Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia

Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia was a member of the House of Hohenzollern, great-grandson of King Frederick William III of Prussia.

Peasant women used wraps to carry goods

In the Sącz Highlands, women used large, thick, unbleached linen wraps called łoktuse to carry shopping by knotting the corners on their chests and forming a bag at the back.

Special buttons for men's festive jackets

Men wore specialized festive jackets called kaftany, which featured decorative buttons known as baniaki that were used exclusively for these garments.

Celebrations and songs of the harvest

Harvest festivals involved processions with wreaths carried to church for dedication, followed by festivities featuring music and dancing. Harvesters sang songs about the hardships of field work and their hopes for future abundance, accompanied by refreshments provided by the estate owner.

Customs of rural dance parties

Dance parties began with a dance for men only, followed by couples dancing polkas, waltzes, and obereks. Participants could pay the musicians to play a specific requested tune, after which they would lead into the next dance with a song.

City transport and tram issues

Warsaw horse-drawn trams, sometimes called toads, were popular for city travel, while steamships operated on the Vistula river. In the 1880s, passengers had to occasionally push stuck trams in poor weather.

Locked railway compartments for safety

On the Vienna Railway, carriage doors were locked from the outside by conductors for safety, trapping passengers in isolated compartments between stations. Passengers were alerted to upcoming door closures by a second bell at the station.

Hardening children in manor houses

In wealthy manor houses, children were often hardened by sleeping on hard mattresses in unheated rooms and being splashed with cold water upon waking.

Lighting with brass candlesticks and snuffers

In many Warsaw households of the era, brass candlesticks with steel snuffers were essential for lighting, as oil and kerosene lamps remained rare.

Eating together from a single bowl

Families typically ate together from a single large bowl placed in the center of the room, with everyone scrambling to secure the largest spoon. There were no individual plates, and if the family was large, members often reached over one another to eat.

Potatoes and bread dominated peasant diets

Potatoes were the staple of the peasant diet, often eaten daily alongside rye bread, cabbage, legumes, and groats. Due to widespread poverty, families frequently lived in a state of chronic malnutrition.

Clothing Costs and Durability Changes

In the late 19th century, a peasant bought a heavy coat for 8 zlotys that lasted 10 years, whereas later a store-bought coat cost 6 zlotys but lasted only half a year.

Soaring Price of Vodka

The price of a quart of vodka for peasants rose dramatically from 15 cents to 70 cents over the period.

Factory Workday and Night Shifts

In Polish factories, the workday typically lasted 10 to 12 hours, and unlike in Russia, night work was generally nonexistent except in industries like glass and paper production.

Clock as a Luxury Item

A clock was considered a luxury, and when one peasant bought a clock for four ducats, neighbors viewed it as an extravagance and a curiosity.