Figure 1.--Near the end of the war, one of the Simon boys who flies a plane in the German army, flies over the village in winter to drop some flowers upon the town as his contribution to a family celebration. We see the children gathering up the dropped flowers in one episode. One of the older boys picking up the scattered blossoms is shown wearing Lederhosen shorts with long brown stockings. The reference to 109, means a ME-109--the principal Luftwaffe fighter of the War. I think the period depicted is the Winter of 1944-45.

Children appear from time to time in the film and are meticulously costumed according to the styles of the period with great historical accuracy. The emphasis is on regional and rural dress, but a range of social types and classes is treated. One of the most revealing sections of the film from the point of view of children's clothing shows life in Schabbach during 1943 during the height of World War II. Many of Schabbach's young men have gone off to defend Germany, but Maria remains at home with her youngest boy Hermann who is shown at the age of about 6 years. Already he does chores for his mother such as taking care of the chickens. One sequence shows him wearing Lederhosen with long tan stockings and hightop shoes. He is only vaguely aware of his older brothers' experience in the military. Near the end of the war, one of the Simon boys who flies a plane in the German army, flies over the village in winter to drop some flowers upon the town as his contribution to a family celebration. We see the children gathering up the dropped flowers in one episode. One of the older boys picking up the scattered blossoms is shown wearing Lederhosen shorts with long brown stockings. A third episode deals with the return to his home town of Paul Simon after the war. Paul, one of the Simon sons who has made his fortune in America and returns to Schabbach with a fancy car and chaufeur, is greeted with some surprise by the townsfolk. The third shot shows a local teenager running to see the stranger's new car. He wears a white cardigan sweater that buttons down the front, short pants, and long brown stockings.

Created: 3:06 AM 10/23/2005
Last updated: 3:06 AM 10/23/2005