Drinking In Early German Society

In my Renassaince and Reformation history class we have been looking at drinking in early modern Germany.  The text we are using Bacchus and civic order: the culture of drink in early modern Germany by B. Ann Tlusty.  I was too cheap to buy the book so I am reading whatever is available on Google Books.  Too bad some of it is not available.  It's just that I already bought a bunch of books for that class and don't want to buy another book that I will skim over once or twice.


Drinking was at that time, and remains despite the authorities drive to stamp it out, a social activity that unites all types of people.  The chapter on contract drinking was especially interesting.  Since ancient times, people drank alcohol to seal contracts, to be initiated into various organizations, and for religious purposes.  I did not know that contract drinking was so important before I read this chapter.  It sheds a whole new light on the Last Supper in the Bible when Jesus served wine and bread to his disciples and told them to keep this tradition to remember him.  In light of the idea of contract drinking, the Last Supper, and by extension communion, represents the sealing of a contract.  I guess it means that Jesus is extending grace to us, and by accepting communion we have entered into this contract of grace.

People's response to alcohol in Renaissance Europe was very similar to today.  Drunkeness was seen as evil by the religious people, authorities tried to crack down on alcohol, and taverns were loud, chaotic places.  And people drank anyway.  Some were alcoholics, some kept their drinking in moderation.  The authorities were always trying new ways to restrict alcohol, or at least profit from alcohol sales.  It seems to me that nothing much has changed.  Alcohol seems to be a human thing that runs through all different cultures and times.  (It is interesting that even the Bible never actually prohibits alcohol no matter how much religious people try to use Scripture to condemn alcohol.)  Drinking brings out the best and the worst in us humans and won't be going away anytime soon.