Anna Baronin Henckel von Donnersmarck

Getting around

Locked railway compartments for safety

On the Vienna Railway, carriage doors were locked from the outside by conductors for safety, trapping passengers in isolated compartments between stations. Passengers were alerted to upcoming door closures by a second bell at the station.

At the table

Vodka and rare luxury drinks

Vodka was the most common alcoholic beverage, partially due to laws that mandated its purchase or production on local estates. Coffee and tea were rare luxuries often reserved only for major holidays and celebrations.

What people wore

Special buttons for men's festive jackets

Men wore specialized festive jackets called kaftany, which featured decorative buttons known as baniaki that were used exclusively for these garments.

Music

Customs of rural dance parties

Dance parties began with a dance for men only, followed by couples dancing polkas, waltzes, and obereks. Participants could pay the musicians to play a specific requested tune, after which they would lead into the next dance with a song.

Daily life

Lighting with brass candlesticks and snuffers

In many Warsaw households of the era, brass candlesticks with steel snuffers were essential for lighting, as oil and kerosene lamps remained rare.