Building & Maintenance

A popular Danube Swabian photo of women whitewashing a house.

     Until the turn of the century the living quarters were whitewashed with lime twice a year, once before Easter and once before the church festival (Kirchweih) in the fall.  In addition, in the winter the walls were whitewashed each week around the baking oven and the (Sparherd?).  The lime disinfected there, so not only was beauty encouraged but at the same time its disinfection was achieved.

   After the turn of the century people gradually switched over to letting a painter paint the living quarters with color.  This was done by the rich at first and later also by the poor (often themselves).  The German women in Beschka had a keen sense of cleanliness.  They whitewashed often until they fled from Beschka – the outside of the homes, like the gable which was so high up.  The rich left this work to the painter in the year before the people fled and mostly yellow color was added to the outside coat of paint on the houses.  The pedestal was painted deer-brown (tan) and

 renewed at least once a year in the time before Pfingsten (Whitsun),  Each week the passageway to the street ditches and the yard were swept.  Most German homes had a beautiful ornamental garden.  Therefore the German properties as a rule were more beautiful than the Serbs.  But many Serbs in Beschka had in the course of time completely adapted to the German customs.  With their homemade rugs they were even superior to us.  [Peter Lang; Translated by Brad Schwebler. Ortsmonographie der Gemeinde Beschka in Jugoslawien aus der Sicht der ehemaligen Donauschwaben 1860-1944]

Also see: Chores/Household Tips