Figure 1.-- At age 2 I had all sorts of stuffed animals--a large sable. I loved playing with them. At Christmas 1937 a photograph shows me with my many different animals. I forget now which my favorite was. I am wearing a kind of pinafore and long stockings.

The family photographs which I have provided HBC begin at about age 2 in 1937. Pictures at 2½ year old show me sitting on a swing and riding a tricycle. At this age I had all sorts of stuffed animals--a large sable. I loved playing with them. At Christmas 1937 photograph shows me with my stable of animals. My first professional portrait was taken at about the same time. As a little boy at home I commonly wore a play dress ( Spielhöschen ). My mother took me to the zoo in mid-1938. I was 3 1/4 years old. While I do not remember it, a photograph shows me holding a lion cub. Another photograph taken when I was 3 years old shows me outdoor with relatives during the summer. I was 3¼ years old. Later I had my picture taking on Christmas 1939. Christmas is a very special time in Germany and it is no accident that many of my boyhood photographs were taken during the Christmas season. I got a large bear that Christmas which pleased me to no end. The suit I am wearing was for Sunday and special occassions. I remember that it was light blue/grey with button pants which I wore with dark brown stockings. A photograph taken at age 5 1/4 during the Summer shows me on holiday in the countryside together with a cousin. A cute picture I think, one of my favorites. Note the tie and the bands at my white kneesocks. It looks like I am wearing Bavarian lederhosen, but my pants are cloth not leather. I am only wearing a halter in the lederhosen style to hold up my pants . Note the straps with holes to fit it to different sizes. There is a decorative horn shield in the center. When I was 5 3/4 for Christmas I got a special outfit from my father--a sailor suit with a reefer overcoat and cap for Christmas 1940. I can't remember what ship name was on the cap tally. About the same time in Fall 1940 or early Spring 1941 I had my picture taken in the fields with a cousin. We are both wearing our best suits. It must have been taken on a Sunday after church. Note that I am wearing long stockings. He was about a year older than me and thus his mother was not quite as careful as my mother who insisted on the long stockings to keep me from catching a cold. We also have different hats. He has a Tirolerhut or Seppl-Hut with a feather, often worn with Bavarian Lederhosen. I am wearing a Baskenmütze .

Age 2

By all accounts I was a happy little fellow and you can see that in the family photographs. The family photographs which I have provided HBC begin at about age 2 in 1937. Pictures at 2½ year old show me sitting on a swing and riding a tricycle. At this age I had all sorts of stuffed animals--a large sable (figure 1). I loved playing with them. You can tell with all my animals that I was coddeled little boy with lots of toys and looked after very well. At Christmas 1937 photograph shows me with my may different animals. I forget now which my favorite was. I am wearing a sweater with a kind of pinafore and long stockings. My first professional portrait was taken at about the same time. As a little boy at home I commonly wore a play dress ( Spielhöschen ).

Age 3

Age 4

I began to go to Kindergarten when I turned 4 years old in early March 1939. Some photographs at this ime show me wearing a Traininganzüge that younger boys wore to make sure they stayed warm while playing outside in the cold Winter weather. Under a Traininganzüge we always wore long stockings. I wore my first real suit for Christmas 1939. I was 4 3/4 years old. It was reserved for Sunday and special occasions. I remember that it was a light blue-grey with button pants. I wore it with brown long stockings.

Age 5

A photograp taken when I was 5 years old shows me in bed after just having been woken up. A photograph taken at age 5 1/4 during the Summer shows me on holiday in the countryside together with a cousin. A cute picture I think, one of my favorites. Note the tie and the bands at my white kneesocks. It looks like I am wearing Bavarian lederhosen, but my pants are cloth not leather. I am only wearing a halter in the lederhosen style to hold up my pants . Note the straps with holes to fit it to different sizes. There is a decorative horn shield in the center. When I was 5 3/4 for Christmas I got a special outfit from my father--a sailor suit with a reefer overcoat and cap for Christmas 1940. I can't remember what ship name was on the cap tally. About the same time in Fall 1940 or early Spring 1941 I had my picture taken in the fields with a cousin. We are both wearing our best suits. It must have been taken on a Sunday after church. Note that I am wearing long stockings. He was about a year older than me and thus his mother was not quite as careful as my mother who insisted on the long stockings to keep me from catching a cold. We also have different hats. He has a Tirolerhut or Seppl-Hut with a feather, often worn with Bavarian Lederhosen. I am wearing a Baskenmütze.

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Created: February 23, 2004
Last updated: 10:26 PM 9/12/04