Johann Wilhelm Graf von Wurmbrand

Getting around

Dangers of traveling by day

Travelers mostly journeyed during the day because roads were rough, uneven, and prone to dangers like highwaymen and accidents, making nighttime travel unsafe.

Daily life

Life in the smoke kitchen

Cooking happened in smoke kitchens where food was prepared over open fires, often sharing space with poultry kept inside at night.

What people wore

Weather-protecting Loden cloak with personal initials

For protection against the weather, rural people used a Wetterfleck, a rectangular Loden wool garment with a head opening, which reached the belt in front and the back of the knees in the back. These were often customized with red or green fabric hearts and the owner's initials on the chest.

Music

Common rural dance instruments

In the seventeenth-century countryside, ordinary people primarily used bagpipes and hurdy-gurdies for dance music, before the violin became established as a popular instrument later on.

At the table

Common Drinks: Vinegar Water and Dark Beer

While beer was a standard staple for many, poor women who could not afford wine or other drinks often relied on water mixed with vinegar for hydration. When available, beer was typically top-fermented, dark, and lower in alcohol content than modern varieties.