Figure 1.--Here I am in a beret and my best jacket when I entered school at age 6 1/2 years in Fall 1941. At the time we didn't think of the beret as a Frech garment. I missed out getting a cone for the first day of school--I guess because of the War. Note my leater Ranzen with all my school supplies.

I remember my class work, sctivies and outfits resonably well, of course the secondary years better than the earlier years. I began Kindergarten at age 4 in 1939. Coincidentally this was also when World War II began. I was dressed in a warm black or navy-blue training suit ( Trainingsanzug ) in Winter. Note the cap called a devil's cap ( Teufelsmüze ). I also had a handkerchief and some sweets in a little leather bag. I began primary school /Volksschule school at 6 1/2 years old in the Fall 1941 (figure 1). I wore several different outfits, but always with my leather book satchel ( Ranzen ). Primary school was mostly academic work. I don't recall much in the way of activities. The older boys who had joined the HJ did organize some activities. With age 10 about 8 percent of the students were selected out for a more academic program. They went on to Gymnasium (secondary school). Mother took me out of school in the Fall of 1944 as conditions were becoming so dangerous. I did not return to school until the War was over. In Fall 1945 I graduated to a Gymnasium (secondary school) as I did. In addition to the academic activities there were a range of activities.

Kindergarten (1939-41)

I began Kindergarten at age 4 in 1939. Coincidentally this was also when World War II began. I was dressed in a warm black or navy-blue training suit ( Trainingsanzug ) in Winter. Note the cap called a devil's cap ( Teufelsmüze ). I also had a handkerchief and some sweets in a little leather bag.

Primary School / Volksschule (1941-45)

I began primary school /Volksschule school at 6 1/2 years old in the Fall 1941 (figure 1). I wore several different outfits, but always with my leather book satchel ( Ranzen ). Primary school was mostly academic work. I don't recall much in the way of activities. The older boys who had joined the HJ did organize some activities.

Activities

During war time in Volksschule there were no special activities outside the classroom work. The older pupils probably organised activities with the Hitlerjugend) Jungvolk.

Clothing

I am wearing my Baskenmütze (beret) as a cap. We didn't think of it as a French style at the time. Also note my stick. This is not a true „walking stick“. It is just a stick fallen down from a tree. May be that I found it when returning from school and not giving it away for the photo. [HBC note: German boys must have been better behaved than American boys. Sending American boys to school with walking sticks would have resulted in multiple combats and resulting wounds from playground sword fights.] In 1941 I think a 6-year old pupil what not a danger in school even in the U.S. – times have changed, it‘s a pity -! My school picture shows me with my leather book satchel ( Ranzen ). We all had them they were a real symbol of German school children. We carried everything we needed in our satchels. In elementary school it contained a school-slate with some slate pencils in a wooden box, the first reading book called „Fibel“, and a small duster for cleaning the school-slate (as it was wet usually hanging aboard of the satchel on its side on a longer cord). I am wearing my best jacket. These satchels are very characteristic of German schoolboys. We had very different shoulder straps than the ones the girls had. We had these satchels until age 14. That was when most of us finished school.

Secondary School /Humanistisches Oberschule-Gymnasium (1945-54)

With age 10 about 8 percent of the students were selected out for a more academic program. They went on to Gymnasium (secondary school). Mother took me out of school in the Fall of 1944 as conditions were becoming so dangerous. I did not return to school until the War was over. In Fall 1945 I graduated to a Gymnasium (secondary school) as I did. In addition to the academic activities there were a range of activities.

Activities

In Gymnasium Philosophy and Hebrew were offered, but I didn't sign up. I studied Physics, Chemistry, and higher Mathematics. One year one field, the next year another one. Physics, Chemistry, Math, Physics etc. The school didn't like going continously to the same field. And I myself also wanted to learn from different fields additional topics not covered in the regular classes. Physics and Chemistry allowed experiments doing by yourself, not only shown by the teachers in the class. There was an orchestra and singing in the school chorus (which again I didn't attend). Sport was a requirement in the school curriculum, 2 hours a week, as well as music, 1 hour a week. Privately, outside school, I attended courses in astronomy, natural sciences, typewriting and stenography, and some additional English. I was not very good in languages, so mother thought that this would be appropriate. Are you wondering that finally I studied Engineering and Mathematics in the university?

Clothing

At the Gymnasium we boys, instead of a back satchel ( Ranzen ), beginning about age 12 used a book satchel with a handle. I learned English in my Gymnasium, although school was still very difficult in 1945-46. My mother had already begun to teach me English at the hospital where she worked with the Americans. She was able to help me and I studied while I was out of school. To get an English/German dictionary we had to bring, as I remember, two kg of paper for recycling in 1946. In Stuttgart, where I returned to in fall 1945, pupils were again beginning to slowly come back from the country side evacuation. There were also „newcomers“ from the parts of Germany which didn’t belong anymore to our country after the War. In February 1951 my class was photographed for a news journal. We were 30 pupils, boys only, in the class, 12 of them were „newcomers“. As I didn’t interrupt my „school career“ I was one of the youngest pupils; I had class mates who were up to 2 years older due to interruptions during and after the War. In the Gymnasium we learnt English and Latin, about half of the class Old Greek and the other half French, three foreign languages. We finished school in 1954, now 25 pupils, with the „Abitur“ allowing to continue studing in a University master’s programme.

Next Generation: My Son

My son attended and of my son Grundschule and Gymnasium (1978-87).

Grundschule (1974-78)

In the Grundschule there were no special activities. Privately, he went to the children music education and started to learn a musical instrument (Cello).

Gymnasium (1978-87)

In Gymnasium during all the years he played in the school orchestra. When he was 15 years old he started and continued computer programming. In the last 3 years there were so called projects offered, 1-2 weeks at the end of the school year full time in many fields. He worked in projects for biology and mathematics. Privately he continued to take private instrumental lessons for his Cello. And he entered a private sports club for playing tennis. Also, during winter holidays, he went for skiing in Switzerland. In Summer he was sent to Great Britain twice for improving English and to the French speaking Switzerland (to relatives) for improving his French. When he was 12 years old, he spent for 2 months in the United States.

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Created: February 25, 2004
Last updated: 7:54 PM 11/10/2008