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Modern Class Society in the Making: Evidence from Palatinate Gravestones of the Nineteenth Century

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Abstract

This study of nineteenth century gravestones of the Palatinate confirms sociocultural transformations, along the dimensions of social identity and ideological convictions, from rank society to a capitalist class society. Moreover, the sampled gravestones reveal the family as a decisive unit of social identity, with a simultaneous withdrawal into the private sphere. These findings contradict the usual historic narrative of that period and region and suggest a politically withdrawn, passive and disillusioned society that offered little, if any, opposition to an authoritarian state, as long as economic opportunities provided a chance for social ascent.

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Acknowledgments

For their supervision, advice, and constant support during this research, I would like to thank Prof. Sarah Tarlow from University of Leicester as well as Dr. Craig Cipolla from the Royal Ontario Museum. I also would like to thank Charles E. Orser, Jr. and the anonymous reviewers for their recommendations for improving this article.

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  1. Faculté des Lettres, des Sciences Humaines, des Arts et des Sciences de l’Education, Université du Luxembourg, 2, Avenue de l’Université, L-4365, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg

    Christoph K. Streb

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Streb, C.K. Modern Class Society in the Making: Evidence from Palatinate Gravestones of the Nineteenth Century. Int J Histor Archaeol 21, 240–276 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10761-016-0347-4

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