Figure 1.--Here we see German schoolboys (age about 10-13 years old ) at play outside their school. We assume this was a moring recess. The boys don't see to be playing a sport. We did not see any bat or ball, but a sharp-eyed reader spotted one. Rather they seem to be playing some kind of tag game.

Here we see German schoolboys (age about 10-13 years old ) at play outside their school. We assume this was a moring recess. I suspect that this might have been a Catholic school, probably a state-funded denominartional school because of the formality of the dress. Almost all the boys are wearing long short trousers or knee pants suits with shirts and tie and long brown stockings, obviously with the necessary Strapsleibchen. One boy seems to be wearing a sleeveless sweater, but he may have taken off his jacket because of the active play. The boys dodn't see to be playing a sport. We did not see any bat or ball, but a sharp-eyed reader sptted one. Rather they seem to be playing some kind of tag game. I suppose this could have been a boarding school, but a day school is more likeky. Single gender schools were very common in Germany until after World War II. The phiotograph is undated, but we suspect was tken in the early-1930s. Here the long shorts is an indicator. Notice that it is fairly warm outside, the big tree being in full leaf. The long stockings therefore are not worn for warmth. The fact that all the boys are wearing them suggests that it was a school requirement. They seem to be evidence of a conservative dress code. The boys as the Collegium Josephinum, a Catholic boarding school in Bonn, seems to have had a similar dress code.

The Boys

Here we see German schoolboys (age about 10-13 years old ) at play outside their school.

Ball Game

We assume this was a moring recess. The boys don't see to be playing a sport. We did not see any bat or ball, but a sharp-eyed reader spotted one. Rather they seem to be playing some kind of tag game. There is, however, no bat so we're not sure just what the game was. Our reader tells us, "I think they are playing 'catch' I have highlighted what I think is a ball, blurred, as it is in motion and appears to be a very large toe cap on the shoe of the boy in the distance."

The School

I suspect that this might have been a Catholic school, probably a state-funded denominartional school because of the formality of the dress. I suppose this could have been a boarding school, but a day school is more likeky. Single gender schools were very common in Germany until after World War II.

Clothing

Almost all the boys are wearing long short trousers or knee pants suits with shirts and tie and long brown stockings, obviously with the necessary Strapsleibchen. One boy seems to be wearing a sleeveless sweater, but he may have taken off his jacket because of the active play. The fact that all the boys are wearing long stockings suggests that it was a school requirement. They seem to be evidence of a conservative dress code. The boys as the Collegium Josephinum, a Catholic boarding school in Bonn, seems to have had a similar dress code.

Chronology

The photograph is undated, but we suspect was tken in the early-1930s. Here the long shorts is an indicator. Notice that it is fairly warm outside, the big tree being in full leaf. The long stockings therefore are not worn for warmth.

Reader Comments

An American reader writes, "The photo has a certain nostalgia for me personally. These boys are dressed very much the way I was during the 1930s, although I didn't always wear a suit to school but often a sweater with short trousers and long stockings. It was an alternative to knickers in my family."

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Created: 7:32 AM 12/29/2010
Last updated: 7:32 AM 12/29/2010