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Princess Mathilde of Schönburg-Waldenburg

1826 – 1914

6 facts2 sources

Facts and their sources

  • Born1826not verified1 source
  • Died1914not verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 1826

    Born

  2. 29 Jan 1850

    A daughter is born

  3. 1914

    Dies

During her lifetime

She lived through 10 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1820s · Princess is born

Around the world1825–1830

The first passenger railway

In England a steam locomotive pulled the first public train in 1825; within decades railways crossed every continent.

At the table

Potato schnapps among common men

Potato schnapps was a popular and widespread drink among common men in East Prussia, so much so that some would sell their last chicken to afford it.

What people wore

Saving fabric with the Magsachte patch

Women saved money on expensive fabric by sewing a hidden patch of coarser linen, called a Magsachte, onto their dresses where it would be covered by an apron.

Getting around

Difficult and slow travel by stagecoach

Traveling by stagecoach in Prussia was often grueling and uncomfortable due to poorly maintained, unpaved roads and cramped, unsprung carriages. A journey from Berlin to Königsberg, spanning 565 kilometers, typically took ten to eleven days by post coach.

What it cost

Marriage requirements and net worth

To obtain permission to marry, a couple often needed to prove a minimum net worth of 100 to 200 guilders.

Music

Daily castle tower music in Königsberg

City tower musicians performed chorales daily from Königsberg's castle tower, such as 'Ich weiß mein Gott, daß all mein Tun' at 11 am and 'Nun ruhen alle Wälder' at 9 pm.

Daily life

Typical rural home layout and construction

Ordinary rural homes were low-ceilinged wooden structures with small, round glass windows and floors made of stone or brick. Cooking often took place in the living room using a masonry hearth, while a single large room served as a bedroom for the entire family and sometimes even the servants.