In the news1971
Women gain voting rights
Women were granted the right to vote in federal elections for the first time in 1971.
St. Gallen, 15 Mar 1972 – Altlengbach, 5 Dec 2023
9 facts3 sources
15 Mar 1972
Born in St. Gallen
5 Dec 2023
Dies in Altlengbach, aged 51
He lived through 6 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around St. Gallen.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
In the news1971
Women were granted the right to vote in federal elections for the first time in 1971.
Work
The factory women known as Eleveners
Women in watch factories were nicknamed the Eleveners because they left work at 11 am to rush home, shop, and cook a fresh meal for their families by noon.
Around the world1973–1974
Arab oil producers cut supplies and the price of oil quadrupled; petrol queues and inflation followed around the world.
News and letters
Automation increased mail sorting speeds tenfold
Before automated sorting, postal workers manually handled 2,000 items per hour, while new machines introduced in the 1960s processed 20,000.
What people wore
Girl's clothing in Switzerland
Between 1950 and the late 1960s, girls commonly wore knee-length skirts or dresses with blouses, while trousers only became more frequent around 1970.
Music
Instruments used in the home
People played diverse traditional instruments at home, such as the Toggenburg house organ, hackbrett (hammered dulcimer), violin, accordion, and halszither (a type of cittern).
What people wore
Longevity of everyday clothes
Clothes were worn longer than today; it was standard practice to wear patched garments to keep them clean and intact.