The re-appropriation of Max Weber's reflections on the type of occidental city has proven to be particularly inspiring for modern urban history research. On the other hand, the fact that the economic aspect of the concept of the city was of considerable importance in the debates around 1900 is less present. This connection can be read in the work of Max Weber. It is even more clearly developed by Werner Sombart, who, in contrast to producers and long-distance traders, assigns consumers a central role in the creation and development of cities. This anthology examines the earning power of consumption-historical concepts and relates them to current problems in medieval town history.