Figure 1.--This German boy was photographed in 1932. Note the candel he carries with a fake flame. Many German boys were photographed with these candels. His suit looks new and very fashionable and he looks a bit older than the other boys. A caption at the top of the card read, "Heartfelt benediction wishes to (your) holy first communion". (Herzlichen Segenswunsch zur erssen heiligen Kommunion.) Image courtesy of the MD collection. Click on the omage to see the back opf the card. |
This boy is quite destinctively dressed for his First Communion. He has hair that is not cropped nearly as closely as the other boys. He is also the only one in the group wearing a very adult-looking long pants suit. It is an elegant looking suit double-breasted suit with wide lapels that were quite stylish at the time. He is probably wearing his new suit for the first time for his First Communuion. The suit is not as dark as the ones worn by the other boys. He has the same white wing collar that many of the other boys wear. His shoes look more modern, but are still high tops. He is posed in a poor pious way than the others boys, knealing down.
As was common in Germany, he has the large candel with his rossary and Bible. He also has a flower corsage. Note that his candel has a white bow. A French reader tells me that each symbol has a meaning. In Germany, for example, the white bow on the candel meant
it had been lit on the Easter candel.
One reader writes, "I may be mistaken, but this boy appears older than the others. I think I have read commentsd from HBC readers that children of a certain height often wore long pants suits. Maybe the same was true in Germany. He does appear much taller than the other boys."
The vard is addressed to "Familie Josef Fecher hier Humboldtstr." That reads "The Josef Fecher Family here on Humboldt Street". Rather an informal way of addressing. Presumably Josef was the father, Adolf to whom the other cards were addressed was his son. The message reads "Sendent Familie Wilh. Nickel" which means sent by Wilhelm Nickel's family. Presumably Wilhem was a friend of Adolf.
In the case of this portrait we happen to know not only when it was taken, but we know how this boys' friends were dressed. The image is a photo postcard, several of which were sent to the same boy and are post marked in 1932. Presumably friends in Germany exchanged their First Communion portraits with each other. It is interesting to note the similarities and differences among the suits the boys wear. The boys mostly wear old fashioned wing collars. One boy wears a sailor suit. The boys except for one wear short pants suits. All of the boys with short pants wear dark long stockings, although kneesocks had become much more common for boys this age. The boys look about 12-14 years old. The long stockings are not worn for warmth, but here appear to be considered more formal and appropriate for church than kneesocks. These photographs show not only what boys wore to their First Communions at the time, but a German boy's best dress suit in 1932. These were clearly not suits bought just for First Communion, but rather suits that were meant to be worn for best.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site religious pages:
[Return to the Main German first communion page]
[Return to the Main 1932 German First Communion page]
[First Communion]
[Confirmation]
[Ring bearer]
[Victorian wedding]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Satellite sites]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]
Navigate the Historic Boys' Clothing Web chronological pages:
[The 1920s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1950s]
[The 1960s]
[The 1970s]
Navigate the Historic Boys' Clothing Web style pages:
[Short pants suits]
[Blazers]
[Jackets]
[Kilts]
[Sailor suits]
[Sailor hats]
[Ring bearer/page costumes]
[Shortalls]