28 Germany. 



forming a republic. Outside of house, yard and 

 garden, there was no private property; the land sur- 

 rounding the settlement, known as Allmende, (com- 

 mons) was owned in common, but assigned in parcels 

 to each family for field use, the assignment first 

 changing from year to year, then becoming fixed. 

 The outlying woods, known as the Marca or Grenz- 

 wald, forming debatable ground with the neighboring 

 tribes, were used in common for hunting, pasturing, 

 fattening of hogs by the oak mast, and for other such 

 purposes, rather than for the wood of which little 

 was needed. In return for the assignment of the fields, 

 the free men, who alone were fully recognized citizens 

 of the community, had to fulfil the duties of citizens 

 and especially of war service. 



Only gradually, by partition, immigration and 

 uneven numerical development, was the original Mark 

 or differentiation into family associations destroyed 

 and a more heterogeneous association of neighbors 

 substituted. At the same time, inequality of owner- 

 ship arose especially from the fact that those who 

 owned a larger number of slaves (the conquered race) 

 had the advantage in being able to clear and cultivate 

 more readily new and rough forest ground. Those 

 without slaves would seek assistance from those more 

 favored, exchanging for rent or service their rights to 

 the use of land ; out of this relationship a certain 

 vassalage and inequality of political rights developed. 



Under the influence of Roman doctrine, a new 

 aspect regarding newly conquered territory gained 

 recognition, by which the Dukes as representatives 

 of the community laid claim to all unseated or un- 



