In the news1923–1927
Currency restabilization fueled economic recovery by 1927
Following the restabilization of the currency in late 1923, Germany secured 800 million gold marks in foreign loans by 1927, which helped industrial production return to 1913 levels.
Getting around
Railways dominated long-distance travel by 1914
By 1914, Germany had one of the world's densest railway networks, which by then far outperformed road transport in both speed and cost for long-distance travel. Express trains reached speeds of 90 to 100 kilometers per hour, allowing travel from Berlin to Munich in a significantly reduced time compared to previous eras.
At the table
Daily Diet and Food Adulteration
Working-class families often spent 50% to 80% of their income on food, relying heavily on cheap staples like potatoes, bread, and cabbage while meat remained a rare luxury. To make expensive items last longer, food was sometimes adulterated; for example, flour was mixed with gypsum and milk was diluted with water.
What people wore
End of the Corset Era
The traditional corset went completely out of fashion in the 1920s, replaced by a straight silhouette that did not emphasize the waist.
Music
Wandervögel and campfire folk music
Young people known as Wandervögel often gathered around campfires singing folk songs from their songbook, The Zupfgeigenhansl, while playing the guitar-lute, also called a Zupfgeige.
Daily life
Schooling and Daily Costs for Children
Children typically attended day schools, carrying their books and lunches in long tin satchels. At schools like the Pestalozzi Fröbel Haus, pupils could purchase milk for 5 pfennigs or dine at school for 10 pfennigs.