In the news1709
Great famine after the 1709 winter
A severe winter caused the Bodensee to freeze completely, leading to widespread crop failures and famine across Europe.
Rudolstadt, 22 Oct 1708 – Rudolstadt, 29 Aug 1790
8 facts2 sources
22 Oct 1708
Born in Rudolstadt
29 Aug 1790
Dies in Rudolstadt, aged 81
He lived through 10 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Rudolstadt.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
In the news1709
A severe winter caused the Bodensee to freeze completely, leading to widespread crop failures and famine across Europe.
Getting around
River Travel by Ordinari Boats
Water transport was often more cost-effective; for example, the Ordinari boat from Regensburg to Vienna took at least a week to cover about 450 kilometers. Passengers often spent their nights on land during these boat journeys.
At the table
Simple meals of porridge, soup, and stew
Ordinary families commonly consumed grain-based porridges and soups for breakfast and dinner, while a hearty stew served as the main midday meal. Meat was expensive, so many households reserved it for special occasions like a Sunday roast.
In Europe · 1700–1721The Great Northern War. Russia, Denmark and Saxony fought Sweden for the Baltic; Peter the Great won and built St Petersburg on the conquered coast.
What people wore
Limited Wardrobes and Sunday Best
For ordinary people, clothing was strictly divided into everyday wear and Sunday best, as a person's wardrobe was very limited three hundred years ago.
Music
The cornett was a popular civic instrument
Town musicians used the versatile cornett, a wooden instrument with finger holes, for both church services and celebratory civic events.
Daily life
Limited Schooling for Children
Children often attended only winter schools because their labor was required for farming and tending livestock the rest of the year. Teachers were frequently untrained, such as former soldiers or craftsmen, and religious instruction was the main priority.