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Princess Thyra of Denmark

1880–1945

Born
14 Mar 1880, Amalienborg
Country of birth
Denmark
Died
2 Nov 1945, Copenhagen
facts
7
sources
1
images and files
0

Facts and their sources

Tap a fact to see where it comes from.

A life in time

  1. Born · Amalienborg

    Birth, Amalienborg

  2. Died · Copenhagen

    Death, Copenhagen

What was it like?

The world around Amalienborg, 1880: who ruled, who else was alive, how people lived. This is general history, not a record about the family, and every item shows where it comes from.

Princess was born the same year as Guillaume Apollinaire, Michel Fokine, and Ildebrando Pizzetti.

Born the same year

  • Guillaume Apollinaire

    French poet (1880–1918)

  • Michel Fokine

    Russian ballet dancer and choreographer (1880–1942)

  • Ildebrando Pizzetti

    Italian composer (1880-1968)

  • Hermann Friese

    German-Brazilian athlete (1882-1945)

  • Helen Keller

    American deafblind author, political activist, lecturer, scholar (1880-1968)

  • Douglas MacArthur

    United States Army general in WWI, WWII and Korea (1880–1964)

Fashion

Heavy Hat for Amager Men

The Dutch-style hat worn by Amager men was made from angora goat hair and weighed 10 lbs.

Wardrobe Requirements for Amager Women

Women in the Amager region needed at least 11 different aprons to have a proper outfit for every occasion.

Music

Transition in Danish folk dances and instruments

During the 19th century, traditional folk dances like the minuet and polska gradually declined in popularity, while newer round dances such as the polka, waltz, and mazurka became widespread. Violin and wind instruments like the clarinet and flute were preferred for these dances.

Weddings and musician payment in 19th-century Denmark

In the late 19th century, weddings were the most important festive occasions, often lasting two to three days with dancing until dawn. Guests might pay the musicians 3 to 6 marks per plate during these celebrations.

Getting around
Around 1876–1876

Railway speed versus stagecoaches

In 1876, the new railway reduced the travel time between Odense and Svendborg from 5.5 hours by stagecoach to 95-100 minutes by passenger train.

Expansion of the railway network

The Danish railway network grew to nearly 4,000 kilometers by 1914, and in 1883, train ferries were introduced on the Great Belt to improve competitiveness.

Daily life

Low wages for domestic help

A maidservant, who might serve a family faithfully for a lifetime, earned only 6–8 kroner per month.

Spirits used for cleaning

Because spirits were inexpensive, they were commonly used for household chores, such as washing children's feet when they became dark from black stockings or cleaning windows.

Food

Earnings and food costs for children

A child in 1882 could earn 25 øre for 500 small fire-starters, an amount that could buy only a quarter of a loaf of rye bread and 2 kilograms of fat.

Sugar becomes an affordable staple

Falling sugar prices made it affordable even in the poorest homes, which contributed to dental decay overtaking malnutrition as a primary medical concern.

Prices and wages
Around 1882–1882

Earnings from making fire-lighters

A mother could earn 25 øre by making 500 small fire-lighters, which was just enough to buy a quarter of a loaf of rye bread and 2 kg of fat.

Around 1872–1872

Budget of a Copenhagen worker's family, 1872

In 1872, a worker in Copenhagen earning 14 kroner per week had to prioritize spending on food, as feeding each child cost an additional 90 kroner annually.

Work

Gender wage gap in Denmark

Female workers were paid only 40 to 50 percent of the wages earned by their male counterparts during this period.

Stunted growth caused by poverty

The term kummerformer was used to describe the stunted physical appearance of farm workers, as their meager wages were insufficient to keep hunger at bay despite their hard work.

News and letters

Increased volume of personal correspondence

The average number of letters per individual in Denmark rose from about 8 in 1870-71 to about 32 by 1895-96.

Rapid growth of rural mail delivery

The number of state-employed rural mail carriers in Denmark increased dramatically from 259 in 1871-72 to 3,304 by 1901-02.

During their lifetime

  1. 1891

    1891 Social insurance legislation introduced

    In 1891–1892, Denmark introduced its first social insurance legislation, granting old-age relief to the deserving poor.

  2. 1899

    1899 September Agreement signed

    The 1899 September Agreement ended a major industrial dispute and institutionalized the Danish labor market, giving unions formal recognition.

  3. 1904

    First Danish cinema opens (1904)

    Denmark's first cinema, Kosmorama, opened in Copenhagen, marking the start of the mass entertainment era.

  4. 1915

    Women gain right to vote (1915)

    A new constitution granted women and servants of both sexes the right to vote in parliamentary elections.

  5. 1921

    First hot dog stands appear (1921)

    The first six hot dog stands appeared in the streets of Copenhagen.

  6. 1928

    First traffic light installed (1928)

    The first traffic light in Denmark was installed at the intersection of Frederiksborggade and Nørre Farimagsgade.

Family

Parents

Ancestors and children

Open the full tree

Four generations back to the right, the children to the left. The number beside a child counts the generations of descendants known after them.