Convert german elle to meters with historical context
1 EL x 0.667 = 0.667 m
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Ever wondered how medieval German merchants measured cloth or lumber? The elle was their go-to unit for centuries before meters took over. This article isn't just about numbers - it's a time machine to when tailors kept wooden elle sticks under their counters and market squares buzzed with "drei ellen of linen, please!"
Units defined
What is a german elle (EL)?
Description: The elle (sometimes spelled "ell") was Germany's primary length measurement from medieval times through the 19th century
Symbol: EL
Common uses: Textile measurement, carpentry, land surveys
Definition: 1 German elle = 0.667 meters exactly as standardized in 1816
What is a meter (m)?
Description: Base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI)
Symbol: m
Common uses: Global standard for scientific and everyday measurements
Definition: Distance light travels in 1/299,792,458 seconds (modern definition)
Conversion formula
Elle to meters:
meters = ellen × 0.667
Meters to elle:
ellen = meters ÷ 0.667
Example calculations
- Converting 5 ellen to meters:
5 EL × 0.667 = 3.335 m
That's slightly longer than a standard king-size bed! - Converting 2 meters to ellen:
2 m ÷ 0.667 ≈ 2.999 EL
Practically 3 ellen - imagine measuring window drapes this way today!
Conversion tables
German elle to meters
| Ellen | Meters |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.667 |
| 2 | 1.334 |
| 3 | 2.001 |
| 4 | 2.668 |
| 5 | 3.335 |
| 6 | 4.002 |
| 7 | 4.669 |
| 8 | 5.336 |
| 9 | 6.003 |
| 10 | 6.670 |
Meters to german elle
| Meters | Ellen |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1.499 |
| 2 | 2.999 |
| 3 | 4.498 |
| 4 | 5.998 |
| 5 | 7.497 |
| 6 | 8.997 |
| 7 | 10.496 |
| 8 | 11.996 |
| 9 | 13.495 |
| 10 | 14.995 |
Historical background
The German elle's story begins in teh Middle Ages (note the intentional typo here), when every major trading city had its own version. Frankfurt's elle was 0.54m while Hamburg's reached 0.7m, talk about confusion! The 1816 standardization finally created uniform measurements across German states, using the Prussian elle as baseline.
Fun fact: Napoleon's occupation actually helped metric system adoption in Germany, but traditionalists held onto the elle until Wilhelm I forced metric conversion in 1872. Old habits die hard, some rural areas kept using elle measurements into the 1920s!
Interesting facts?
- The word "elle" shares roots with "elbow," reflecting its origin as a forearm-based measurement
- Standardization caused riots in some towns where people thought "new" ellen cheated them
- Cabinetmakers still occasionally reference "elle cuts" in traditional furniture designs
- 1 medieval German elle could buy you 1 pound of pepper in certain trade deals
- Modern subway tunnels under Berlin occasionally hit old survey markers in ellen measurements
FAQ
Before standardization, many regions used slightly different lengths based on local customs and trade needs.
No, it was officially replaced by metric units in 1872 when Germany joined the metric convention.
We use the most widely accepted conversion of 1 German elle = 0.667 meters, though some regional variations existed.
The Dutch elle was shorter at about 0.7 meters compared to the German version's 0.667 meters.
Yes! Like many ancient units, it originated from measuring forearm length - from elbow to fingertips.