In the news1770–1771
Migration during the 1770-71 famine
During the great famines of 1770–71, peasants from other parts of Germany migrated to Prussia where food supplies were more accessible.
1778 – 3 Sep 1813
7 facts1 source
1778
Born
3 Sep 1813
Dies
He lived through 5 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
In the news1770–1771
During the great famines of 1770–71, peasants from other parts of Germany migrated to Prussia where food supplies were more accessible.
Getting around
Stagecoach Travel at Walking Speed
In the mid-18th century, the stagecoach was the primary mode of travel for those who could afford it, moving at a walking pace of about 4 to 5 kilometers per hour. A trip from Nuremberg to Leipzig typically took around 70 hours, while the journey from Nuremberg to Regensburg required 20 hours.
In Europe1772–1795
Russia, Prussia and Austria divided Poland among themselves in three steps until, in 1795, it vanished from the map for 123 years.
Daily life
Cooking on open hearths without ovens
Ordinary people typically relied on open fires or basic hearths without ovens for cooking, as these were common in the region before the introduction of modern stoves around 1800. Daily meals were seasonal and often consisted of dairy products, grain-based dishes, and limited meat, with lard being used extensively.
What people wore
Practical Work Clothes for Women
Working women wore practical, loose-fitting clothing like an apron, headscarf, and cap, with shorter skirts and wide sleeves to allow free arm movement while handling water, fire, or animals.
Music
Popular dances and wedding processions
Dances included a German ring dance performed in rows, as well as minuets, Anglaises, and Écossaises. For weddings, a procession of guests and musicians traveled on foot or by carriage, sometimes accompanied by a formal cavalcade of riders.
At the table
Beer and coffee substitutes as staples
Ordinary people drank low-alcohol thin beer daily, which was considered nutritious and sometimes served as a soup to children. Coffee was expensive, leading many to drink substitutes like chicory or roasted cereals, a mixture often referred to as Bauernkaffee or Muckefuck.