Heavy Fabric. Women – Traditional Costume – Life Stories

The Heavy Fabric. Women – Traditional Costume – Life Stories exhibition, running from 6 June 2025 to 31 January 2026, will tell the story of Danube Swabian girls and women. The Danube Swabians are descendants of 18th- and 19th-century settlers who migrated from German lands along the course of the Danube River. Following the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, they became citizens of Hungary, Yugoslavia, and Romania. After World War II, many were forced to leave their homes and homelands, and their descendants now live across the globe.

Their story is told here through their attire and the people who wore it. Danube Swabian women often referred to their clothing as "Gewand" (attire). Traditional dress was considered "peasant-like," while the clothing of artisans and educated classes was termed "genteel," although the two styles influenced one another. How did clothing accompany women throughout their lives? This guest exhibition from the Donauschwäbisches Zentralmuseum in Ulm explores this question, revealing 150 years of history through dress.

Curatorial leads: Mónika Lackner, Erika Vass