In the news1873
Gründerkrise economic crash began
In 1873, Germany experienced the Gründerkrise, a severe economic crisis that caused significant financial instability following a period of post-unification industrial boom.
Petit-Saconnex, 28 Jul 1871 – Paris, 9 Dec 1929
8 facts3 sources
28 Jul 1871
Born in Petit-Saconnex
1900–1904
3 children are born
9 Dec 1929
Dies in Paris, aged 58
She lived through 6 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Petit-Saconnex.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
In the news1873
In 1873, Germany experienced the Gründerkrise, a severe economic crisis that caused significant financial instability following a period of post-unification industrial boom.
Getting around
High cost of postal coach travel
In 1873, traveling by postal horse-drawn vehicle over Alpine passes was expensive, costing between 10 and 15 rappen per kilometer.
At the table
High food costs for working families
Working-class families spent 62 percent of their total budget on food, primarily on bread, coffee, or chicory substitutes.
In Europe · 1859–1871Italy is unified. Garibaldi, Cavour and Victor Emmanuel joined the Italian states into one kingdom, with Rome its capital from 1871.
What people wore
Infrequent Laundry and Linen Dowries
Laundry was such a difficult, infrequent task that it was often performed only twice a year, leading many Swiss to invest in large dowries of shirts to last a lifetime.
Music
The Popular Home Zither
The zither was a popular instrument for home music-making across all social classes because it was inexpensive and relatively easy to learn to play.
Daily life
Water sourced from local wells
Most people obtained their water from local wells, as household water connections were not common until the final third of the 19th century. Centralized water supplies in larger cities like Bern and Zurich did not arrive until 1868.