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Maria Ferdinande Prinzessin von Thurn und Taxis

29 Dec 1927 – 9 Jun 2018

7 facts1 source

Facts and their sources

A life in time

  1. 29 Dec 1927

    Born

  2. 9 Jun 2018

    Dies, aged 90

During her lifetime

She lived through 10 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.

The 1920s · Maria is born

In the news1923–1927

Currency restabilization fueled economic recovery by 1927

Following the restabilization of the currency in late 1923, Germany secured 800 million gold marks in foreign loans by 1927, which helped industrial production return to 1913 levels.

Getting around

Railways dominated long-distance travel by 1914

By 1914, Germany had one of the world's densest railway networks, which by then far outperformed road transport in both speed and cost for long-distance travel. Express trains reached speeds of 90 to 100 kilometers per hour, allowing travel from Berlin to Munich in a significantly reduced time compared to previous eras.

At the table

Daily Diet and Food Adulteration

Working-class families often spent 50% to 80% of their income on food, relying heavily on cheap staples like potatoes, bread, and cabbage while meat remained a rare luxury. To make expensive items last longer, food was sometimes adulterated; for example, flour was mixed with gypsum and milk was diluted with water.

The Spanish flu. A flu pandemic infected a third of humanity and killed some 50 million people, more than the war that had just ended.Around the world · 1918–1920

The Spanish flu. A flu pandemic infected a third of humanity and killed some 50 million people, more than the war that had just ended.

Otis Historical Archives, National Museum of Health and Medicine · public domain

What people wore

Special attire for Jewish festive occasions

Jewish women often purchased new, luxury outfits specifically for high holidays and festive occasions like Purim or Hanukkah, though they were sometimes cautioned by community leaders against wearing excessive, flashy displays of wealth in public.

Music

Popular singing and songs

Singing was a popular pastime, with groups like the Comedian Harmonists rising to fame and children frequently singing songs like Three Chinese with the Double Bass.

Daily life

Manual Housework and Modern Kitchens

Working-class households often lacked running warm water, requiring labor-intensive dishwashing using two basins, soda instead of soap, and drying by hand. In contrast, revolutionary designs like the Frankfurt kitchen introduced gas or electric stoves and hot water heaters to modernize and rationalize housework.