In the news1883
First national health insurance introduced
Germany became the first country to introduce a national social insurance system with the approval of a worker's health insurance plan.
Roßla, 23 Aug 1885 – Eutin, 16 Oct 1969
10 facts2 sources
23 Aug 1885
Born in Roßla
16 Oct 1969
Dies in Eutin, aged 84
She lived through 9 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Roßla.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
In the news1883
Germany became the first country to introduce a national social insurance system with the approval of a worker's health insurance plan.
Getting around
Steamship travel on the Weser River
By the late 19th century, steamships on the Weser river were a popular tourist attraction, with the upstream journey from Hamelin to Münden taking 15 hours and 30 minutes, and the downstream journey taking 8 hours and 29 minutes.
At the table
Meat was a luxury for working families
In working-class households, meat—often cheap sausage or ground meat—was a luxury, frequently reserved for Sunday meals, and sometimes stretched with breadcrumbs to make meat-like dishes like fake rabbit. Men, seen as the primary providers, often received the largest portions of meat, while wives and children ate significantly less.
Around the world · 1879–1882Electric light. Edison’s light bulb and his first power stations, in New York and London, began to light cities with electricity.
What people wore
Distinctive vests signaled marital status in Betzingen
In Betzingen, married men wore black velvet vests, while unmarried men wore red cloth vests with twelve silver buttons. Bachelors also traditionally displayed a red handkerchief from their pocket when searching for a bride.
Music
Costs for attending local festival banquets
Citizens often paid an entry fee of 20 to 30 Pfennig to attend local festive banquets, which featured patriotic music, choral performances, and speeches.
Daily life
Compulsory primary education was six hours daily
Children attended primary school for six hours daily, often sitting four to a bench; primary education became free of charge in 1891.