Countess Karoline Ernestine of Erbach-Schönberg

Countess Karoline Ernestine of Erbach-Schönberg, born 20 August 1727 at Gedern, Oberhessen, Hesse-Darmstadt, in the then Holy Roman Empire, was a daughter of George August, Count of Erbach-Schönberg, and Ferdinande Henriette, Countess of Stolberg-Gedern. She died at Ebersdorf, Thuringia, on 22 April 1796, at age 68.

Prussian Silk Ban for Commoners

In 1731, the Prussian government issued an edict forbidding female commoners and maidservants from wearing silk dresses, camisoles, or pinafores to support domestic wool production and restrict luxury.

Prussian Soldier Clothing Allowances

Prussian soldiers were entitled to annual small clothing issues including two pairs of shoes, two shirts, and linen trousers, costing 5 thalers, 6 groschen, and 2 pfennigs, often deducted from their pay. Old uniforms were frequently repurposed into nightcaps and chest cloths by non-commissioned officers and soldiers.

Music restricted during Frederick William I's reign

During the reign of King Frederick William I, who considered music a harmful art, musical performances were restricted to churches, and home celebrations or carnival processions were not held.

Hautboisten provided common musical entertainment

Hautboisten, who were professional wind ensembles, were among the primary providers of musical entertainment in Prussian lands during the first half of the 18th century.

Stagecoach travel costs and times in 1724

In 1724, a stagecoach trip from Genthin to Burg took over four hours for a distance of three miles. At that time, a craftsperson earned four to six groschen per day, while the stagecoach fare was three groschen per mile in summer and four groschen per mile in winter.

Difficulties of traveling on Prussian roads

In the 18th century, travel in Prussia was notoriously difficult due to poor roads, with some passengers joking that they could have walked faster than the carriage. A coachman could even abandon a passenger on the road if the passenger struck them or complained too aggressively.

Irregular school attendance and teaching

Prussian schooling was often erratic, with children frequently absent during summer months to work on farms or when families were required to pay fines for failing to send them. Many schools lacked trained teachers, relying instead on local sextons, discharged soldiers, or day laborers who often struggled to teach basic reading and arithmetic.

Simple peasant and town housing

Common peasant homes were simple one or two-room timber-framed structures, often dominated by a central hearth used for both warmth and cooking meals like bread and potatoes. In some planned towns, houses were built without cellars and partitioned into two equal living spaces to accommodate two families each.

Beverages of Ordinary People

Ordinary people typically drank beer for sustenance and at social gatherings, while coffee began to gain popularity among some segments of the population toward the middle of the century. Barley coffee was also used as a common beverage for afternoon snacks.

Typical Diet of Ordinary Families

Ordinary families ate a regular daily diet consisting primarily of milk soups, bread with butter or fat, and simple vegetable or fish stews. Meat was a rare luxury usually reserved for Sundays or special occasions.

Common occupations and labor obligations

Most ordinary people were village farmers who worked as fullholders, halfholders, or smallholders, often supplementing farming with cottage industries like spinning, weaving, or basic woodworking. Many were legal subjects of a local lordship, rendering rent through grain, cash, or compulsory labor known as Frondienst.

Mandatory spinning for workers

A 1723 royal edict mandated that street vendors and unemployed servants spin one pound of wool weekly, and even craftswomen or merchants' daughters were forbidden from sitting idle while at market stalls. They were required to spend their time spinning wool or flax, knitting, or sewing instead.

High cost of sending letters

In 1724, sending a letter from Genthin to Magdeburg cost one Groschen, while a letter to Berlin cost one Groschen and five Pfennige. Such postage costs were prohibitively expensive for the common people, as a craftsman earned only four to six Groschen per day.

Frequent delays in postal service

In 1732, the Royal Prussian General Post Office complained that postilions often missed their scheduled times by three to four hours at stations, particularly in Westphalia.