Duchess Elisabeth of Württemberg

What people wore

Restricted Movement in Tight Prussian Uniforms

Prussian soldiers wore tight uniforms and white linen summer breeches that were so fitted they risked splitting if the wearer moved suddenly. They were required to keep their hair powdered, pulled back with a ribbon, and were never seen without their gaiters.

Getting around

Poor conditions of road inns

Inns were notoriously filthy and poorly equipped, forcing many travelers to sleep on straw in rooms shared with peasants or to camp in fields.

At the table

Warm beer breakfast drink with eggs

A common breakfast drink for Poles, as noted by contemporary observers, consisted of warm beer mixed with sugar, ginger, and eggs.

Music

Dance styles in Königsberg during the 1700s

During the mid-18th century in Königsberg, balls featured minuets and gavottes, and popular masquerades included polonaises and quadrilles.

Daily life

Hard Labor: Preparing Winter Fuel

In some rural areas, families bundled green pine branches into small, straw-tied packages called Kulelkes to fuel their wide ovens during the winter. A child might be required to chop and tie nine of these bundles every evening after school to ensure the home remained heated.

What it cost

Fluctuating price of rye bread grain

In Berlin, a rye bushel (Scheffel, approx. 40kg) typically cost 19 to 20 Groschen, but rose to over 2 Taler during the hunger year of 1771.