Figure 1.-- Hans Büttner looks to be about 10-11 years old. That is a little older than the usual age for first communion in the Catholic Church. This has varied from country to country and over time. American children commonly do First Communion in the second grade (about age 7 years) and German children in their third year of school (about 8 years old). Apparently his parents for some reason waited several years before enrolling him in the local group of Catholic children in Ashaffenburg, Bavaria, where the picture seems to have been taken.

Hans Büttner was born in the late-1920s. He looks to be about 10-11 years old. That is a little older than the usual age for first communion in the Catholic Church. This has varied from country to country and over time. American children commonly do First Communion in the second grade (about age 7 years) and German children in their third year of school (about 8 years old). Apparently his parents for some reason waited several years before enrolling him in the local group of Catholic children in Ashaffenburg, Bavaria, where the picture seems to have been taken. There was no precise age for First Communion. His outfit is entirely traditional--a black suit with short trousers, white shirt and tie (or sometimes an open collar), and black long stockings. German children commonly wore long sgtockings in the 1930s. Black stockings were commonly worn for formal occassions. Notice the large candle which were commonly given to the communicants in Germany. The portrait is not dated, but was probably taken in the late-1930s--probably 1937-38.

Created: 7:22 PM 1/27/2012
Last edited: 7:22 PM 1/27/2012