Gunnila Bernadotte

Gunnila Märta Louise, Princess Bernadotte, Countess of Wisborg was a Swedish and Luxembourgish noblewoman.

Boyish fashion trends of the 1920s

In the 1920s, the ideal female look became boyish with a slim body and short, shingled hair, while skirt lengths rose dramatically to above the knees.

Men's hats worn to scare predators

Herding girls wore men's hats to scare away bears and wolves, making the animals believe a man was approaching.

Gramophones used for dance music parties

By around 1905, people began using portable gramophones at social gatherings like weddings and engagement parties to provide music for dancing.

Folk music performances at Skansen museum

At Skansen, an open-air museum opened in 1891, people could hear live performances of traditional Swedish instruments like the fiddle, nyckelharpa, and herdsman’s horn in a simulated peasant environment.

High Cost of Rural Carriage Travel

Travelers needing hired horses and carriages for a round trip between Slätt and Sundsvall in the 1920s paid 31.36 kronor, which was a significant cost given a carpenter earned about 5 kronor per day. Pre-booking horses weeks in advance was often required for these rural journeys.

Fast Electric Rail Travel in 1930

By 1930, electric trains between Stockholm and Gothenburg covered the 458-kilometer distance in 5 hours and 44 minutes. Seats on these principal trains could be reserved for a fee of 25 öre.

Cramped urban living conditions

Poor families often lived in a single room, sharing it with boarders to cover rent, while water had to be carried up stairs and toilets were located outdoors.

Daily household costs and diet

Kerosene for lighting could cost up to 10 öre per day for those doing sewing work, and children often relied on crusts of bread softened in coffee for breakfast.

Affordable meat and staple snacks

Knackwurst sausages were a treat for some workers, available at markets for 25 öre for three. While meat was often scarce, other items like crispbread were staples across all social classes.

Everyday meals of poor Swedish families

For poor families, a common, inexpensive mid-day meal consisted of a large dish of boiled potatoes, often supplemented with salt herring bought from a local merchant. To save money, bread was baked at home and hung on a pole to dry, as families were discouraged from eating fresh bread.

Living expenses in 1919

A daily worker's family budget in 1919 included expenses of 30 kronor for a pair of shoes and 6 kronor per kilogram for butter.

Swedish worker income and purchasing power 1925–1929

In 1925, an industrial worker in Sweden earned an annual income ranging from 2,050 to 2,375 kronor in some sectors, while those in protected domestic industries could earn up to 3,895 kronor. By 1929, the purchasing power of an industrial worker's annual income had risen 30 to 40 percent compared to pre-war levels.

Working hours and limited holidays

In 1924, a warehouse worker's weekly pay was 55 kronor, covering work from Monday morning until 4 p.m. on Saturday. There was only one week of vacation, which could be scheduled at any time between May and September.

Common jobs in Sweden, 1900-1924

The majority of Swedes worked in agriculture as peasants, crofters, farmhands, or contract-workers, though industrial, forestry, and small-scale manufacturing jobs were also significant.