Count Karl Theodor of Toerring-Jettenbach

What people wore

Everyday and Festive Rural Dress

While festive rural attire often included traditional pieces like buckled shoes, white stockings, and specific vests, ordinary people's everyday clothes were made of durable fabrics meant to be easily washed. Poorer children in particular sometimes had to go without shoes entirely.

Getting around

Example travel times and costs in 1902

In 1902, a journey of 157 kilometers from Bremen to Norden took 4 1/4 hours by express train at a cost of 12.70 Marks for first class, while a slower passenger train took 5 1/4 hours. These scheduled services offered passengers predictable and relatively affordable options for traveling between regional towns.

At the table

Daily Diet and Food Adulteration

Working-class families often spent 50% to 80% of their income on food, relying heavily on cheap staples like potatoes, bread, and cabbage while meat remained a rare luxury. To make expensive items last longer, food was sometimes adulterated; for example, flour was mixed with gypsum and milk was diluted with water.

Music

Itinerant German street bands

Itinerant German bands, often consisting of brass and woodwind players, traveled globally and performed in streets or at kur (spa) resorts for a weekly wage.

Daily life

Schooling experiences for children

Students often sat four to a bench, and in under-resourced schools, a candle might be used for light on dark mornings. Children carried their books and lunch in long tin satchels, and many were noted for wearing spectacles.

What it cost

Rising cost of living inflation

Between 1900 and 1912, the cost of living in Germany increased by about 30 percent, with dairy and meat prices rising particularly sharply.