Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza

Getting around

Cheaper early morning tram fares

Between 1900 and 1924, a commute could be cheaper by taking a "early trip" tram before 7:30 AM, which cost 2.5 cents compared to the standard 7.5 cents.

At the table

Shifting diets from potatoes to varied meals

Ordinary families often ate simple one-pot meals consisting of potatoes mixed with vegetables, beans, or a small amount of fat and bacon. Over time, families began eating more varied foods, such as wheat bread, meat, and processed products like margarine and cookies.

What people wore

Moral Standards and Everyday Attire

In the 1930s, some religious schools strictly enforced modesty, with teachers occasionally sending boys home for wearing sandals without socks because it was considered walking around half-naked. Meanwhile, the earlier introduction of flesh-colored stockings around 1920 sparked intense moral debates, though the sheer number of women wearing them eventually rendered the controversy pointless by 1929.

Music

Jazz and the 1920s Dance Craze

In the 1920s, American jazz became wildly popular in the Netherlands, leading to a dance craze where people flocked to halls to perform the Shimmy, Charleston, and Black Bottom.

Daily life

Living conditions in crowded one-room homes

Around 1900, many poor families lived in single-room dwellings where they cooked, slept, and relieved themselves, often using a bucket or wooden box that was collected weekly. Waste was sometimes stored in basements or attics to be sold as fertilizer.