Family correspondences of aristocratic nuns (17th/18th centuries)

Apart from occasional visits of their relatives, letters were the only instrument by which nuns living in enclosures could entertain family connections and exchange information. Family correspondences of nuns allow the localisation and positioning of the authors within the relation networks within and outside the convent, between the contradictory contexts of convent and family of origin. Contrary to the intention of all monastic rules nuns remained in an economic and emotional dependency on their families of origin, even as churchwomen. The entertaining of family relationships by means of letter contact determined to a large extent how the nuns handled money and material goods - and thus also their social position within the convent. The standard of living of those nuns who were regularly supported materially by their families, was also higher in the convent. Furthermore, noble and wealthy families could exert influence on the convent and the Reverend Mother. Nuns asked for the protection of their father or oldest brother not only for themselves and their convent, but also for younger brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews and also for needy persons from the social environment of the convent. The consideration of the nuns was in the first instance their prayer. Furthermore, the nuns made needle-work and pastries or carried out various missions for their families, even financial transactions. In their family correspondences, nuns broach the central issues of the history of mentalities of the time: life as a churchwoman and life in the world, family events and relations, illnesses and death in a religious context, as well as social and political events. Furthermore, their letters contain a great amount of information concerning a variety of issues of the "monastic" and the "worldly" everyday and social history. By analysing family correspondences of aristocratic nuns, a type of source up to now neglected in the German-speaking countries will be made accessible and can then give an important impulse for research on monastic life of the early modern times and on aristocratic family relations. Considered together with the "classical" sources in the convent and aristocratic family archives, these letters allow new questions to be asked and show well-known facts in a different light. Another reason why private letters of nuns are a unique type of source is that as a rule, they are the only private records having survived from the nuns.

Apart from occasional visits from family members, letters were the only instruments for nuns living in enclosure to maintain family relations and to exchange information. Private letters enable to analyse the position of the nun living in enclosure within her family of origin. Contrary to the intention of all monastic rules, nuns according to their self-conception stayed members of their family of origin. The maintenance of relations with relatives (by means of letters) defined, besides the social extraction, the handling of money and property for the nun, and thus her social position within the convent. The standard of living of the nuns supported financially by their families was also higher in the convent. Furthermore, noble and prosperous families could exert influence on the convent and the Reverend Mother, be it through financial donations or by using their social position in favour of the convent. Nuns asked for the protection of their father or the eldest brother not only for themselves and their convent, but also for younger brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews and also for needy persons from the social environment of the convent. The valuable consideration of the nuns for the economic support by their families was in first instance the prayer. And additionally nuns presented needlework and self-made pastries to family members.Furthermore, private letters are ideal sources for questions concerning the history of mentalities. In their correspondences, nuns reflect central questions of the history of mentalities, such as life in the clerical and in the secular condition, family events and relations, illness and death in a religious context, and social as well as political events. The analysis of letters written by nuns is meant to make accessible a new type of source, able to provide essential impulses for research not only on early modern monastic life, but also on aristocratic family relationships. Another reason why private correspondences coming from nunneries are a unique type of source is because as a rule, they constitute the nuns only personal records having survived.