In this chapter, I focus on family strategies used by the German
merchant elite in the Northern Baltic, particularly in terms of marriage
and education. I begin by examining the background of this group and
outline the marriage and education opportunities in the area. I then
offer an in-depth analysis of the educational choices of the studied
families. Among the Northern Baltic merchant elite, family strategies
were not set in stone; they could be adapted to changing situations,
such as changes within the family, altered local political or
administrative circumstances, or developments in technology. The most
important family value was the preservation of the family business, and
every action the families undertook supported this aim.