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The Prussian Regulation Edict of 1811, signed by King Frederick William III, State Chancellor Hardenberg, and Justice Minister Kircheisen (September 14, 1811)

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§12. It is the general rule that the compensation should entail cession of one third of the arable fields and other farmland, meadows, pastures, and forests; at the same time, the parties involved are free to reach a compromise involving compensation in capital or rents paid in kind or cash. [ . . . ]

§16. The farmstead and garden land attached to it shall not be divided but remain the sole property of the farmer. Farmers will compensate the lordships accordingly for this, as well as for the grazing of sheep on one third of the pastures, as detailed in §14, and for the collection of firewood (§15) [in the following way]:

a) by their assumption of, or rather continued responsibility for, previous or future communal burdens,

b) by some auxiliary labor services for the former lordship, which may be reserved for pressing needs, as for example at harvest and sowing time, and which among farmers maintaining draught teams should not exceed “ten days with a team of three horses, and ten days of manual labor performed by a man.”

Among peasant farmers rendering manual labor services only, ten days for a man and ten for a woman will be permitted.
[ . . . ]

§23. While these settlements may begin immediately, we allow for their fulfillment a period of four years, beginning with the first day of annual hiring of farm servants [commonly November 11] of the year 1812. This period is necessary so that both sides have time to make the necessary new production arrangements. [ . . . ]

§29. In order that transformation of peasant farms into individualized properties not be burdened by mortgage debt, we hereby declare:

a) that the peasant farms should never be mortgaged for more than one fourth of their worth
[ . . . ].


Second part: Concerning the previously non-hereditary holdings

§35. This category includes those farms which have been leased by landlords to tenants for unspecified periods, or for a set number of years, or for their own lifetimes in exchange for dues, rent, and labor services.

[ . . . ]

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