Ernst II, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg

Ernst II was the last reigning duke of Saxe-Altenburg and a German general active during World War I.

Children often lacked footwear in Pomerania

Poorer children often lacked proper footwear, sometimes going barefoot from early summer to late fall. On Sundays, they might wear worn-out boots bought from junk dealers for 1.2 to 1.5 marks.

Children's Footwear in Rural Areas

While better-off families could afford varied clothes, children of the impoverished often went barefoot over stone and stubble during the summer months.

Music and dance at public festivals

Popular festivities like shooting festivals and local fairs were central to social life, while the educated classes attended balls, concerts, and theater performances.

Rise of male choirs and music festivals

The 19th century saw a massive surge in male choirs, known as Liedertafel, which moved from private social gatherings to public music festivals.

Costly travel between Prussian villages

While railways connected major cities, travel between Prussian villages often required hiring traps, which could cost more for a short trip than a full railway journey between cities like Berlin and Dresden.

Costly travel in Prussian villages

In 1870, travelers between Prussian villages often relied on hired traps driven by resentful locals, who might charge more for a short ride between hamlets than a full five-hour railway journey from Berlin to Dresden.

Meager working-class housing and kitchen setup

A typical working-class household in the Taunus region relied on a single room for living and sleeping, while the kitchen was often just the hallway. Water was heated in cooking pots, as there were no separate wash-boilers or running water.

Compulsory schooling and kindergarten costs

Children were required to attend school from ages six to fourteen, often carrying books in long tin satchels. In model kindergartens, families could pay fees between sixpence and three shillings a month for care and meals.

Alcohol as a Daily Staple

Schnapps, distilled cheaply from potatoes, became a daily staple for the poor alongside sugar-sweetened coffee. Beer was also consumed, and by the later part of the period, the invention of bottled beer with swing stoppers made it more accessible.

Potatoes and Bread as Staples

Working-class families relied heavily on potatoes and rye bread as their staple diet, often eating potatoes two or three times a day. Eggs and butter were considered expensive luxuries, with some workers rarely, if ever, having access to an egg.

A monotonous and unappealing diet

While working as a brickyard finisher, one laborer reported that his daily meal consisted of nothing but peas, which caused him to feel queasy even years later.

Grueling 18-hour workdays on Prussian farms

In eastern Prussia, a standard summer workday for farm laborers often stretched from 3 a.m. to 9 p.m. or later, totaling 18 to 19 hours including short rest breaks.

Pneumatic tube mail in Berlin

Starting in 1865, Berlin introduced a pneumatic tube system where metal canisters carrying messages were shot through underground pipes at 40 to 50 km/h, aiming for delivery within one hour.

Same-day Express Delivery via Postcard in 1875

In 1875, it was possible to send a request by postcard in the morning and receive the goods via express delivery by the same afternoon.