Johann Kruse

What people wore

Simple homemade wool and linen clothing

Ordinary people wore simple garments made from wool and linen that they produced themselves. During the winter, they crafted sturdy footwear known as pastalas from cattle hides.

Getting around

Travel speeds and common transport methods

Ordinary people mostly traveled on foot, covering 20–25 kilometers per day, or used simple carts drawn by one or more horses, which traveled 25–30 kilometers daily.

At the table

Imported salted herring as a staple

Herring imported from the Netherlands was a crucial staple for ordinary diets, as it could be easily preserved by salting or smoking.

Music

Competitive singing at wedding celebrations

Communal singing was essential at weddings, where guests engaged in apdziedasanas, a competitive and humorous form of improvisational singing between two opposing groups.

Daily life

Schooling and Discipline for Children

Schooling for peasant children included reading, writing, and religion, often supervised by local pastors. In Liepāja, teachers were permitted to use a rod for discipline, though striking children with fists or sticks was prohibited by law.

What it cost

Peasant labor dues in Cēsis (1668)

In 1668, peasants in the Cēsis castle district paid annual labor dues equivalent to 14 dalers for one worker with a horse, while six weeks of manual labor were valued at 2 dalers.