late medieval wills in southwest german imperial towns suggests that they are not the drafts by the testator, but were probably made in the town registry for the execution of the deed by scribes there. In the medieval world, symbolic actions played a very important role alongside writing. In individual cases, we learn from the texts about legal acts that preceded the documentary form or accompanied it. The Reutlingen citizen Margreth Gyrin appeared before the judges of the city of Reutlingen on 23 June 1494, had her will for the establishment of a foundation read out before the judges of the city, and then, according to the document, shook hands with the mayor Caspar Huber; the so-called Präsenzmeister (responsible for the attendance fee of the clergy) Jerg Schütz and Jerg Büglin; the master of the merchants’ guild Jerg Kaiser; and the judges of the same guild Hans Hürter, called Sailer the Younger, and Ludwig Weißgerwer. Thereupon the judges declared the will to be legally valid, two copies of which have been preserved.58 The will of Johannes Stunder in 1498 also mentions this handshake as a Reutlingen custom.59 The Ulm will of the priest Dr. Heinrich Neidhardt determined the mechanisms of the publication of the will. After his death, the ecclesiastical court at Constance was to inform his brother Ludwig Neithardt, Ammann zu Konstanz; his sister Barbara Neithardt; Dr. Gregor, Dr. Matthäus, and Heinrich and Hieronymus Neithardt, sons of his deceased brother Erasmus Neithardt; and all potential legal successors. In addition, the will was to be read publicly from the pulpit in Ulm.60 Stadtarchiv Ulm, A 1056, testament of Magdalena Weickmann, widow of Conrad Gerst, 1495; Stadtarchiv Ulm, G 2Märcklin (Mercklin), I: Ulrich, 1495; Stadtarchiv Ulm, A 3691, Nr. 2. 58 Deigendesch et al., eds (2023) Nr. 668 p. 510; StadtARt A2U818 andA3U151, two examples of the testament. 59 Deigendesch et al., eds (2023) Nr. 738 p. 560f. 60 Stadtarchiv Ulm E Neithardt Urkunden Nr. 71, Digitalization and regest at https://www. stadtarchiv-ulm.findbuch.net/php/main.php45204e65697468617264742055726b756e64 656ex71. 34
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