Franz Joseph II, Prince of Liechtenstein

What people wore

Infant swaddling for physical development

To help them grow straight, infants in the Kirchberg region were placed in a swaddling cushion for several months, which prevented them from moving or kicking.

Getting around

Walking as the standard daily transport

In rural regions at the start of the 20th century, walking was the primary mode of transportation as many villages remained poorly connected by road. Farmers typically stayed within their own community, only venturing out sporadically to sell goods at local markets.

At the table

Ideal middle-class meals and coffee house culture

Before the war, the ideal middle-class meal consisted of a three-course menu featuring soup, a main dish of meat with side dishes, and dessert. Intellectuals frequented coffee houses around 1900 to enjoy coffee drinks like the Melange.

Music

Dominant folk dances in rural Wechsel

In the Wechsel region, the Ländler/Steirer dance was the most common type until World War I, often performed at farmers' festivities or local inns. Music was played on diverse instruments ranging from violins and clarinets to military-style wind instruments.

Daily life

Housing for the poor in Vienna

In 1909, around 66,000 people in Vienna were bed-renters who did not have their own home and paid to use a bed for only a few hours. Many tenement buildings lacked running water, toilets, and electricity, requiring residents to collect water from a corridor tap called a Bassena.

What it cost

Worker wages in 1906

In 1906, daily wages for day laborers at a gas works in Schlieren ranged from 2.80 to 6.25 Swiss francs, while permanent employees earned 115 to 210 francs per month.