Child Labour

In many parts of Europe, child labour was part of everyday life in the 19th century. Lace-making was also a craft in which girls and boys had to work from an early age and contribute to their families' income. In Austria-Hungary, however, efforts were also made in the 19th century to restrict child labour and in some sectors to ban it altogether. For example, the use of children in mining was generally prohibited. In the domestic sector, however, such restrictions were hardly enforceable and tended to be tolerated by public opinion.
Lace-making in particular was apparently still seen as an activity suitable for children until the first half of the 20th century. The craft was even advertised on postcards with children making lace.