Archduchess Hermine of Austria

What people wore

Daily workwear and seasonal layers

On weekdays, men commonly wore linen trousers called gatya and simple laced sandals made of leather or fabric, switching to boots only for festive occasions. In winter, they added protective garments like the sheepskin suba cloak or a heavy frieze coat known as a szűr.

Getting around

Difficult travel on poor roads

Poor road conditions in Hungary often meant that travel was slow and physically demanding, with wagons sometimes covering only three kilometers a day in bad weather.

At the table

Potato flour as a bread substitute

In the early 19th century, potato flour was used as a substitute for grain to bake bread, especially during times of famine or wheat shortages. People even learned to create potato-based yeast and starch for baking.

Music

Popular Music and Automatic Instruments

In the early nineteenth century, popular music included European waltzes and polkas alongside the Hungarian verbunkos style, often played on instruments like the violin, guitar, and piano. Automatic musical clocks and pictures, featuring both folk-style melodies and operatic tunes, were trendy luxury items in bourgeois homes.

Daily life

Kitchen hearth and essential staples

Cooking was centered around a large open brick stove with an overhanging chimney, where an enormous kettle was suspended over a fire fueled by wood, turf, or peat. Lard and melted butter were essential staples for cooking national dishes, and households often kept large supplies of these fats in their private storehouses.

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.