Figure 1.--Here we see a group of German children, presumably a school group, in 1931. We note that some of the same style were popular in neigboring countries. Some of the styles are sailor suits, suspender pants, and H-bar pants.
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Figure 1.--Here we see a group of German children, presumably a school group, in 1931. We note that some of the same style were popular in neigboring countries. Some of the styles are sailor suits, suspender pants, and H-bar pants. |
Paris and London were perhaps the two most important centers of the fashion industry in Europe. Berlin and Vienna were, however, in the early 20th century also of considerable prominance. Jewish clothing designers and manufacturers were prominent in both Germany and Austria. Jews also owned some of the most prominent department stores. The NAZIs even claimed that the department stores were a threat to German industry. Less prominent Jews owned countless retails establishments both making and selling clothes. The NAZIs changed the character of the German fashion and clothing industry forever. The first major action taken against the Jews in Germany was a well planned boycott of German businesses which Propaganda Minister Goebbels announced on April 1, 1933. The NAZIs began the boycott in every city and town at 10:00 AM. Uniformed, often armed Stormtroopers were placed in front of store or business owned by Jews. The boycott was not aimed at the clothing industry specifically, but it was one of the industries most affected. Clients were often stopped from entering. The names of those people who continued buying from Jews was posted in city newspapers. Patronizing Jewish shops became grounds for divorce. Stormtroopers were also placed at the offices of Jewish lawyers and doctors. The NAZIs in May 1933 established the Association of German Aryan Clothing Manufacturers (ADEFA) in Berlin under the Reich Ministry of Economy to oversee the Aryanization of the German fashion industry. The ADEFA label in German clothing certified that the garment had been manufactured "by Aryan hands only." Aryanization was the forced transfer of Jewish-owned businesses to German "Aryan" ownership. The NAZI Aryanization process had two stages. First there was "voluntary" stage, from which Jews were excluded from German economic life. Even during this stage Jewish owners would arrive at their business as simply be told that they no longer were the owners. The compulsory stage that began immediately after Kristallnacht. In this final stage, Jewish-owned businesses that had not already been "Aryanized " were liquidated within a few weeks and transferred to The NAZI government "trustee". Jews who fled Germany had rgeir property confiscated. For the most part, even after World War II, the Jews who survived were never compensated for their business that were taken from them. The exclussion of the Jews had the impact of ending the the fashion prominence of Berlin and Vienna, a prominence that has still not been recovered.
France is the country most associated with fashion. Paris and London were perhaps the two most important centers of the fashion industry in Europe. French fashion has been especially important in women's fashions. Britain has been an important influence in men and boys fashion. Berlin and Vienna were in the early 20th century before World War II also of considerable prominance. We are not sure just what fashion sectors were involved. Here we are primarily concerned with boys' fashions. We see a German fashion influence in both central and Eastern Europe as well as Scandinavia. There are a number of reasons for this. One are the historical ties. Czechoslovakia and Hungary as well as parts of Yugoslavia and Poland were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Areas of Poland were part of the German Empire. Two was the size of the German economy. Even after World war I, the German economy was an economic powerhouse which dominated the economies of Central and Wetern Europe as well as Scandinavia. Three was royaal families. Both Romania and Bulgaria had German royal families.
Jews for centuries played an important role in the production of clothing. This was in part because many laws througout Europe wee promulgated restricting Jewish land ownership and other economic activity. Jewish clothing designers and manufacturers by the 19th century had become prominent in both Germany and Austria. Jews also owned some of the most prominent department stores. The NAZIs even claimed that the department stores were a threat to German industry. Less prominent Jews owned countless retails establishments both making and selling clothes.
The NAZIs changed the character of the German fashion and clothing industry forever. The first major action taken against the Jews in Germany was a well planned boycott of German businesses which Propaganda Minister Goebbels announced on April 1, 1933. The NAZIs began the boycott in every city and town at
1O:00 AM. Uniformed, often armed Stormtroopers were placed in front of store or business owned by Jews. The boycott was not aimed at the clothing industry specifically, but it was one of the industries most affected. Clients were often stopped from entering. The names of those people who continued buying from Jews was posted in city newspapers. Patronizing Jewish shops became grounds for divorce. Stormtroopers were also placed at the
offices of Jewish lawyers and doctors. The NAZIs in May 1933 established the Association of
German Aryan Clothing Manufacturers (ADEFA) in Berlin under the Reich Ministry of Economy to oversee the Aryanization of the German fashion industry. The ADEFA label in German clothing
certified that the garment had been manufactured "by Aryan hands only." Aryanization was the forced transfer of Jewish-owned businesses to German "Aryan" ownership. The NAZI Aryanization process had two stages. First there was "voluntary" stage, from which Jews were excluded from German economic life. Even during this stage Jewish owners would arrive at their business as simply be told that they no longer were the owners. The compulsory stage that began immediately after Kristallnacht. In this final stage, Jewish-owned
businesses that had not already been "Aryanized " were liquidated within a few weeks and transferred to The NAZI government "trustee". Jews who fled Germany had rgeir property confiscated. For the most part, even after World War II, the Jews who survived were never compensated for their business that were taken from them. The exclussion of the Jews had the impact of ending the the fashion prominence of Berlin and Vienna, a prominence that has still not been recovered.
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