Figure 1.--We at first thought that the German boys here were in a military school. We would also guess the photograph was taken about 1915. A German reader tells us that it is more likely the boys are the junior division of a community fire brigade. Notice the hatchets on their belts. Also notice the flowers they are wearing.

We note a photograph of a group of German boys. Infortunately we have no provinance about the image. It is undated and there is no location indicated. We are guessing that it was just before, but more likely during the War. We are not positive that it is a school group, but that seems the most likely explanation. It looks like it could be a military school, but the boys are very young. The uniforms are quite elaborate. The the cost of such uniforms again suggest a school. We are, however, not at all possitive that this is a school. A German author doubts that is a school. He writes, "I suppose that this is a youth group of a community fire brigade. It is common that the voluntarien fire brigades of villages/towns have a youth group (not the professional fire brigades in the big towns and community centres). The youngsters are in nice uniforms; my indication is the fire axe at the left side of two boys standing at the most right of the picture. Such a youth group participates in official ceremonies of voluntarian fire brigades in community events, e.g., annual celebration and the like. It has no relation to military organisations." Another German reader writes, "I agree with this HBC-reader. I am quite sure that this is not a school picture. The helmet looks much more like a firefighter helmet as a military helmet. The tops of the German military helmets looked different. And I have never seen school uniforms like these ones." HBC had thought of a community firebrigade, but dismissed it because of the age of the boys here. We had, however, not noted the axes the boys have on their belts. This is as our German reader points out a very stroing indicator that these boys may be the junior division of a community fire brigade. Unfortunatley the image is not clear enough to make out the emblem on their helmets.

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Created: April 18, 2004
Last updated: 9:07 PM 8/5/2005