Princess Sophie of Luxembourg

Getting around

Slow tram speed on steep slopes

The electric tram on the Neudorf line traveled at a slow speed of 6 km/h when navigating the 10 percent gradient of Montée de Clausen.

At the table

Daily Diet and Food Adulteration

Working-class families often spent 50% to 80% of their income on food, relying heavily on cheap staples like potatoes, bread, and cabbage while meat remained a rare luxury. To make expensive items last longer, food was sometimes adulterated; for example, flour was mixed with gypsum and milk was diluted with water.

What people wore

Jugendstil reform dress in Luxembourg

Around 1905 to 1910, Luxembourgish fashion included refined Jugendstil reform dresses made of cream-colored raw silk with decorative soutache embroidery.

Music

Wooden rattles replaced church bells during Easter

During Holy Week, when church bells traditionally flew to Rome, children used wooden rattles and drums to announce services, receiving Easter eggs and coins as rewards.

Daily life

Specialized forest schools for children

To combat tuberculosis, some children attended specialized open-air forest schools where they were closely monitored, underwent daily physical examinations, and were overfed five times a day to gain weight. These schools prioritized health and physical strengthening over academic instruction, which was limited to essential subjects.