Before revision: By 1600 Halle, Dresden, Berlin, Cologne, Stettin, Nordhausen and even Eisenach (J. S. Bach's birthplace) with only 6,000 inhabitants, all had 'Stadpfeifers' , whose job it was to sound the hours ( 'Stundenblasen' ) in the days before striking clocks were common in towers and churches.
After revision: By 1600 Halle, Dresden, Berlin, Cologne, Stettin, Nordhausen and even Eisenach (J. S. Bach's birthplace) with only 6,000 inhabitants, all had Stadpfeifers , whose job it was to sound the hours ( Stundenblasen ) in the days before striking clocks were common in towers and churches.