Emma Peaslee

George tells us he was a farmer. But today, his main gig is being the Ossing historian. And the history of this land lottery all starts with, what else, a classic German fairy tale.

George tells us he was a farmer. But today, his main gig is being the Ossing historian. And the history of this land lottery all starts with, what else, a classic German fairy tale.

George tells us he was a farmer. But today, his main gig is being the Ossing historian. And the history of this land lottery all starts with, what else, a classic German fairy tale.

Back then, this land was all forest. And there were four villages at the edge of the forest, to the north, south, east, and west.

Back then, this land was all forest. And there were four villages at the edge of the forest, to the north, south, east, and west.

Back then, this land was all forest. And there were four villages at the edge of the forest, to the north, south, east, and west.

Okay, so parts of this fairy tale are probably not true. Like, these churches did not have bells a thousand years ago. But everyone agrees the empress gave them the land. And while giving them the land was nice, it also created a problem. A problem that would eventually lead to the Osing lottery.

Okay, so parts of this fairy tale are probably not true. Like, these churches did not have bells a thousand years ago. But everyone agrees the empress gave them the land. And while giving them the land was nice, it also created a problem. A problem that would eventually lead to the Osing lottery.

Okay, so parts of this fairy tale are probably not true. Like, these churches did not have bells a thousand years ago. But everyone agrees the empress gave them the land. And while giving them the land was nice, it also created a problem. A problem that would eventually lead to the Osing lottery.

This is Markus Hofmann. He's an interpreter who helped us out.

This is Markus Hofmann. He's an interpreter who helped us out.

This is Markus Hofmann. He's an interpreter who helped us out.

Okay, so punching, but not a war. all over Who Got Better land. Some parts were hilly, hard to get to. Some soil was better because it was fertile and you could grow almost anything on it. The worst soil was rocky and full of pebbles.

Okay, so punching, but not a war. all over Who Got Better land. Some parts were hilly, hard to get to. Some soil was better because it was fertile and you could grow almost anything on it. The worst soil was rocky and full of pebbles.

Okay, so punching, but not a war. all over Who Got Better land. Some parts were hilly, hard to get to. Some soil was better because it was fertile and you could grow almost anything on it. The worst soil was rocky and full of pebbles.

So after 10 years, the names went back in the bag and there was a new drawing. It meant no one would be stuck with a bad plot forever. Another lottery, another chance.

So after 10 years, the names went back in the bag and there was a new drawing. It meant no one would be stuck with a bad plot forever. Another lottery, another chance.

So after 10 years, the names went back in the bag and there was a new drawing. It meant no one would be stuck with a bad plot forever. Another lottery, another chance.

And while we don't do a lot of things today the way we did in the 1500s, for good reason, this land lottery has not changed at all. Every 10 years, in a year that ends in four, right after the harvest, the people here have held a lottery. No matter what. In 1984, the year it rained the day before the lottery and the fields were muddy, they did the lottery.

And while we don't do a lot of things today the way we did in the 1500s, for good reason, this land lottery has not changed at all. Every 10 years, in a year that ends in four, right after the harvest, the people here have held a lottery. No matter what. In 1984, the year it rained the day before the lottery and the fields were muddy, they did the lottery.