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Prince Franz of Thurn und Taxis

Regensburg, 2 Mar 1852 – Luxembourg, 4 May 1897

8 facts1 source

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 2 Mar 1852

    Born in Regensburg

  2. 4 May 1897

    Dies in Luxembourg, aged 45

Family

See the tree

Parents

During his lifetime

He lived through 5 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Regensburg.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1850s · Prince is born in Regensburg

In the news1859

First trains connect Luxembourg to neighbors

The first railway lines connected Luxembourg City to Thionville and Arlon, ending the country's economic isolation.

Getting around

Limitations of mail-coach travel

Before railways became dominant, mail-coaches reached speeds of 8 to 12.7 km/h, but their daily range was limited to around 100 kilometers due to frequent stops, meals, and border controls.

In Europe1845–1852

The Great Famine in Ireland

Potato blight ruined harvests: a million Irish people died and a million more emigrated, many to America.

Daily life

Compulsory schooling and kindergarten costs

Children were required to attend school from ages six to fourteen, often carrying books in long tin satchels. In model kindergartens, families could pay fees between sixpence and three shillings a month for care and meals.

What people wore

Creative Sewing to Save Fabric

To save money on expensive fabrics, rural women often sewed a piece of linen into the hidden parts of their dresses that were covered by an apron, a practice known as Magsachte.

Music

Rise of male choirs and music festivals

The 19th century saw a massive surge in male choirs, known as Liedertafel, which moved from private social gatherings to public music festivals.

At the table

Alcohol as a Daily Staple

Schnapps, distilled cheaply from potatoes, became a daily staple for the poor alongside sugar-sweetened coffee. Beer was also consumed, and by the later part of the period, the invention of bottled beer with swing stoppers made it more accessible.