Princess Johanna of Hesse and by Rhine

Georg Donatus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse, was the first child of Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse, and his second wife, Princess Eleonore of Solms-Hohensolms-Lich. He was a nephew of Empress Alexandra and Emperor Nicholas II of Russia, and a great-grandson of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.

Functional fashions replaced the corset

In the 1920s, the corset fell out of fashion, replaced by functional dresses without emphasized waists and shorter hemlines ranging from knee to calf length. Women often used foundation garments like hip-shaping belts to achieve the modern silhouette.

Special attire for Jewish festive occasions

Jewish women often purchased new, luxury outfits specifically for high holidays and festive occasions like Purim or Hanukkah, though they were sometimes cautioned by community leaders against wearing excessive, flashy displays of wealth in public.

Popular dances and home music consumption

People embraced new dances like the Charleston, foxtrot, shimmy, and tango, often using record players and radios to enjoy the music at home.

Popular singing and songs

Singing was a popular pastime, with groups like the Comedian Harmonists rising to fame and children frequently singing songs like Three Chinese with the Double Bass.

Record-breaking train journey times

The futuristic Schienenzeppelin train set a world record by traveling from Hamburg to Berlin in only 1 hour and 38 minutes.

Rural goods transport by horse carriages

Despite the growth of automobiles and trucks, horse-drawn carriages remained the dominant method for transporting goods in rural areas.

Schooling and Daily Costs for Children

Children typically attended day schools, carrying their books and lunches in long tin satchels. At schools like the Pestalozzi Fröbel Haus, pupils could purchase milk for 5 pfennigs or dine at school for 10 pfennigs.

Modern Apartments with Running Water

New public housing apartments offered improved living conditions with central heating, built-in kitchens, and private bathrooms featuring hot and cold running water. Such modern units were rare and highly sought after, with some families waiting years on urgent priority lists to secure them.

Daily shopping and dishwashing routines

Because food could not be kept fresh without refrigerators, working-class housewives shopped daily for small amounts, spending at least an hour each day comparing prices. Dishes were washed in two basins pulled from under the kitchen table, using soda instead of soap and drying them with care, as there was no running warm water.

Worker family budget in 1932

In 1932, a worker in a Berlin transformer factory took home 109.56 Reichsmarks monthly. After paying for rent and household supplies, the family had only 38 Pfennigs per person per day for food and drink.

Memorable Factory Work Facts

Factory tasks often relied on team piecework where productivity quotas were strictly enforced, and breakfast breaks were sometimes staggered so machines would not stop running. Workers in textile factories sometimes operated a neighboring worker's machine during their own designated break times to ensure continuous output.

The Reality of the Working Day

Although an eight-hour day was a major victory in 1918, it was frequently violated; some workers reported days starting at 7:00 a.m. and ending at 5:00 p.m., while others worked until 7:30 p.m. or 8:00 p.m. Shifts were common, and factory work often continued on Saturdays, with some employees working every other Saturday.