The von Gemmingens and the von Kochendorfs, determined to pull themselves out of poverty, took extreme measures against the villagers in 1720. They raised the rates for grazing rights for the villagers' hogs, which had been set by an agreement in 1584. The Ittlingers refused to pay and complained to Heilbronn again. In retaliation, the von Gemmingens and von Kochendorfs brought in twenty armed men to take the villagers' hogs. They put the plan into action on a Sunday morning, when the mandatory attendance at church required the villagers to be there. The armed men took the whole lot of 160 hogs and drove them five miles to Gemmingen, about five miles away. A number of the younger men followed the trail of the hogs and reported back to the village elders. After much debate, another appeal was filed at Heilbronn which ruled in the villager's favor.
The "vons" ignored the imperial court's ruling and started selling the hogs at bargain prices. Needless to say, this many hogs severely depressed prices. The armed men next tried to steal the villagers' sheep but they were caught in the act and, after shots were fired all around, the armed men retreated. Fearing imperial action, which might threaten their independence, the von Gemmingens and von Kochendorfs backed down and sought a truce. They had to pay something for the hogs, perhaps more than they had realized at the sale. The villagers were also net losers.
Within a few weeks, the von Gemmingens selected a new Lutheran pastor who preached obedience to the authorities. Though various actions were discussed against the new pastor, nothing was done. The Ittlingers, who had gained a favorable reputation among nearby villagers, were now the subject of verbal abuse for their indecision. The villagers then carried their protest to the preacher who rejected their demands. The von Gemmingens and von Kochendorfs could see more trouble on the horizon and they told the pastor to alter his approach and to change the subject of his sermons. In the end he lasted twenty years.
Fogelman draws the conclusion that the Kraichgauers were hardly trained in democracy, but they were not apolitical either. They reacted to any threat against their society which they felt had violated earlier agreements. They tended to ally themselves with the Imperial power as a defense against the local aristocracy. The intervention of the Imperial power was a threat to the independence of the knights. So the peasants were beginning to learn how to organize to protect their interests.
At the same time, the conditions such as the Ittlingers endured were the reason for emigration. Episodes such the "hog war" lead to renewed emigration. Letters from America emphasized there were no petty princes there.
We gratefully acknowledge the work of John Blankenbaker who published over 2,500 Germanna History Notes via the Germanna-L@rootsweb.com email list from 1997 to 2008. We are equally thankful to George Durman (Sgt. George) for hosting the list and republishing the notes via rootsweb.com.