Rapine and destruction were, for near upon a third of the century, the common lot of the Germanic peoples from north to south and from east to west.
Populations were as helpless as sheep before the brutal, criminal soldiery, recruited in many cases from the worst elements of every European country.

The excesses of Mansfeld's mercenary army in the earlier stages of the war created widespread horror.

But the defeat and death of Mansfeld brought no alleviation.

The troops of Wallenstein proved no better in this respect than those of Mansfeld.
On the contrary, with every year the war went on its horrors increased, while every trace of principle in the struggle fell more and more into the background.

Everywhere was ruin.
The population became by the time the war had ended a mere fraction of what it was at the opening of the seventeenth century.