Die Auswirkungen der „Kleinen Eiszeit“ auf die Landwirt- schaft: Die Krise von 1570

During the period of the „Little Ice-Age“, several phases of extreme climatic volatility can be distinguished, such as the years 1569-1574, the so called “Crisis of 1570”. The essay investigates the impact of climate on society; it illustrates the nutritional consequences of crop failures on the population and analyses the economical implications for agriculture in the last third of the sixteenth century. While small farmers fell into poverty, proprietors of large estates profited from rising prices during the crisis. This episode of climatic shocks stimulated the emergence of agricultural literature in Germany. These texts reflect on the experiences of climatic crisis, set out strategies of risk minimization, and discuss ways to increase the harvest through more efficient forms of land utilization.