Countess Christiane of Solms-Rödelheim

At the table

Beverages of Ordinary People

Ordinary people typically drank beer for sustenance and at social gatherings, while coffee began to gain popularity among some segments of the population toward the middle of the century. Barley coffee was also used as a common beverage for afternoon snacks.

What people wore

Prussian Silk Ban for Commoners

In 1731, the Prussian government issued an edict forbidding female commoners and maidservants from wearing silk dresses, camisoles, or pinafores to support domestic wool production and restrict luxury.

Getting around

Difficulties of traveling on Prussian roads

In the 18th century, travel in Prussia was notoriously difficult due to poor roads, with some passengers joking that they could have walked faster than the carriage. A coachman could even abandon a passenger on the road if the passenger struck them or complained too aggressively.

Work

Mandatory spinning for workers

A 1723 royal edict mandated that street vendors and unemployed servants spin one pound of wool weekly, and even craftswomen or merchants' daughters were forbidden from sitting idle while at market stalls. They were required to spend their time spinning wool or flax, knitting, or sewing instead.

Music

Hautboisten provided common musical entertainment

Hautboisten, who were professional wind ensembles, were among the primary providers of musical entertainment in Prussian lands during the first half of the 18th century.

Daily life

Irregular school attendance and teaching

Prussian schooling was often erratic, with children frequently absent during summer months to work on farms or when families were required to pay fines for failing to send them. Many schools lacked trained teachers, relying instead on local sextons, discharged soldiers, or day laborers who often struggled to teach basic reading and arithmetic.