Archduchess Maria Antonia of Austria

Archduchess Maria Antonia of Austria German: Maria Antonia, Erzherzogin von Österreich-Toskana was a daughter of Archduke Leopold Salvator of Austria and Infanta Blanca of Spain. She was member of the Tuscan branch of the Imperial House of Habsburg-Lorraine, an Archduchess of Austria and Princess of Tuscany by birth. In 1919, after the dissolution of Austria-Hungary, she moved with her family to Spain.

The Inseparable Leather Torba

Men traditionally carried a leather bag called a torba, which was an inseparable companion used to hold items like tobacco, a pipe, a knife, food, and money, and it was kept on even during church services.

Formal Shirt-Sleeves for Feasts

Peasant men considered it essential to show good manners on feast days by taking off their coats indoors and eating in their white shirt-sleeves, which were considered an important part of their holiday dress.

Popularity of the Zither in Zagreb

The zither was a popular domestic instrument in Zagreb, with specialized clubs and private instruction, often featuring arrangements of works by composers like Schubert and Chopin. Its popularity declined rapidly after the collapse of the Monarchy in 1918.

Carnival mischief and dance music

During pre-Lenten carnival celebrations in Đurđevac, men masquerading as Gypsies or ruffians would walk the streets on stilts, yelling and banging on old pots to frighten young women. They would also enter homes to play music and dance before the midnight curfew.

Steamship Discounts for Children

In 1876, a steamship trip between Koper and Trieste cost less for children, who received a 50% discount on the ticket.

Pushing trains and greased tracks

Travelers at the time were sometimes forced to push the train themselves on steep sections because locomotives could not handle the incline, or wait while children greased the tracks with figs.

Compulsory schooling and high drop-out rates

Although four years of elementary education were compulsory, many girls dropped out after two years to work at home, resulting in a 47% illiteracy rate for ten-year-old girls in 1900.

Compulsory school versus farm work

Although elementary schooling became compulsory in 1874, many children, especially girls, were kept home to tend livestock or help with farm chores. By the 1890s, the school curriculum included practical training in gardening and fruit cultivation.

Boiling milk with hot stones

Mountain shepherds in the 19th century heated milk in wooden bowls by dropping red-hot stones taken from an open fire directly into the liquid. This technique brought the milk to a boil within a few minutes.

Dining hierarchy at the family table

In central Croatia, households followed a strict dining hierarchy where the male head of the household sat at a place of honor, while women stood behind their husbands to eat. Meals were served in a shared bowl from which everyone ate with spoons or their hands.

Cost of rye bread in Vienna

In Vienna, a loaf of rye bread typically weighing 1.5 kilograms cost between 40 and 45 hellers.

Worker weekly wages in Vienna

Before the war, a skilled shoemaker in Vienna typically earned between 4 and 6 dollars per week, while some exceptionally skilled workers could make 7 to 8 dollars weekly.

Agriculture dominated daily life

Eighty-two percent of the population was engaged in agriculture, with most working on small family farms of five hectares or less.

Exhausting daily working hours

Agricultural workers typically toiled for 15 to 18 hours per day, while those in industry or mining frequently worked between 11 and 16 hours.