Swabian Housewife is a moniker for a homemaker who knows how to live within the family budget. Her guiding principles are: “Spend less than you earn,” and “Don’t live beyond your means.” Angela Merkel, https://www.walled-in-berlin.com/j-elke-ertle/angela-merkel/ former German chancellor, turned the metaphor into a household word in 2008 when she argued that Europe was living beyond its means and could learn from the Swabian Housewife. And when American banks were failing, she said they should have consulted a Swabian Housewife because she could have told them how to deal with money.
Where is Swabia?
Swabia is located in the south of Germany, roughly between Munich and Stuttgart. Its inhabitants are known to be hardworking, thrifty (not stingy), and resourceful. The Swabian saying “Schaffe, schaffe – Häusle baue” (work, work – and build your own home) epitomizes the willingness to work hard to achieve one’s dreams. This lifestyle has its roots in the 19th century when extreme poverty was common. Another influence was religion. Lutheranism praised hard work and shunned worldly amusements. Economizing became a way of life and continues today.
The Swabian Housewife Approach to Life
A Swabian Housewife only buys what her family needs. She rarely buys on credit, never throws anything away unless it is broken and cannot be repaired, and grows her own fruit and vegetables, if possible. Swabians start saving for retirement early in life, save up to a third of a property’s value before applying for a mortgage, tend to drive older model cars, and avoid showing off.
The Swabian Housewife, image courtesy of Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay, www.walled-in-berlin.com
Deutscher Hausfrauenbund (German housewife association)
There even is a German Housewife association (Deutscher Hausfrauenbund) in Swabia. It offers courses on how to run a household and how to budget. Courses lead to a “master housewife” certification which has become popular. Hospitals, retirement homes, and rehabilitation centers increasingly prefer to hire program graduates.
My Connection to the Swabian Housewife
I grew up in Prussia, not Swabia, but I must have internalized the Swabian Housewife concept even before it became a household phrase. I, too, repurpose whenever possible, grow my own fruits and vegetables, cook from scratch, and don’t replace my car until repairs become costlier than purchasing a new one. Finally, there is a name for my approach to money management.😀
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Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall, and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.
