Baudouin I of Belgium

Baudouin was King of the Belgians from 17 July 1951 until his death in 1993. He was the last Belgian king to be sovereign of the Congo, before it became independent in 1960 and became the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Boys' and youth clothing trends

Starting around 1936, golf breeches that bloused around the calf became popular for Sunday best, while boys typically received their first pair of long trousers around age 17 or 18 as a sign of becoming a man. Children’s weekday clothing was less of a concern, with schoolchildren often wearing iron-shod boots and short trousers.

Daily attire for working-class men

In the 1930s, working-class men typically wore caps, with a deep cap for weekdays and a flat cap for Sundays. Men also commonly wore suspenders, sock garters, long drawers, and, in the summer, alpaca jackets.

The rise of jazz culture

Jazz became a major craze in the 1920s and 1930s, with Belgian cities hosting their first jazz concerts and tournaments for amateur dance orchestras.

Dancing and social life for youth

Young people often went dancing at age 16 or 17, and many young women relied on partners to pay for drinks because they only had about 10 francs in pocket money.

Train travel times between Belgian cities

In 1926, a non-stop express train connected Brussels and Antwerp in 40 minutes, while a journey from Brussels to Cologne took 5 to 6 hours.

Wartime travel and fuel costs

During World War II, strict fuel rationing forced civilians to rely on bicycles or overcrowded trams, and private car travel became extremely rare. Petrol for the few permitted vehicles cost between 30 and 50 francs per liter on the black market.

Memorable Survival Tactics and Tools

To save money and ensure winter food supplies, families bought potatoes in bulk, sometimes 1000 kg at once, which were stored in specially prepared cellar bins lined with straw. To carry heavy water buckets from public pumps, people used a 'reep', a modified bicycle wheel without spokes that helped balance the weight and kept the buckets away from their legs.

Childhood Chores and Schooling Experiences

Children's daily routines involved chores like fetching water or tending to animals, while schooling was often disrupted, especially during the war years. Some schools eventually introduced amenities like communal showers, though access to such facilities remained a luxury for many.

Wartime bread was sticky and gray

During the 1940s, wartime bread contained additives like pea or bean flour and straw, resulting in a sticky, gray loaf that had to be left for 24 hours before it could be sliced.

Coffee prices rose massively under occupation

Coffee prices skyrocketed during the occupation, jumping from 28 francs per kilogram in May 1940 to 2,320 francs by June 1944.

Income of industrial worker families, 1928-1929

In the 1928-1929 budget inquiry, some industrial worker families earned at least 24,000 francs annually, a threshold that separated them from white-collar families.

Retail price index surge, 1926

During the post-war inflation period in Brussels, the retail price index reached 750 in 1926, which was 7.5 times higher than the pre-war level.

Common Blue-Collar Jobs in Belgium

Blue-collar jobs were concentrated in industries such as metalwork, mining, transport, construction, and textiles.

Earnings in Domestic and Industrial Work

In 1942, live-in Hungarian maids earned a minimum of 350 BEF per month, while an unskilled labourer in 1945 earned 5.60 francs per hour.