Eilika Duchess of Oldenburg

At the table

The iconic West German Toast Hawaii

In West Germany during the 1970s, Toast Hawaii became a popular, iconic meal consisting of sandwich bread topped with ham, a canned pineapple ring, and processed cheese, often garnished with a maraschino cherry.

What people wore

Expensive blouse for a special trip

In 1986, a woman paid almost half a month's salary, about 200 DDR-Mark, for a petrol-colored blouse for a special cruise ship voyage.

Getting around

Drastic reduction in long-distance travel time

For comparison, the travel time from Abensberg to Berlin by train in 1974 was 9 hours and 27 minutes, significantly faster than the 19th-century horse-drawn carriage time of nearly 72 hours.

What it cost

Consumer electronics costs in East Germany

In 1989, East German consumers paid 2,300 Mark for a fully automatic washing machine and 4,900 Mark for a color television.

Music

Radio requests and family game nights

On Wednesday evenings between 1975 and 1999, families frequently gathered to listen to the four-hour radio show Vom Telefon Zum Mikrofon, where listeners called in to request songs while playing card games like Rummy at the kitchen table. During these evenings, music served as a social centerpiece at home, often recorded by teenagers onto cassette tapes.

Daily life

State-managed housing and low rents

In East Germany, housing was state-managed with very low, stable rents that remained frozen at 1936 levels, often costing households only about 5 percent of their income. Moving into a new apartment required authorization, and due to housing shortages, married couples often had priority for available units.