Around the world1825–1830
The first passenger railway
In England a steam locomotive pulled the first public train in 1825; within decades railways crossed every continent.
Karlsruhe, 18 Dec 1829 – Karlsruhe, 27 Apr 1897
12 facts3 sources
18 Dec 1829
Born in Karlsruhe
10 Jul 1867
A son is born
1870
Wounded in action
1871–1873
Member of the Reichstag of the German Empire
27 Apr 1897
Dies in Karlsruhe, aged 67
He lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Karlsruhe.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
Around the world1825–1830
In England a steam locomotive pulled the first public train in 1825; within decades railways crossed every continent.
At the table
The rise of potato schnapps
Potato-based schnapps became a widespread and essential daily pleasure for the poor, as it was much cheaper to produce than grain-based spirits. Some observers noted that after market days, many farmers returned home in a state of intoxication.
What people wore
Industrious Spinning in Rural Winter Life
Young women in rural Prussia were often famous for their industriousness, frequently spinning two or even three pieces of yarn daily after completing their domestic chores and farm work. This spinning took place in communal spinning rooms, which served as the center of winter life.
Getting around
High cost of travel
A short stagecoach trip from Berlin to Magdeburg cost four Taler, which was nearly the entire monthly wage of a village schoolteacher.
What it cost
Marriage requirements and net worth
To obtain permission to marry, a couple often needed to prove a minimum net worth of 100 to 200 guilders.
Music
Singing at church and parish gatherings
For many people in the Prussian lands, Sunday church service was a weekly routine, and singing could also happen at church occasions. Beyond worship, people spent leisure time with games like bowling and cards, and with dancing at local fairs and shooting festivals.
Daily life
Child labor and rudimentary schooling conditions
Children in rural areas were often tasked with labor, such as preparing and binding daily bundles of fuel for the household fire, a chore that frequently left their hands bleeding. Schooling was frequently held in the teacher's house, where the teacher was often a poorly paid local craftsman.