In the news1756–1763
Seven Years' War casualties and destruction
During the Seven Years' War, some 160,000 Prussian soldiers died in battle or from disease, devastating the population.
Berlin, 30 Jan 1757 – Weimar, 14 Feb 1830
8 facts3 sources
30 Jan 1757
Born in Berlin
1783–1786
2 children are born
14 Feb 1830
Dies in Weimar, aged 73
She lived through 9 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Berlin.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
In the news1756–1763
During the Seven Years' War, some 160,000 Prussian soldiers died in battle or from disease, devastating the population.
Getting around
Dangers and Hardships of 18th-Century Travel
Travel was often physically demanding and dangerous, with carriages that were frequently uncomfortably sprung or unsprung, causing travelers to suffer from motion sickness or injury. Due to the poor state of roads and the threat of highwaymen, travelers often carried weapons or avoided unnecessary trips, with some prominent figures never leaving their home region.
In Europe1755
On All Saints’ Day an earthquake, a tsunami and fires levelled Lisbon and killed tens of thousands; Europe’s thinkers argued over it for decades.
Daily life
Seasonal Schooling Led by Untrained Teachers
Schooling was primarily limited to winter months, as children were needed for farm work and tending livestock during the rest of the year. Many village schoolmasters lacked formal training, often being retired soldiers, weavers, or tinkers.
What people wore
Women's Caps Served Many Purposes
Most women, regardless of their status, wore a cap as both a fashionable and practical accessory to protect their hair while working near heat or dust.
Music
Regulated music at weddings and funerals
Weddings were major social events where music was highly regulated by status, dictating the number of performers and the duration of the celebrations. Musicians often played at these weddings and funerals, with societies in places like Leuben attending up to 18 weddings annually.
At the table
Kitchen tools for open fire cooking
To save time while cooking soups, housewives used hooks with a sawtooth design to quickly adjust the height of pots over the fire. They also used a specialized iron tool called a Cold Hand to remove hot pots because oven mitts were not yet in use.