Engelbert Charles, 10th Duke of Arenberg

20 Apr 1899 – 27 Apr 1974

7 facts1 source

Facts and their sources

Born20 Apr 1899not verified1 source
Died27 Apr 1974not verified1 source
FatherEngelbert-Maria, 9th Duke of Arenbergnot verified1 source
MotherPrincess Hedwige de Lignenot verified1 source

A life in time

20 Apr 1899
Born
27 Apr 1974
Dies, aged 75

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

Valerie Marie SchwalbWife · 1900–1953

During his lifetime

He lived through 9 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 1890s · Engelbert is born

In the news1899

Proportional representation law passed

A law introducing proportional representation for elections was passed in Belgium in 1899.

What people wore

Changing sleeves for daily variety

At the end of the 19th century, bourgeois women changed their clothing multiple times a day, and chambermaids would sew or un-sew dress sleeves to vary their appearance throughout the day. This practice led to the expression c'est une autre paire de manches, meaning something quite different.

Getting around

The traditional horse-drawn barge

Known as the barge, a horse-drawn tow canal boat was a common and punctual way to travel between towns like Bruges and Ostend until the late 19th century.

The first modern Olympics. Athens hosted the first modern Olympic Games, with 241 athletes from 14 nations.
Émile Gilliéron · public domain

In the news1894

Universal male suffrage adopted

Belgium adopted universal male suffrage in 1894, although with a plural voting system based on wealth or education.

Music

Children sang carols on Christmas Eve

In some towns, poor children sang Flemish carols like "Blyden nacht" on Christmas Eve, hoping to be rewarded with bread, fruit, or nuts.

Daily life

Lighting and Heating in Belgian Homes

Homes were lit by candles, oil lamps, or gas lamps, as electricity was not generally available until the early 20th century. People relied on coal stoves for both cooking and warmth, often gathering around the fire for family life.