Figure 1.--Here we see a 10-year old German boy wearing a Chiller cpollar in the 1930s. I'm not sure how to describe the suit, it has some elements of Norfolk styling. Our German reader tells us, "I can tell you more about the picture of my grandfather. His name is Heinz. His sister is still alive and 94. She told me that this suit was home-sewn and blue. the Schiller collar was not part of the shirt but buttoned on. He does not have a lanyard with a wistle. My grandfather dearly wanted a watch but it was too expensive. So this piece of rope is a mock watch chain. He pretended to have a watch. Image courtesy of the BP collection.

These large sports collars were an especially popular style in the United States. We assumed at first that they were most popular in America, perhaps origninating there. This may be, however, because we are most familiar with America and have a larger archive of American images. Since working on HBC, I have noted that it was common in several European countries as well, especially Britain and Germany. We see boys at English schools commonly wearing these collars. We have seen French boys wearing these collars, but the style seems less popular in France than in England and Germany. We note many images of German boys wearing these collars. They were called Schiller collars ( Schillerkragen ) in Germany. A German reader tells us, "It seems at first the collar was popular with the Wandervogel movement but later became part of children fashion in general. In the mid 1920s my grandfather wore such a collar at the age about 10. Here in Germany we have three very famous boys choir and one of the still wears today a Schiller collar. It's the "Dresdner Kreuzchor".

America

These large sports collars were an especially popular style in the United States. We have seen many images with boys wearing these collars. We assumed at first that they were most popular in America, perhaps origninating there. This may be, however, because we are most familiar with America and have a larger archive of American images. Since working on HBC, I have noted that it was common in several European countries as well, especially Britain and Germany. We can not yet establish a firm chronology. We believe that they first appeared in the 1910s. They were very popular in the 1920s and 30s and I think that they were still worn in the early 40s.

England

We see English boys wearing sportsz collars. They were allowed at many schools as part of the uniform. We are unsure what these collars were called in England.

France

We have seen French boys wearing these collars, but the style seems less popular in France than in England and Germany. We are unsure what these collars were called in France.

Germany

We note many images of German boys wearing these collars. They were called Schiller collars ( Schillerkragen ) in Germany. A German reader tells us, "It seems at first the collar was popular with the Wandervogel movement but later became part of children fashion in general. In the mid 1920s my grandfather wore such a collar at the age about 10. Here in Germany we have three very famous boys choir and one of the still wears today a Schiller collar. It's the "Dresdner Kreuzchor". We at first thought that this was a style primarily for older boys, but in Germany we note boys of all ages wearing them.

Italy

I believe that these collars were also worn in Italy. Our Italian image archive is somewhat limiyed so I can not yet confirm this.

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Created: 3:36 AM 8/4/2005
Last updated: 6:52 PM 8/3/2008