Die Frauenfrage im Mittelalter

This work offers a thoughtful exploration of women’s lives in the medieval German world, drawing on a blend of historical records, statistical data, and contemporary observations. The author begins by questioning the paradoxical nature of the “women’s question,” then grounds the discussion in demographic figures that reveal a striking surplus of women during the period and examines the economic and social forces behind it.

The study moves through the varied roles women occupied—from textile and tailoring trades to non‑guild occupations—while also considering the influence of monasteries, charitable institutions, and marriage restrictions. By juxtaposing statistical analysis with vivid descriptions of daily life, the book paints a nuanced picture of how medieval women navigated work, family, and religious expectations, setting the stage for the transformations that followed the Reformation. Listeners will come away with a clearer sense of the complexities that shaped gender dynamics long before modern debates took shape.