My research focuses on the economic and social history of medieval small towns. In doing so, I examine both the role of the available writings and the various social formations in the economies of these small towns and their inhabitants. The most important sources for this are the intermingled town books of the towns. These are often the only surviving sources and offer a wide range of cases of voluntary jurisdiction. Through these entries, it is possible to examine both the perceptions of the town books themselves and of the townspeople among themselves. In a comparative approach, I evaluate the use of these books in Upper Lusatia, Lower Lusatia and other Central and Western German regions.