Teetotallers' Chamber @museum.de

F: Smoking is bad for your health. Smoking can kill.

M: On every pack of cigarettes, you'll find pictures designed to put people off: pitch-black smoker's lungs, rotten teeth. But have you ever spotted such drastic images on bottles of hard liquor? Hardly.

F: In the late 19th century, things were somewhat different. Alcohol was causing serious problems in society. There was an attempt to raise awareness with poignant illustrations, newspaper reports and postcards. Not an easy undertaking.

M: That's because Europe was in the throes of industrialisation. People were flocking to the cities in hope of work and a better life. But working days at the factories were long and living conditions precarious. Leisure was in short supply, and food even more so. At times, schnapps was cheaper than bread.

F: That was how it came about that people turned to alcohol for relief from worry. It gave you a nice warm feeling in your belly – even at breakfast time if necessary. Alcohol was becoming more and more a problem, especially among the poorer sections of the population.

M: But people weren't poor because they drank – they drank because they were poor. A vicious circle that remains unbroken to this day.

F: In Bönnigheim as elsewhere, levels of alcohol consumption were a problem at times. For example, in the parish report for 1875, it says:

M: "On Sundays there is said to be much intemperance in the taverns and on the streets due to inebriation ... But sadly, addiction to drink has become rife, and in particular, a great deal of home-made brandy is consumed. Even children, including schoolchildren, are drinking brandy (...)."