Figure 1.--Here two German boys, perhaps with their father or older brother, ride their bikes in post-War Berlin, we believe in the early-1950s. We think the banner on the bike is the Berlin rampant bear symbol. This was late-40s or very early 1950s. The banner was perhaps a political statement because the photograph here was probably taken obly a little while after the Berlin Air Lift.

Biking was very popular for German boys. Until after World War II, few working-class boys had bikes. Middle-class boys might have bikes. The Hitler Youth had bikes which were supplied to boys for biking expeditions if they did not have their own bikes. It would be mostly teenagers involved in biking expeditions, at least expeditions of anu distance from home. Lederhosen were very practical for such expeditions. One of the problems with bike expeditions is the need to carry along a change of clothes. Waring Lederhosen meant that a second pair of pants would not be needed. We also see boys riding about the city in bikes. Here this probably reflects their ordinary clothing rather than clothes put on especially for riding bikes.

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Created: 5:43 AM 3/15/2009
Last updated: 5:43 AM 3/15/2009