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Frederick, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken

Zweibrücken, 5 Apr 1616 – Nohfelden, 9 Jul 1661

8 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 5 Apr 1616

    Born in Zweibrücken

  2. 9 Jul 1661

    Dies in Nohfelden, aged 45

Family

See the tree

Parents

During his lifetime

He lived through 6 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Zweibrücken.

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

The 1610s · Frederick, is born in Zweibrücken

In the news1618–1623

The Kipper and Wipper Economic Crisis

Between 1618 and 1623, Germany suffered the Kipper and Wipper economic crisis, where rulers debased coins by reducing silver content, causing rapid inflation. This made it impossible for people with fixed incomes, such as teachers and pensioners, to afford basic living expenses.

At the table

Daily porridge served as the staple meal

Porridge was the primary daily meal, often cooked in large batches and reheated, leading to a tough consistency. Ordinary families ate it by reaching into a shared bowl with their hands.

What people wore

Everyday Women's Clothing Basics

An everyday women's outfit consisted of a white shirt, a colored bodice called a Brustlein, a skirt known as an Unterrock, and a white apron. The Brustlein was often sold as ready-to-wear, while the skirt required a tailor.

Getting around

River travel offered rapid downstream movement

Traveling downstream by boat was the fastest method, sometimes covering up to 150 kilometers in 24 hours under optimal conditions.

Work

Long work days and child labor

During summer, work began by 5:00 AM or earlier, with tasks continuing until dark and minimal breaks. Children as young as five to nine years old, often called servants, contributed by herding animals, spinning, fetching water, or caring for younger children.

Music

Town Pipers and Their Daily Music

Town pipers, or Stadtpfeifer, were essential figures who performed at weddings, festivals, and church services using a variety of instruments like cornetts, sackbuts, and crumhorns. They also served as city watchmen, playing brass fanfares from towers to mark the time or announce events.

Daily life

Limited and seasonal schooling for children

There was no general compulsory education, and rural schools were often only attended in winter because children were required to work on farms during the summer. Instruction focused primarily on memorizing the Bible to learn how to pray and read scripture, with writing and arithmetic taught only afterward if at all.