In the news1883
First national health insurance introduced
Germany became the first country to introduce a national social insurance system with the approval of a worker's health insurance plan.
4 Apr 1882 – 14 Jan 1966
9 facts1 source
4 Apr 1882
Born
14 Jan 1966
Dies, aged 83
He lived through 9 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 news1883
Germany became the first country to introduce a national social insurance system with the approval of a worker's health insurance plan.
Getting around
City carriage travel rates
Local carriage travel in cities like Barmen and Elberfeld was common, with a non-stop ride costing 50 Pfennig for up to two people, or 1 Mark for a half-hour ride.
At the table
Meat was a luxury for working families
In working-class households, meat—often cheap sausage or ground meat—was a luxury, frequently reserved for Sunday meals, and sometimes stretched with breadcrumbs to make meat-like dishes like fake rabbit. Men, seen as the primary providers, often received the largest portions of meat, while wives and children ate significantly less.
Around the world · 1889–1890The “Russian flu”. A flu pandemic travelled the world by rail and steamship in a few months, killing about a million people.
What people wore
Rural and urban wedding attire customs
In rural areas, brides traditionally wore black dresses that could be reused for other festive occasions, while white wedding dresses became popular in cities late in the century. Brides traditionally wore a white veil with a myrtle wreath as a symbol of virginity.
Music
Growth of amateur music societies
Community music-making was popular among the rising middle class, leading to the widespread founding of singing societies and amateur orchestras.
Daily life
Access to running water varied by class
Working-class homes often lacked running water, requiring water to be heated in cooking pots, while wealthier, modern homes featured hot-water heaters and running water in the kitchen and bathroom.