Farmer's calendar

Object: Writing calendar
Königlich Sächsischer gnädigst Privilegierter Pirnaischer Historien und Geschichts Calender, published in Pirna by Buchbinder Beißler, 1814, title page
Deutsches Buch- und Schriftmuseum der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek Leipzig

Farmer's calendar

A guide for everyday life, 1814

If the sun shines brightly and gently on the Feast of Assumption, then we can look forward to a pleasant autumn. Pass on this saying to all the people.

Old country proverb about 15 August (Feast of Assumption)

In this Saxon Calendar, in addition to the calendar itself, which includes saints' days, name days, astrological signs, the movements of the planets, weekly scriptures and weather predictions, there are also free pages for personal notes. The handwritten remarks reveal the owner to be a farmer.

Calendars were widely distributed reading material that not only provided orientation over the course of the year but also contained important information such as laws, market news and reports about contemporary events. Inserted entertaining poems and stories made calendars good material for reading aloud as well. Since the 17th century, Saxon calendars for sale had to carry the official state tax stamp. This enabled the state authority to check the contents as well.