Ernst August von Platen-Hallermund

What people wore

Women's mourning caps in Scheeßel

A woman in the Scheeßel parish typically owned about 11 different caps, five of which were used exclusively for mourning periods.

Daily life

Limited and seasonal schooling

Schooling was not compulsory, and rural children often only attended in winter because they had to work on farms during the summer. Instruction focused primarily on memorizing the Bible to learn how to pray and read scripture.

News and letters

How letters were prepared for sending

Letters were typically written on large double sheets of paper, fixed with sand instead of blotting paper, and sealed with wax. The folded letter itself served as the envelope, with the sender and recipient written directly on the outer side.

Music

Village dance in 1678 with bagpipes

A painting of a 1678 village dance shows young people dancing to a bagpiper and a drummer while villagers drink beer in the outdoor setting.

At the table

Avoiding Contaminated Water

Water was rarely drunk, as people relied on beer or watered-down vinegar for safer hydration. Often, drinking water was avoided entirely due to the high risk of contamination from nearby cesspools.

Getting around

River travel from Regensburg to Vienna

Starting in 1696, boats called 'Ordinari' transported passengers down the Danube from Regensburg to Vienna, a distance of about 450 kilometers that took at least one week.

Work

Common Jobs in Rural Villages

Most common occupations were in agriculture, including fullholders, smallholders, and landless laborers like cottars (Seldner) and day laborers who often combined farming with small-scale craft or wage work. Female labor was essential and included tasks like spinning, sewing, agricultural labor, and working as live-in maidservants.