Figure 1.--We note some long stockings and the packages marketed in Germany about 1939 or '40. The company appears to be Netko and the brand appears to be Jeliglas. The stockings are offered in browns and dull greens. There is also a pair of shorter-length white socks. Long stockings wew worn by boys and girls. Images like this are helpful because they give ome idea as to the actual colors of the stockings. Image courtesy of the German Hosiery Museum.

We note some long stockings and the packages marketed in Germany about 1939 or '40. The company appears to be Netko and the brand appears to be Jeliglas. The stockings are offered in browns and dull greens. There is also a pair of shorter-length white socks. Long stockings wew worn by boys and girls. Images like this are helpful because they give ome idea as to the actual colors of the stockings. Most period photographs are black and white.

Long Stockings

Here is some product packaging during 1939-40 for childrens' long stockings. These were commonly worn by boys with short pants during the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s in Germany, especially during the colder months even though the Nazis discouraged their use as lacking in masculinity. But they were worn in rural areas nevertheless because mothers insisted on their propriety and wanted their boys' knees covered because of the chilly climate. After the war they became standard school boys' dress and lasted into the 1960s in some areas, especially in East Germany.

Material

Colors

This display advertisement also illustrates the standard colors of boys' and girls' long stockings in the Third Reich and afterwards--beige, grey-olive, and dark brown. Black, which had been common in the 1920s, had almost disappeared except for very formal occasions such as church services. Note that the white socks shown are short socks, looking to be ankle socks.

Length

Note too that the stockings are knit very long so as to come up extra high on the leg. This is because they were usually worn with very short shorts or lederhosen. (See the photo of three brothers, the oldest of whom wears dark long stockings with his lederhosen.) Girls' skirts were also getting shorter. Mothers did not want the garters to show or the upper leg to be exposed to air since underpants were typically rather brief in this period.

Stocking Supporters

Most boys wore these stockings with a Leibchen--a bodice which buttoned either in front or in back and had four elastic garters with metal clasps attached-- normally two for each stocking placed in front and in back. Some older boys wore garter belts with hose supporters in a style similar to their mothers but without the feminine adornments of ladies garter belts. Girls often wore these in pink, while boys for obvious reasons preferred grey or white elastic. Note that the ad also shows three-quarter length white socks, worn more commonly by younger children or girls.

Written Material

I'm not sure what the written material in the image here are (figure 1). A reader writes, "I'm also puzzled also about the written background in the stocking image. But it's too small to read. I think it may have something to do with various texture or weaving patterns in some of the Netco products. Since the stockings being advertised in the image are plain colors and not even ribbed or textured in any obvious way, I doubt that the illegible text behind is directly relevant to the stockings shown. Still, why have it there at all if this is the case? The German Hosiery Museum might be able to throw light on this problem."

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Created: January 16, 2003
Last updated: 12:27 AM 3/4/2006