In the news1883
First telephone network in Pilsen
The first telephone network in Pilsen was established in 1883, serving 11 initial participants.
28 Mar 1883 – 28 Oct 1970
5 facts1 source
28 Mar 1883
Born
15 Apr 1915
A son is born
28 Oct 1970
Dies, aged 87
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.
In the news1883
The first telephone network in Pilsen was established in 1883, serving 11 initial participants.
What people wore
Weekday skirts for women
Working-class women often wore blue-dyed linen or cotton skirts on weekdays, frequently embellished with white printed patterns known as moäraeck.
Getting around
Faster travel between Vienna and Graz
Taking the train from Vienna to Graz took nine hours, which was a significant improvement over the twenty-nine hours required by post coach.
Around the world · 1889–1890The “Russian flu”. A flu pandemic travelled the world by rail and steamship in a few months, killing about a million people.
In the news1884
Major social reform laws were enacted in 1884, limiting workdays to eleven hours and requiring Sunday rest.
Music
Harpist hired for tavern dances
A blind harpist from the village of Syrovín continued to be hired by local youths to play at tavern dances until around 1890. It was common for folk musicians to perform for intimate occasions, sometimes playing alone while singing and stomping to keep the rhythm.
Daily life
Homemade lighting and fire safety precautions
In the 19th century, the cheapest source of light was a simple wooden piece known as a torchlight, which burned for about ten minutes and had to be constantly replaced. To prevent fire in wooden homes, children kept the light over a vessel filled with water so the burning end would drop safely into it.