Wine cultivation has existed at all times in German lands. Our ancestors owe their acquaintance with wine to the Romans. During the reign of Charlemagne, the first beginnings of the wine trade became noticeable. Since wine cultivation only proved to be lucrative in a few places within the area of the Hanseatic League, the Hanseatic merchants in the north acted as intermediaries and brokers, while in Cologne, production and trade were conducted in parallel. Hans Hartmeyer details the various types of Hanseatic wine trade and explains the political and economic contexts.