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.
Munich, 5 Mar 1881 – Schloss Wildenwart, 2 Feb 1948
6 facts1 source
5 Mar 1881
Born in Munich
2 Feb 1948
Dies in Schloss Wildenwart, aged 66
She lived through 7 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Munich.
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
Steamship travel on the Weser River
By the late 19th century, steamships on the Weser river were a popular tourist attraction, with the upstream journey from Hamelin to Münden taking 15 hours and 30 minutes, and the downstream journey taking 8 hours and 29 minutes.
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 · 1879–1882Electric light. Edison’s light bulb and his first power stations, in New York and London, began to light cities with electricity.
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
Costs for attending local festival banquets
Citizens often paid an entry fee of 20 to 30 Pfennig to attend local festive banquets, which featured patriotic music, choral performances, and speeches.
Daily life
Compulsory primary education was six hours daily
Children attended primary school for six hours daily, often sitting four to a bench; primary education became free of charge in 1891.