Peter Graf von Schönborn-Wiesentheid

At the table

Prosperity Symbolized by Hearty Meals

Following the scarcity of the postwar years, a "wave of eating" began in the mid-1950s where hearty portions of potatoes, thick sauces, and pork roast with fat crust became symbols of newfound prosperity.

What people wore

Sunday Best for Children

Sundays were special, and children wore their best clothes, including starched aprons and prized white patent leather shoes. Because these shoes were expensive, they were often reused even if they did not fit perfectly.

Getting around

Shifting from bicycles to mass motorization

In the early postwar years, people primarily relied on bicycles, buses, and trains, with motorcycles becoming a popular initial step toward mass motorization. By the mid-1950s, affordable small cars like the BMW Isetta and the Volkswagen Beetle made individual car travel increasingly common for ordinary people.

What it cost

Worker wages in 1955

In 1955, the average hourly wage for a West German industrial worker rose to 1.76 Mark from 1.65 Mark in 1954.

Music

Rare records and fragile needles

Shellac records were so rare that customers had to trade in an old disc when buying a new one. The needles used to play them often wore out after only two or three uses.

Daily life

Cramped and basic postwar living conditions

In the early postwar years, families often lived in severely cramped, makeshift conditions such as barracks or subdivided rooms, with many sharing a single bed among multiple people. Basic necessities like light, heating, and running water were frequently missing or unreliable, forcing households to use items like oil lamps and primitive stoves for warmth and cooking.