Queen Margarita of Bulgaria

What people wore

Recycled Post-War Fashion

During the post-Civil War shortages, families often recycled old fabrics into clothing using patterns from French magazines or popular movies.

Getting around

Railways dominated passenger travel by 1936

By 1936, the railway was the dominant mode of transport for long-distance travel, accounting for nearly 75 percent of internal land transport of passengers in Spain.

At the table

Failed rationing and long queues

Official daily rations were never respected, and people often stood in line for hours only to find that bread and other basic items were sold out.

Music

Christmas music and nativity traditions

Christmas celebrations featured midnight masses where people sang villancicos, and homes were decorated with elaborate nativity scenes called nacimientos instead of Christmas trees. Children received their gifts on January 6th, the feast of the Epiphany, brought by the Three Kings.

Daily life

Child labor and limited schooling access

Poorer girls often worked as domestic servants for as little as one peseta a month plus food, while others stayed home to embroider or care for younger siblings instead of attending school. Schooling was frequently interrupted by teacher changes or seasonal farm work, with some children walking over two hours to attend.

What it cost

Black market prices in 1938

During the scarcity of 1938, officially priced goods were unavailable; a dozen eggs officially cost 17.50 pesetas but sold for 110 on the black market.