , which expresses
200-584: The Leipzig nösel was therefore 0.6 liters (0.63 U.S. qt; 0.53 imp qt). 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,
220-563: The United Kingdom ( imperial units ) and fully in the United States ( United States customary units ). 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
SECTION 10
#1732852194069240-660: The following values: The Rute or Ruthe is of Carolingian origin, 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 lists the following: Originally 6 feet, after introduction of the metric system 10 feet. Regional variants from 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) in Baden to 3 m (9 ft 10 in) in Switzerland. The Lachter
260-452: 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 m ; 0.00400 acres) 1 ⁄ 2 Pfund . Equal to 233.856 g (Cologne). 1 ⁄ 16 of a Pfund . Roughly equal to 29.23 g . 1 ⁄ 32 of a Pfund , or 1 ⁄ 16 of a Mark . Equal to 14.606 g (Prussia). 1 ⁄ 96 of
280-505: The regions where it was used, a Stauf respectively a Stuebchen was about the 40th to 45th part of one ohm (one ohm = circa 134 to 174.75 litres). If calculated in Maas when used for beer, this measure resulted in about four Maas, which then were about 4.3 litres (referring to the Bavarian Maas). Corresponding to wine (German: Wein ) as well as firewater (German: Branntwein ) one Stauf
300-700: 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. “...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...” A German geographic mile ( geographische Meile )
320-492: 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);
340-413: 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
360-425: Was about 3.3 litres. When Rudolf I of Germany came to power (1273), one Stauf was then apparently reduced to one quarter. This means that the measuring unit started to correspond to more or less one litre (German: Liter ) still in use today, depending on the regions applying it. One Stauf then was 0.825 up to more than one litre respectively one Maas, considering the liquid measured. The German Dictionary of
380-513: 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). 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
400-410: Was used to indicate a more capacious drinking cup and became later on a synonym for goblet , chalice , jar and tankard . It is derived from the word *staupa , stemming from the old, then common Germanic language (see below), which was replaced by the loanwords cup (German: Becher ) and chalice (German: Kelch ) after a while. Apparently, the metallic drinking device called Stauf was originally
#68931