134 Burkhardt
or in other words “unfancy.” One didn’t travel there for culture, parading, or
amusement, reasons that made London and Bruges attractive. The only reason
to travel to these places was business.
With reference to the remarks above, we can conclude that it is impossible
to define a Hanseatic kontor geographically. Each of the four kontors had its
unique characteristics, both in terms of geography, climate, strategic position,
and cultural environment. One of the few commonalities between the four
was that the merchants did not feel at home there. They had to deal with other
political authorities, jurisdiction, and business rules. To overcome possible
emerging obstacles, they needed to be united, a task that demanded a strong
organization.
Organization
The organization of the kontors in London, Bruges, Bergen, and Novgorod didn’t
differ substantially. Even though there were special tasks and functions to be
carried out according to local conditions and expectations of the authorities,
the main organizational framework was alike for the four kontors. The struc-
ture of the different kontors was not unique. They followed the organization
of Hanseatic hometowns, using guilds, brotherhoods, and other social corpo-
rations as a blueprint. There was no need to create a completely new organi-
zational structure, as most of the corporations in the merchants’ hometowns
worked well. To the merchants, a kontor was just another of these corporations.
A kontor was a private corporation. Theoretically all Hanseatic merchants
who wanted to trade in the respective town had to be members of the kon-
tor. They were the community that decided upon rules and agreements, dis-
cussed problems, and held hearings. Naturally, the merchants tried to reduce
their administrative burden as much as possible. They were interested in a
well functioning organization, but the main purpose of their stay was busi-
ness. Therefore, they delegated many duties to a board. In all four kontors, the
board was run by chairmen called aldermen. Their number varied from one
to six, but their duties were the same—inner jurisdiction, outer representa-
tion, and communication and negotiation with the hometowns and foreign
powers. The board of aldermen was assisted by a board of deputies. The board
of deputies was responsible for special tasks, such as controlling the official
weights, overseeing wood and food supplies, and taking care of guard control.
Aldermen and deputies were elected annually. To be elected, one had to be a
merchant from a Hanseatic town and stay at the kontor throughout the elec-
tion period. Thus, being elected as an alderman or deputy meant more than