Throughout both historical and modern times, the family has been the central institution for the intergenerational transfer of assets, contributing to the perpetuation of social inequality. Despite this fundamental structural significance of inheritance practices for society, the practice of passing on family wealth, especially in rural areas, has only been empirically researched to a limited extent in contemporary history.
This project, therefore, has a pioneering character and makes an important contribution to family and kinship research. Furthermore, it deepens knowledge about the importance of wealth/capital as a multi-faceted family resource that provides insights into social transformation processes.
The primary goal of the project is to gain an exemplary overview of the existing practices of inheritance in Bavaria since the first half of the 20th century. The second aim is to analyze the significance of inheritance for families and how it has been handled from an intergenerational perspective. Therefore, the project employs both qualitative and quantitative methods. Estate files, which are located in the Bavarian State Archives in Upper Palatinate and Upper Bavaria, will be analyzed for one district court for the years 1936, 1954 and 1972. In order to gain access to the emotional dimensions of inheritance, guided oral history interviews are also conducted.
