Figure 1.--These German schoolboys I believe in 1922 appearing to be going over their school work outdoors on a sunny winter day. Notice the wide variety of headwear. The sailor cap tally (ribbon) says "Kreuzer" meaning cruiser. On the other side of the cap should be the name of the cruiser. |
German schools after the First World War continued the practice of allowing boys to wear the clothes parents selected for them. Given the horrors of the First World War it is understandable that German parents would have little reason to develop an interest in uniforms for school children, although the War did not affect British opinions on uniforms. Interestingly, sailor suits continued to be a popular style for boys, including older boys than wore sailor suits--both with short and long pants. Many younger boys wore long stockings which were even more common for girls. This varied from Britain and America where it became increasingly rare in the 1920s for older boys to wear them. A few boys also wore smocks, at least in the early 1920s. Most boys that didn't wear sailor suits, however, wore short pants suits of various designs. We notice quite a wide range of headwear.
German schools after the First World War continued the practice of allowing boys to wear the clothes parents selected for them. Given the horrors of the First World War it is understandable that German parents would have little reason to develop an interest in uniforms for school children, although the War did not affect British opinions on uniforms.
What German school children wore was of course strongly influenced by the seasons. One photograph shows the caps and heavy coats worn during the Winter. Sweaters were very common during cool weather. Most boys wore short pants, bit especailly by the early 1930s some mothers were letting boys wear long pants during the Winter. Long stocksings were also very common during the winter. Here we see children wearing infornal clothing in warm weather. Boys when the weather got warmer were less likely to wear caps and short pants were worn by most boys, esoecially the younger ones. Kmneesocks were also mpre common, but some boys wire long stockings evebn in the summer. It also became more common for boys to come to school in shirt skeeves, without a suit or even a sweater if it was warm enough.
We have some limited unformation about the garments worn by school children during Weimar Republic era. We are gradually expanding our coverage of garments worn during the Weimar era. It was much more common for boys to wear caps duing the winter than the warmer months. We notice a variety of styles: peaked military caps, sailor caps, berets, knitted stocking caps, leather caps with ear flaps, and other styles. The boys here all have heavy winter coats, but it is difficult to make out details. The boy standing seems to have a coat with fur trim. Sweaters were very commonly worn. As the decade progressed it became increasingly common to come to school in a warm short and warm sweater rather than a more formal suit. Many classrom images show some boys uin suits and others wearing swaters. We note sweaters in many different styles, inckluduing pullovers with crew necks, Rugby-style half buttons, and cardigans. The sweaters came in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Younger boys woire a wide variety of suits to school. Many had jackets without lapels that buttoned to the collar. Corduroy seems to have been a popular material. Interestingly, sailor suits continued to be a popular style for boys, despite the bitter experience of the War. including older boys than wore sailor suits--both with short and long pants. The sailor suits seen after the War are almost all of very traditional design rather than the wide variety of styles seen before the War.Most German boys went to school during the 1920s in short pants, although by the 1930s older boys might wear knickers or even long pants. Letting a boy wear long oants diring the cild Winter months seems ti have been more common for older than younger boys. Many younger boys wire short oants all year long. Even some younger boys by the 1930s might wear knickers or long pants during the winter, but short pants were more common except for the oldest boys. A few younger boys also wore smocks, at least in the late 19th and early 20th century. Here there may have been regional variations. Many younger boys wore long stockings, esoecially during the winter with short pants. Long stockings were even more common for girls. After about age 10 many boys began asking to wear sovks instead, altough some boys still wore long stockings uo to about age 12-13, ratherly older boys. Kneesocks were also very common. Ankle socks do not appear to have been widely worn.
We notice many German schoolboys in the 1920s wearing high-top boot-like shoes. This was less common by the early 1930s when low-cut oxford style shoes increasingly common. We do not notice boys wearing canvas tennis shoes. We do notice a few boys wearing scandals of various styles. Some look like British-style school sandals. We also notice a few boys wearing what look like srap shoes. wWe are not sure about the colors.
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