Baroness Anna Marie Wilhelmine Helene von Zedlitz und Leipe

Getting around

Seasonal goods transport by wagon and sledge

Internal commerce in Poland was managed through fairs, with goods transported by heavy wagons in the summer and by sledges during the winter months.

Daily life

Sleeping on ovens and cold water hardening

Children in peasant and manor households often slept on top of large clay bake-ovens, which were the only source of warmth in the home. In manor houses, children were sometimes hardened by being poured over with cold water after waking in unheated rooms.

What people wore

Adjustable everyday trousers

Men's everyday trousers were held up by a simple string with loops, allowing for adjustable width by using knots tied at different intervals.

Music

Instruments used in the Polish countryside

Village children learned to play simple instruments like willow flutes, whistles, reed pipes, or small trumpets bought at fairs while tending geese. For larger gatherings, ensembles often featured violins, a cello, flute, clarinet, horn, bass viol, and a gensla, which is a type of zither.

At the table

Staple Diet of Ordinary Families

Peasant families commonly relied on rye bread, potatoes, and vegetable soups like cabbage soup, often eating meat only during major religious holidays like Christmas or Easter.