German Boys' Clothes: Cold War--Post War Era (1945-60)


Figure 1.--The boy in this photograph is named Wolfgang. He was 9 years old. The photograph was taken in 1947.

After the Second World War Germany was devestated. Conditions and clothing were initially similar in all three occupations zones. There were initially four (America, British, French, and Soviet). The Western Allies merged their zones so there became an eastern and western zones. Conditions were terrible in both zones, but the living conditions in the western zone had begun to improve by 1948. There was, however, little money for clothes. Insights into what German boys were wearing after the War can be seen in some of the many images of the Berlin Air Lift. Children were drawn to the activity at the airports. Pictures of the planes coming into Templehof are often framed with the children watching the flights. American pilots started dropping candy which attracted even more children. Most of the younger boys wears shorts, some suspender shorts. During the warmer months many boys are barefoot or wear ankle socks. Not all boys wear shorts, but most of the younger ones do as well as many older boys. Even some older tenagers can be seen in short pants suits. In the colder months, outfits are more varied. Many boys during the winter wear long pants. There are still many boys in short pants and knee socks, but clearly many mothers decided on warmer long pants for winter wear. Some of the younger boys in shorts during the winter months wear long over the knees stockings. Some boys at the time cleary continued to wear short pants suit until they were older teenagers. Shorts were commonly worn by German boys through the 1950s. In part this was due to the financial dislocations resulting from the war. Many parents simply did not have the money to buy their children new clothes. As a result, some high secondary school boys wore their boyhood short pants suits longer than they might have if their parents had more money. Many younger boys went barefoot.

Conditions

After the Second World War Germany was devestated. Allied bonbing in late1944 and early 1945 had turned the urban centers of Germany into wastelands and piles of rubble. Factories were destroyed. In the Soviet zone, factories that had survived were carted off to the Soviet Union. There were no jobs to be had. The times were hard and mostly what was worn were hand me downs. A Dutch reader writes, "After the war many German boys (and some of my own cousins) kept wearing their black corduroy Hitler Jugend uniform shorts. Since they were of good quality and durable. People were practical about something like this. Of course, the brown shirts were no longer to be seen." The HJ patches cpuld be removed from the shirts, but brown shorts had disturbing political connectyiions with the NAZI SA and the shiets had military epaulets. Conditions did not begin to significantly improve until after 1948 when the Marshall Plan and the cirrency reform began to stimulate the economy. This of course was mostly in the Western Zone. By the 1950s the West German Economic Miracle had begun and conditions rapidly improved. Soon families had the desposable income needed to but clothes and other consumer goods.


Figure 2.--This photograph was taken out in the country near Stuttgart. The boy walking is Hans. He is 19 years old and wears leaderhosen. He was flying Luftwaffe rocket planes 3 years earlier. The other boy is named Rolf and also wears short pants.

Different Zones

Conditions and clothing were initially similar in all three occupations zones. There were initially four (America, British, French, and Soviet). The Western Allies merged their zones so there became an eastern and western zones. Conditions were terrible in both zones, but the living conditions in the western zone had begun to improve by 1948. There was, however, little money for clothes.

Decades

There was very significant differences in German boys clothes during the post-War period in Germany. This was in large measure because of the changing economic conditions. The condituons, of course, varied greatly in the Allied and Soviet occupation zones. The conditions were very severe during the 1940s immediately after the War. The population was close to starvation and little money was available for clothing of any kind and supplies were limited. The clothing available on the black market was very expensive. This did not begin to change until the Marshall Plan was introduced in 1948, at least in West Germany. The Soviets in East Germany were stull dismantlng factories and shipping them east. The German Economic Miracle in the West was fully underway in the 1950s. Conditions were tight, but improving in the early 50s. Germany by the late 50s had returned to prosperous economic condditions, at least in the west. In the east, the economy was slower to recover. The differing conomic conditions caused increasing numbers of Wast Germans to flee west. This caused the Sioviet and East Germans to build the Berlin Wall and eventually a wall separatiung East and West Germany.


Figure 3.--This photograph was taken in a village near Bertschegarten. One old man in a Bavarian costume, two young German boys, one is wearing shorts and the other is wearing a bloused long pants. You see several GI's in the background. This photograph illustrates the typical clothes boys were wearing in 1947.

Garments

Insights into what German boys were wearing after the War can be seen in some of the many images of the Berlin Air Lift. Children were drawn to the activity at the airports. Pictures of the planes coming into Templehof are often framed with the children watching the flights. American pilots started dropping candy which attracted even more children. We begin to notice more colorful shorts, including shirts with stripes and checks in the 1940s. One German source suggests it was in part the influence of U.S. servicemen in the post-war occupation. The trend was first noticeable in the south where the American occupation zone was located. Sweaters were very popular, both sleecved and sleevless styles. Both solid colors and patterns were common. Shirt collars were normally worn outside the sweaters. German boys in the post-War era wore a wide range of different types of pants. Long pants were worn, especially during the winter. They were not ciommon for younger boys, however, until well into the 1950s. Suit jMany boys did not have a lot of clothes. They maight wear a suit jacket much as modern boys wear casual jackets. Knickers were still common in the 1940s. Many were the ski-style with very long legs, the boys kneesocks barely visible. Some younger boys even had suspender knickers--althoughbsuspender shorts were more common. Not all boys wear shorts, but most of the younger ones do as well as many older boys. Even some older tenagers can be seen in short pants suits. In the colder months, outfits are more varied. Many boys during the winter wear long pants. There are still many boys in short pants and knee socks, but clearly many mothers decided on warmer long pants for winter wear. Some boys at the time cleary continued to wear short pants suit until they were older teenagers. Shorts were commonly worn by German boys through the 1950s. In part this was due to the financial dislocations resulting from the war. Many parents simply did not have the money to buy their children new clothes. As a result, some high secondary school boys wore their boyhood short pants suits longer than they might have if their parents had more money. Many younger boys wear suspender shorts. They are very cimmon with younger boys and even some boys over 10 years of age wear them. Lederhosen were popular, especially as compfortable pants such as jeans did not appear until well intgo the 1950s. During the warmer months many boys are barefoot or wear ankle socks. Kneesocks were also common, especilly during the fall and winter with boys weraing shorts. Some of the younger boys in shorts during the winter months wear long over the knees stockings. Many younger boys went barefoot.

Catalogs

Catalogs and store advertisements during the inter-war period provide additional useful information. We have some information on the 1950s and 60s. There was little need for advertising after the War when the economy had comr to a strandstill. The economy began to recover after 1948 and especially in the 1950s.

Individual Experiences

Sevceral accounts provide by HBC readers provide fascinating details about boys' clothing during the post-war era.






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Created: September 8, 1999
Last updated: February 16, 2004