Figure 1.--This portrait is undated, but HBC believes it was probably taken in the early 1940s. Both the boys' clothing and the father's uniform suggest that the portrait was taken in the early 1940s.
|
Figure 1.--This portrait is undated, but HBC believes it was probably taken in the early 1940s. Both the boys' clothing and the father's uniform suggest that the portrait was taken in the early 1940s. |
Dating old images is often difficult. While there is no way of dating this image with precission, HBC believes that there are several reasons to believe that the portrait was taken in the rarly 1940s.
This German image is undated. HBC would estimate, however, that it was probably taken in the early 1940s. This is based on a variety of factors. The boy's father is an officer in the Whermacht. The uniform looks like a World War II-style uniform. This would mean that the photograph had to be taken before the end of World War II in 1945. As conditions deteriorated seriously in 1944, it would be likely that the photograph was taken during or before 1943. The boys shorts are relatively short. HBC believes that this would be most likely in the later 1930s or early 40s. In the case of this photograph, the fact that the boy is not dressed up with a tie and jacket for a formal photograph, suggests that it was a war-time image. Thus HBC would date the photograph to 1941-43.
The boy looks to be about 13 years old.
The boy wears a very simple outfit. He wears a plain white or light-colored shirt. The only notable feature of the shirt is that it has rather large buttons. Note that because this is a formal portrait, the boy has buttoned his collar but does not wear a tie. Presumably mother insist he button his collar button. He also wears short short pants. They look to be formal heavy wool shorts, although no detailing can be made out in the portrait.
Note the boy's short hair style, just like his father's military cut. Many German boys wore virtually shaved hair in the early 20 the century, through the early 1920s. This style disappeared uin the 1930s, although boys still had short hair cuts.
The boy's long sleeve shirt suggests that the photograph was not taken during the summer. Many German boys wore short pants year round, not just during the summer.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing German pages:
[Return to the Main German inter-war/war NAZI era chronology page]
[German choirs]
[German scouts]
[Hitler Youth]
[German school uniforms]
[German royalty]
[German sailor suits]
[Lederhosen]
[Ethnic]
[Tights]
[Long stockings]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Biographies]
[Bibliographies]
[Activities]
[Countries]
[Contributions]
[Boys' Clothing Home]