I have been researching European framing of late and just learned about the difference between framing with full height posts (standerbauweise or geschossbau) and what relates to platform framing (rahmbauweise or stockwerkbau)in Germany. What I have read is that the platform framing is not as ancient as the two-story post type framing, though this, as everything, may relate to what region we are talking about.

Here is an illustration of three styles of fachwerk including Alemannic, Frankish and Saxon.

http://uploader.wuerzburg.de/bbz2/fst_03/fachwerk/bilder/entsteh1.jpg

I think the Dutch had more of an influence on American building history than is recognized. I recently learned that the probable origin of our every-day term bent is from Dutch gebint or, less likely, German gebinde, both of which translate in simple terms to "an assembly".

Very interesting, looking forward to more discussion.

Jim