The History of Low German

• Low German historically important in its role within the Hanseatic League - an alliance of trading guilds which dominated shipping in much of Northern Europe in the late Middle Ages

• • The Hansa essentially controlled trade on the Baltic and North Seas for hundreds of years, doing business from England to Finland and from Holland to Russia.
  • Their official language: Low German, used in business agreements, written contracts, negotiations - making Low German a hugely important language of business