Prince Alfred of Liechtenstein

Getting around

Trains replaced slower horse-drawn coaches

Taking the train from Vienna to Graz significantly improved mobility, taking nine hours by rail compared to twenty-nine hours by stagecoach.

At the table

Meat consumption frequency for workers

Ordinary workers typically ate meat only twice a week, usually on Saturdays and Sundays.

What people wore

Work aprons and reversible sheepskin coats

Men frequently wore a blue apron called a Firta for daily work, while craftsmen wore green aprons; for demanding barn work, they utilized sackcloth aprons and wooden clogs. Additionally, men often wore sheepskin coats that could be reversed, with the wool inside during winter and outside during summer.

Music

Popular instruments of the mid-19th century

During the 1850s, the zither became highly popular as a folk-music counterpart to the bourgeois piano. By 1860, the introduction of hand-held squeeze-box instruments like the accordion and harmonica allowed a single person to provide full orchestral accompaniment for entertainment.

Daily life

Restricted Nature of Public Schooling

Primary education was mandatory for children aged 6 to 12, but country schools were typically restricted to two grades and focused heavily on religious instruction, memorization, and obedience. The curriculum was intentionally designed to reinforce social class rather than provide a path to secondary education.