Leopold III of Belgium

Leopold III was King of the Belgians from 23 February 1934 until his abdication on 16 July 1951. At the outbreak of World War II, Leopold tried to maintain Belgian neutrality, but after the German invasion in May 1940, he surrendered his country, earning him much hostility, both at home and abroad.

Formal Men's Dress and Posture

For men of social standing, a top hat was essential for daily work, and linen shirts required crisp white stiffening, including a high collar that enforced an upright posture.

First Communion Fashion Constraints

For a girl's First Communion, mothers pressured shopkeepers to pull corsets tighter to make her waist look as slender as possible. Girls also wore tight new shoes to make their feet appear smaller.

Children sang carols on Christmas Eve

In some towns, poor children sang Flemish carols like "Blyden nacht" on Christmas Eve, hoping to be rewarded with bread, fruit, or nuts.

Late night dancing at Kermesse fairs

During the Kermesse fair, villagers danced in public houses until 2 or 3 in the morning, accompanied by a band or barrel-organ music.

Extensive Steam Tram Network in 1900

In 1900, the Belgian steam tram network was highly extensive, with fares as low as five or seven centimes per kilometer.

Fast Train Travel to Antwerp

In 1900, a record-breaking train journey between Brussels and Antwerp could be completed in just 47 minutes.

Home life without electricity

Houses were dark, relied on coal stoves for warmth and cooking, and lacked electricity until around 1904-1912. People often used portable lamps or gas burners for light, and coal was delivered through cellar vents.

Manual labor and domestic education

Housework was labor-intensive, with simple meals taking hours to prepare, often involving grinding coffee by hand. Household schools were established to teach young girls domestic skills like bread baking and preparing meals.

Rising sugar consumption

Between 1900 and 1905, the annual average sugar consumption per capita in Belgium doubled from 5 to 10 kilograms as prices dropped.

Educating working-class diets

By the late 1880s, home economics education began emphasizing variety in menus and the visual appeal of dishes to reform working-class dietary habits.

Brussels worker housing and beverage costs

A Brussels typographer's family spent 200 liters of beer in a year for 46 francs, and paid 1,200 francs annually for rent, though they recouped 516 francs by subletting rooms.

Cost of shoes in Brussels

A typographer's wife paid 12.50 francs for a pair of women's boots, while a pair for their younger daughter cost 10 francs.

Apprentice and cleaning wages in Brussels

A typographer's daughter in apprenticeship earned 25 centimes per day, while a cleaning woman hired for half a day on Saturday was paid 3 francs.

Cost of beer in workers' taverns

Beer was a staple for workers, sold in taverns for 12 centimes per glass (3-4 deciliters) or 24 centimes per liter from the barrel.