Beards or How Luther (almost) saved the hare

In order to finance the Northern War against the Swedish Empire in 1700, Peter I, Tsar of Russia, had a creative idea: a new tax was needed and so he introduced the “Bartkopeke” (beard token). Although the token appeared outwardly identical to a coin, it was not ,however, a means of payment, but a proof of payment: everyone who wore a beard or moustache had to pay an amount graduated according to his social standing, and as proof that he had paid this tax he received the Bartkopeke. After 1715 it became a uniform amount of 50 roubles. It was not until 1772 that the beard tax was abolished by Catherine II.

It was not only in the Tsarist Empire that beards were used and exploited. Throughout their long cultural history beards have been charged with meaning: whether by their presence or absence, their appearance, whether due to religion or politics, fashion or opinion.

12 Millimetres, a paradox and the Beard Club

On average a man’s beard grows 12 millimetres per month. The first known beard-trimming tools, stone scrapers, date from the 4th millennium BC. In the Bronze Age straight or cut-throat razors and tweezers were popular grave goods for dead male persons in Europe and Eurasia and are indicative of the conscious design of a beard or not at that time. Yet man did not always use his own hands: a long barbershop tradition, especially in the Orient, established hair and beard care as an important part of social life. Nowadays this trade is seldom found in Northern Europe due to the success of modern dry and wet shavers.

The barber paradox formulated by Bertrand Russell in 1918, however, still remains famous: “You can define a barber as the one who shaves all those, and those only, who do not shave themselves. The question is, does the barber shave himself?”

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The world’s first beard club was established in London in 1947; the first German beard club followed in 1980. Since then there have been World and European Championships in which the most handsome, the longest and the most perfectly-shaped beards of different categories have been chosen. With slogans like “Always a beard‘s length ahead” and “A beardless man is not a real man” (1st Berlin Beard Club 1996 e.V.), the club distinguishes itself from other beard clubs and can perhaps even attract the younger generation which has become surprisingly rare.

However these club meetings are not always trouble-free: in October last year you could read about the photo session at the club meeting of the “Bearded Villains” in Sweden where the participants were thought to be IS-sympathisers and quickly received a visit from the police on suspicion of terrorism.

Beards of Power

“Adolf Hitler’s facial hair, Is a curious affair. It’s what I’d call uncouth: So small a toothbrush for so big a mouth,” wrote Bertolt Brecht as early as 1934 in “Alphabet”. Hitler’s toothbrush moustache immediately evokes associations with his own person and National Socialism. Beards as a sign of power and authority, of wisdom and dignity (of advanced age) are found in abundance in history. Jesus Christ is almost always pictured with a beard; likewise popes frequently grew beards in this tradition. We are reminded of Plato‘s beard or the bushy beards of Karl Marx and Auguste Rodin – the “wild beard” here, however, stands for independence from the establishment, revolutionary spirit and individuality.

But not everyone was taken in by the connection “beard = wisdom”. Thus, in the 2nd century, Lucian of Samosata wrote, “If wearing a beard means that one is wise, then every goat could be a Plato.” On the other hand Alexander the Great was convinced that beards disturbed in battle and that they would present a target for attack. Thus he was clean-shaven and ordered his soldiers to be so, too.

Women's facial hair

Opinions (especially those of men) tend to differ on women‘s facial hair: this has always been regarded as unfeminine and unattractive; today’s wide range of depilatory products corresponds to the beauty ideal of hairless femininity. And yet women with beards are not that uncommon. The female pharaohs of Ancient Egypt wore ceremonial beards as a ”sign of their virile omnipotence”. The false beard was strapped under the chin and can be seen, for example, on the Sphinx of Queen Hatschepsut.

In the meantime the topic of women with facial hair is openly discussed by several bearded women: from the artist Mariam, who blogs about it, to women of the Sikh religion who leave their bodies unchanged in deference to the creation and who answer questions about their appearance offensively in the social media (like Balpreet Kaur) up to Conchita Wurst.

Finally: How Luther (almost) saved the hare

When Martin Luther had to go into hiding at Wartburg Castle after the publication of his theses in 1521, he disguised himself as “Junker Jörg” (Knight George) and grew his hair and a beard – an appearance which is said to have displeased him. Never again would he wear a beard after this time.

Despite his beard, however, he was exposed when he participated in a hare hunt. As a noble knight he should have been used to such hunts, but his cover was blown due to his bad horsemanship and his attempt to save the hare by hiding it under his cloak. The rescue attempt proved to be fruitless; the dogs smelt the hare and bit it to death through the cloak.

More beards in the German Digital Library
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This article was inspired by the exciting exhibition “Beards – between Nature and Razor” in the New Museum Berlin (11.12.2015 – 03.07.2016)
To the exhibition page | To the exhibition’s Facebook page