#TIL I learned that German cities used to have a "Bettelvogt" or "Armenvogt" - a minor official whose job was it to "control the behavior" of beggars and other poor people.

They were explicitly tasked to _control_ beggars, and not help them in any way. Which just goes to show that shitty behavior towards poor people by the authorities was well-established long before the advent of #LateStageCapitalism .

de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenvog…