Princess Marie Gabriele of Luxembourg

Princess Marie-Gabrielle of Luxembourg was a Luxembourgish princess, the third daughter and fourth child of Grand Duchess Charlotte (1896–1985) and Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma (1893–1970).

Colourful Sunday attire for milkmaids

On Sunday mornings, young women working as milkmaids would dress in colourful outfits to leave behind their everyday work clothes.

Pride in household linens and curtains

Luxembourgish housewives took immense pride in their household linens, often comparing the ornate lace curtains in their windows to delicate personal undergarments.

The Hämmelsmarsch invited people to fairs

To invite residents to local fairs, musicians paraded through the streets playing the Hämmelsmarsch, a song that helped them collect financial donations.

Wooden rattles replaced bells during Easter week

During Holy Week, church bells traditionally flew to Rome, so children used wooden rattles and drums to announce services and collect treats.

The rural Charly railway connection

The narrow-gauge railway known as Charly, which linked Luxembourg City to Echternach over 46 km, was a vital part of the country's extensive rail network that saw many rural areas connected by train.

Bus travel to Kirchberg

A private bus service between the railway station and Kirchberg operated twice on weekdays and four times on market days or Sundays, with a journey time of 30 minutes.

Vocational schooling for young women

Young women attended domestic schools to learn cooking, ironing, and sewing, with the school in Luxembourg-Ville expanding in 1906 due to high demand.

Lack of basic home amenities

Around 1900, many simple homes in Luxembourg lacked basic amenities like running water, gas, electricity, and indoor toilets. People often relied on outdoor latrines characterized by a simple heart-shaped cutout in the door.

From potatoes to rutabagas

Before the war, potatoes were a staple food for many families, but by 1916 they became unaffordable, forcing people to eat less desirable rutabagas instead.

Wartime food rationing measures

In 1915, the government set a daily ration of 250 grams of bread, 1,000 grams of potatoes, and 100 grams of meat per person. Flour for bread was increasingly stretched with ingredients like oat flour, potato starch, and barley flour.

Price of bread in 1922

In August 1922, the price of a 5-pound loaf of bread was 2.25 francs in Luxembourg City, while it cost 2.10 francs in surrounding areas like Esch-sur-Alzette.

Skyrocketing food prices in 1917

Food prices soared during the war, with a pound of lard reaching 10 francs and a dozen eggs costing 5 to 6 francs by early 1917.

Common Jobs and Child Labor

Many workers balanced industrial labor with agricultural work, while others were employed in the steel industry, textile, tobacco, or service sectors. Child labor in these fields persisted, with 339 children still officially employed in 1938.

Struggles with Living Costs

Rising living costs were a major struggle, as seen when residential rents increased from 19 to 22 francs between 1918 and 1919, making it impossible for some families to pay. Conciliation offices were created to manage the resulting disputes between landlords and tenants.