Princess Maria Theresia of Thurn and Taxis

What people wore

Expensive blouse for a special trip

In 1986, a woman paid almost half a month's salary, about 200 DDR-Mark, for a petrol-colored blouse for a special cruise ship voyage.

Getting around

Drastic reduction in long-distance travel time

For comparison, the travel time from Abensberg to Berlin by train in 1974 was 9 hours and 27 minutes, significantly faster than the 19th-century horse-drawn carriage time of nearly 72 hours.

At the table

Expensive luxury food in East Germany

In East Germany in 1980, specialty shops called Delikat stores sold luxury items like raspberries and asparagus at high prices, such as 17 marks for 300 grams of raspberries. These shops were mostly inaccessible to ordinary people because their prices were prohibitively expensive.

Music

East Berlin's political song festival

The Festival of Political Songs in East Berlin served as a major annual highlight from 1970 to 1990, where young people experienced international music and political connection. Tickets were scarce, and the festival provided a rare escape from everyday life with performances by artists from around the world.

Daily life

Coal heating and primitive amenities

Living conditions varied significantly; while newer prefabricated apartments often included bathrooms, many older homes required residents to heat rooms with coal stoves, which involved the physically straining task of carrying coal from cellars and disposing of ashes in winter. In some older dwellings, water connections were limited to the kitchen, and toilet facilities remained primitive.

What it cost

Consumer electronics costs in East Germany

In 1989, East German consumers paid 2,300 Mark for a fully automatic washing machine and 4,900 Mark for a color television.