Countess Elisabeth Dobržensky de Dobrženicz

What people wore

Flax drying costs

To dry flax, farmers paid a fee of 20 kreuzers to a local flax worker for scaffold space and provided him with daily food.

Getting around

Faster travel between Vienna and Graz

Taking the train from Vienna to Graz took nine hours, which was a significant improvement over the twenty-nine hours required by post coach.

At the table

Street food for the poor

Street kitchens in Prague served the poorest people, providing meals like soups, sausages, or dumplings for prices as low as 2 to 3 kreutzers. Diners often stood to eat, and it was common for them to borrow a spoon or even have food served directly into their hands by vendors.

Music

Paying six kreutzers for a song

At local village feasts, musicians were paid six kreutzers per song. Some attendees would dance all day without paying, leading to frequent fights with the young people who hosted the events.

Daily life

Homemade lighting and fire safety precautions

In the 19th century, the cheapest source of light was a simple wooden piece known as a torchlight, which burned for about ten minutes and had to be constantly replaced. To prevent fire in wooden homes, children kept the light over a vessel filled with water so the burning end would drop safely into it.