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Duarte Pio of Braganza

Born Bern, 15 May 1945

6 facts1 source

Living person. The family sees only the name, dates and photo; everything else stays private unless they choose to share it.

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 15 May 1945

    Born in Bern

  2. 1996–1999

    3 children are born

During his lifetime

He has lived through 9 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Bern.

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

The 1940s · Duarte is born in Bern

In the news1939–1948

1939 Wahlen Plan increases food self-sufficiency

To prepare for the Second World War, the government introduced the Wahlen Plan in 1939 to increase food self-sufficiency by doubling arable land for crops like potatoes. Rationing of staple foods was implemented and remained in place until 1948.

Getting around

Expansion of affordable rail and bus travel

During the interwar period, Swiss railways and postbuses expanded their ticket offers, including reduced prices for families and ski trips, to attract more travelers.

In Europe1941–1945

The Holocaust

Nazi Germany and its collaborators murdered six million Jews, and Roma, disabled people and others, in camps and mass shootings.

Daily life

Kitchens served as bathrooms for families

Families heated water for bathing in the kitchen using stoves or kettles, and weekly baths were often taken in a large galvanized tub placed on the kitchen floor.

What people wore

Embroidery time for costumes

Hand-embroidering the small design on the white collar of an Appenzell women's costume takes seven hours of meticulous manual work.

Music

Pressure to modernize folk bands

During the 1930s and 1940s, Ländler bands were frequently pressured by event organizers to incorporate modern instruments like saxophones and drums to satisfy dancers.

At the table

Food rationing required coupons and cash

During World War II, families required both money and ration coupons to purchase staple foods like bread, and some had to visit different bakeries to find one that would accept their available coupons.