At the suggestion of a friend, I came across Reutlingen’s earliest surviving Peace Ordinance (1297–1300) in the city’s archival collection. This document proved particularly fascinating, as it offers a rare glimpse into the legal principles of an urban medieval community and its approach to addressing violations of the law.

What stands out most is the predominant use of banishment as a form of punishment. Even in cases of serious crimes such as homicide, offenders were merely exiled from the city for life—a penalty that must have been exceptionally severe in an era where one’s livelihood, social ties, and protection were deeply intertwined with the urban community.

As I am neither a Germanist nor an expert in medieval legal language, the following translation is provided to the best of my knowledge and ability—without guarantee of philological or legal precision.:

Original text

Diz sint diu reht der di burger und dir burger rât von Ruthelingen hant erdaht und vesteclich gesezzet durch zuht und zefur komenne unzuht und maenige swâer fraise diu von unzuht komen mag. Disiu reht hant si haizen geshriben daz si iemer staete in dirre stat beliben und wellent daz man si ainest im iâr offentliche kunde durch daz ob ieme si der wider der rehte aim iht getüge und die büze müze laisten daz der iht gesprechen muge daz er des rehtes nit enweste.

Daz erste ist swer des andern lâgot unde man in des uber komen mag mit aim man der di rihtere dunkit daz er wol gehelfen muge der sol ain iar die stat rumen.

Swelch burger den ander haime süchit der sol die büze gen als si von alter herkomen ist und sol dar zü die stat ain halbez iär miden der stat ze büze.

Swer den totslag tüt kumt der hin da uber hant di burger gesezzet daz er niemer sedelhaft sol werden in der stat.

Und swelch man üz dem räte bitt fur den selben der sol mainaidig sin und sol niemer me an gerihte komen noch an der burger haimlichen rät.

Swâ zwên mit ainander zurnent und gein ain ander ûf varnt under ougen und ain ander blütrunsig machent mit ainer kugel eim brande mit aim staine aim stecken oder swaz ez sî susgetaner dinge der sol die stat rumen ain manot mag [mani]n des uber komen mit aim ûz der stete râte oder mit aim rihter. Ist abr daz ainr dar kumt gew[apnot m]it gewegern hant mit bedahtem müte also daz er etewas birget ain stain ainn stecken oder ain susg[etan gel]ich dinc und man in des uberkumt mit aim rihter oder mit aim der stete rât der sol ain iar di st[at miden].

Als ain geher zorn beshit in der stat so sal mans fridon der shulthaiz oder swer ûz [dem] râte da bi ist zeminst uber naht. Swer daz verseit und davon sich brichet und gât so sol man im sagen und nach rüfen daz er wizze daz er darúmbe ain manot die stat müze rumen. Gât er damit allez fur sich hin biz daz man sin nit me gesehen mag so ist er schuldig worden die stat ze rumenne ain manot.

Und swer der ist dem man also het geseit rumet er nit bi der selben tagecit die stat so ist er shuldig funf phunde haller an die stat.

Swelch burger ân edel lûte ain mezzer offentlich treit in der stat und man in des uber komen mag er entslahe sich denne mit dem aide daz ers vergezzen hete der sol ain manod die stat rumen.

Swelch burger ain mezzer verborgen treit der sol ain halbez iar die stat miden mag man ins uber komen er enwell denn swern daz ers vergaeze.

Swel burger ain mezzer verborgen treit in der hosen zim rucken ze der lincken siten oder ın susgetaner wise swie daz ist daz ist ain mort und sol den burgern ain iar die stat rumen ze bezzerunge.

Disiu reht aelliu als si hie geshriben stant sint in sogetaner vesti gesezzet und mit so grozem ernst daz swelch burger wor dekeinn der wider diu selben reht iht getüt wirbet ze kunegen ze vögten oder zu kaim gewalte uzzerthalp der burger râte daz man si an im breche und ablâze daz der sol mainaidig sin und niemer komen sol züm gerihte noch an dehainn der burger haimlichen rât.

Translation

These are the rights that the citizens and the council of the city of Reutlingen have devised and established to promote discipline and prevent disorder, as well as the many grave dangers that may arise from such misconduct.

They have had these rights recorded in writing so that they may endure forever in this city. They decree that these laws shall be publicly proclaimed once a year, so that anyone who violates them may be punished—and may not excuse themselves by claiming ignorance of these rights.

Whoever slanders another and is proven guilty by a man whom the judges deem trustworthy shall be banished from the city for one year.

Whoever enters another’s home with ill intent shall pay the customary fine, as established since ancient times, and shall also be banished from the city for half a year as punishment for the city.

Whoever commits homicide shall, by decision of the citizens, never again be permitted to reside in the city.

Whoever leaves the council and acts against it shall be deemed an oath-breaker and shall never again be allowed to appear before the court or participate in the citizens’ secret council meetings.

If two people quarrel and one threatens or injures the other with a clod of earth, a torch, a stone, a staff, or similar objects, they shall be banished from the city for one month, provided they are convicted by a member of the City council or a judge.

If, however, someone comes armed with deliberate intent to commit an act—whether with a stone, a staff, or similar objects—and is convicted by a judge or a member of the council of the city, he shall be banished from the city for one year.

If a traveler (non citizen or a visitor?) stirs up anger in the city, the Schultheiß (mayor) or a member of the city council shall restore peace, at least for the night. Whoever defies this and departs shall be told and publicly declared that they must leave the city for one month. If they continue until they are out of sight, they are guilty and must avoid the city for one month.

If someone who has been ordered to leave the city does not do so by the appointed time, they shall owe five pounds of Heller to the city.

Any citizen or noble who openly carries a knife in the city and is convicted of it shall—unless they swear an oath that they forgot it—be banished from the city for one month.

If a citizen carries a knife concealed and is convicted of it, they shall be banished from the city for half a year, unless they swear they forgot it.

If a citizen carries a knife concealed in their trousers, on their back, or on their left side, this shall be considered intent to murder, and they shall be banished from the city for one year as correction.

All these rights, as written here, are established with such firmness and gravity that any citizen who violates them—whether by appealing to the king, the Vogt (bailiff), or any other authority outside the city council—shall be deemed an oath-breaker. They shall have these rights broken and revoked against them, be declared my meineidig (oath-breaker), and shall never again be allowed to appear before the court or participate in the citizens’ secret council meetings.

Quelle

• Kreutz, Bernhard (2019). Reutlinger Urkundenbuch - Teil 1 - Die Urkunden bis 1399. Stadtarchiv Reutlingen.