Alix de Lannoy

Daily life

Childhood Chores and Schooling Experiences

Children's daily routines involved chores like fetching water or tending to animals, while schooling was often disrupted, especially during the war years. Some schools eventually introduced amenities like communal showers, though access to such facilities remained a luxury for many.

What it cost

Decline in food budget share

By the late 1940s, food expenses accounted for approximately 45 percent of a worker household's budget, a significant decrease from about 58 percent in 1929.

What people wore

Frugal clothing maintenance habits

People often wore clothing until it was heavily mended; it was not considered shameful to wear a pant with a patch or a sweater with mended elbows. For special occasions, some men would still wear the black jacket and striped trousers they had first worn at their wedding twenty years earlier.

Getting around

Wartime travel and fuel costs

During World War II, strict fuel rationing forced civilians to rely on bicycles or overcrowded trams, and private car travel became extremely rare. Petrol for the few permitted vehicles cost between 30 and 50 francs per liter on the black market.

At the table

Three hours waiting for butter ration

In early 1941, a person had to wait in line for three hours in the cold just to receive a ration of 120 grams of butter.