Weather and walks
During the war the authorities tried to control the movement of people in the city streets. The Russian occupation troops set the curfew restrictions in Lviv from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. and intensified control over registration in hotels. After the Austrian army returned to the city, those restrictions were not cancelled. Special passes were necessary to go around the city after 11 p.m. Police was arranging regular raids of passers-by and café visitors who were demanded to show their identity cards. In order to leave the city during the epidemics, civil residents had to undergo a medical examination and to register a certificate; but such decision was not valid for the military.
Under the influence of a complicated political and economic situation people became more sensitive to deterioration of weather conditions in the city. Frosty winter caused cold in the apartments, which lacked wood and coal for heating purposes. The bad work of city utility services led to a “catastrophe” in the city streets: people “sank” in the mixture of mud and snow, and there was no one to clean the streets and to take them away on a timely basis. In summer Lvivites were also frustrated with bad weather: drought or durable showers could destroy the harvest and lead to a winter of starvation. In good days and on holidays Lvivites went for walks in order to come to know the news and get distracted from sad thoughts.
Related Images
Related Quote
October 11 [1914], Sunday, mire, cold and wind! It is worse to live in the house than in captivity. It is getting harder and harder. A man loses his strength out of inactivity. It becomes impossible to get down to work. Profound sorrow makes it hardly possible to survive here. How many more days to go? It is only February and no news on pension payment to four families who live here with me (19 people in total). I feel a deep pang of sorrow thinking about my beloved ones and what they do out there on the battlefield. They left on hot summer days wearing light clothing. Scary and depressing thoughts race through a man’s mind at the thought that winter and hunger are ahead and there are no news and no financial relief.