Figure 1.-- Virtually every German family had a photographic album to show friends and family. Most had several. This family had a album with a rather colorful front cover. I never saw albums like this in America.

This German family photograohic album begins with 1929. We would normally place an album in the family section, but there are relatively few family photographs in this album. We do not know just where in Germany the family lived. Only a few photographs at the front, however, are dated. We know it continues into at least the mid-1930s because there are some NAZI images. There are also some portraits before 1929, presumarily of various relatives. Many of the pages are of boys both school and camp scenes. The school scenes are mostly group or athletic scenes. The boys seem to belong to a youth group, but before 1933 not the Hitler Youth. Several of the camp photographs focus on two boys, presumably brothers of the family here. The school scenes do not seem to focus on sny individuals. There is a public scene, we think at the school, which is some kind of NAZI celebrtion. Its not the NAZI takeover which occurred in January. Perhaps it is Hitler's birthday. Many of the later snapshots in the album, in contrast, to the frst photographs are girls and women.

Identity

We would normally place an album in the family section, but there are relatively few family photographs in this album. Some of the pagesd are labeled. None of the boys are identified, but ione of the teachers seems to be identified, a Dr. Dieffanbach. Perhaps this is the Dieffanbach family album. Or perhaps he was the boys' teacher. Many of the pages are of boys both school and camp scenes. The school scenes are mostly group or athletic scenes.

Location

We do not know just where in Germany the family lived. Some of the landscape shots may provide some clues as to where the family lived in Germany, but it was probably the town of Chemnitz. The town is located in Saxony, a state in eastern Germany. It is the third largest city in Saxony.

Chronology

This German family photograohic album begins with 1929. Only a few photographs at the front, however, are dated. One is date to 1928, a year before the front page. While there are several photographs from the late 1920s, most of the photographs look to be from the 1930s. We know it continues into at least the mid-1930s even though few other photographs are dated. We know this because there are some NAZI images. These would be dated during or after 1933. There are also some portraits before 1929, presumarily of various relatives or the adult family members earlier in their lives.

Primary School

The school scenes do not seem to focus on any individuals. There are a few primary school photographs. These are group photographs thast do not focus on any individuals. There are group photos at the beginning of the album. These are not photographs at schoo, but rather on outings. Orperhaps these were the group experiences oganized for German school children. These photographs appear to date from 1928 and 1929. The boys wear a variety of outfits, including sailor suits. Curiously while there are commonly some boys in German schools furing this period wearing sailor suits, one photograph shows almost all the boys wearing sailor suits, but with school caps rather than sailor caps. This photograph is undated. We are guessing that after age 10 the boys in this family transferred to a gymnasium or other academic selective secondary school.

Secondary School

Many of the photogrphs in the album were shot at the secondary school. We do not know the bame of the school, but the initials may have been AG. Secondary schools in Germany like in Britain, began with boys about 11 yeas old, earlier than schools in America. As a result there are some quite young boys in the secondary school photographs. There is no photograph od the building. Most of the school photographs show athletic events or scenes on the school playground. A high brick wall seems to have surrounded the school. The background shows that the school was in the middle of an urban area with factories or wherehouses nearby. We see a NAZI ceremony at the front of the school and what looks to be a factory at the back of the school. There are o class scenes, but numerous athletic events, including a heated tug-of-war competition.

Figure 2.-- The 64 photographs in the album are mostly of children, primarily at school. There are also photographs of children at home, in youth groups, and with friends. Thus there are many images of the clothes children wore during the period, providing useful insights on how contemportary children of various ages dressed. Many of the photogrphs are school shots.

Clothing

The 64 photographs in the album are mostly of children, primarily at school. There are also photographs of children at home, in youth groups, and with friends. Thus there are many images of the clothes children wore during the period, providing useful insights on how contemportary children of various ages dressed. This can be see on the various pages we have created, but there are several images that offer useful insights on various garments and styles. Here we have enlarged portions of the photographs to bring out some interesting points.

Youth Group

The boys seem to belong to a youth group, but before 1933 not the Hitler Youth. Several of the camp photographs focus on two boys, presumably brothers of the family here. We tought it was the Hitler Youth at first because the uniforms are similar. There are, however, not NAZI insignia and we notice banners and patches that do not seem to be HJ regalia. The youth group photographs are not dated, but given the placement in the album would have been taken in the early 1930s. We are not sure just what group is involved here. The NAZIs very quickly shut down other youth groups after seizing power, but the Catholic youth association was allowed to operate for several years. Perhaps this was the group.

Athletics

The album has numerous photographs of boys doing athletics. We think these images are from a secondary school. There are no good photographs pf the school, but many of the photographs have a brick wall in the background. Only one is dated, a 1931 photograph. Like the primary school photographs, the athletics photographs do not seem to focus on any one boy. We note several boys have athletic shirts with "AG"". We note other shirts, perhaps an event between schools. I wonder if this is the initials of the school. We see the boys doing various events, including shot puts and high jumps as well as a school tug-of-war. We notice boy younger and older boys involved in the events, conforming our speculation that it is a secondary school.

NAZI Ceremony

There is a public scene in the album. We think the photograph was taken at the secondary school because so many students are participating. It is some kind of NAZI celebrtion. There are large NAZI banners flying. The photograph is undated. It would have been taken in 1933 or later. Its not the NAZI takeover which occurred in January. Perhaps it is Hitler's birthday. We see a Storm Trooper (SA) unit and many of the students, most of which are giving the NAZI salute which leads us to believe it might be 1934 or 35.

Girls

Many of the later snapshots in the album, in contrast, to the frst photographs are girls and women.

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Created: 11:33 PM 3/10/2007
Last updated: 12:00 AM 3/11/2007