Servants’ Book of Cecilija Kolar in Slovene and German issued by her Hometown of St. Marein bei Erlachstein / Šmarje pri Jelšah, 1898

Early Women’s Labour Migration

Apart from being registered by the Imperial and Royal Police Administration, a Servant’s Book was required for employment as a servant. It contained information about both the employees and employers. The until then “male-dominated” sector of domestic work changed in the course of industrialisation—now, above all women “served”. They came from the rural areas of former Central and Lower Styria, but also from Hungary, Bohemia, France, or England. The work provided low income and hardly any protection under labour law.