Eugen Megerle von Mühlfeld

What people wore

Custom sunshade headscarves

To protect against the sun, women sometimes inserted a strip of paper or cardboard into their headscarves to make the front edge extend further forward.

Getting around

Walking and river travel habits

In the early 19th century, people frequently traveled on foot, with messengers and workers walking between 25 and 40 kilometers daily. On the Danube, cargo boats called ordinari took at least a week to travel the 450 kilometers from Regensburg to Vienna.

At the table

Price of Beef in Vienna

In Vienna, beef cost 7 Kreuzer per pound during this period, though prices fluctuated depending on the harvest and other circumstances.

Music

A musician's typical annual work schedule

A local musician named Stelzl kept a ledger showing he was hired to play for dances an average of 14 times per year.

Daily life

Lack of light and running water

In rural homes, light was provided only by tallow lamps or pine splinters because there were no candles or petroleum lamps. Households lacked running water, requiring residents to wash themselves at a cold well located outside the house.

What it cost

Shrinking portions for ordinary people

In the early 19th century, basic staples like bread and meat became significantly more expensive, and a visual representation of the era showed food portions shrinking drastically over time. In 100 years, the amount of bread one could buy for a fixed price halved, while the amount of beef fell to less than a quarter.