Geiseln der Kälte

In the Early Modern Period, Europe was ravaged by wars and crises. One significant cause may have been a prolonged cold period known as the Little Ice Age, a centuries-long era of failed harvests and natural disasters that led to struggles over resources. Episode five of the new ORF III series Austria – The Complete History illustrates the effects of this chilling era through the story of the Styrian farming family Paurnknap. The Little Ice Age, which peaked around 1600, brought solar storms, volcanic activity, earthquakes, locust plagues, and crop failures, compounding the already harsh lives of the people. The average drop in temperature by two degrees Celsius compared to the preceding warm period plunged the continent into chaos.