difficult images: country #4








Difficult Images: Country #4


Figure 4.--HBC has no information on this image. We are inclined to the conclusion that it is a German image. The noy on the left looks rather English while the boy on the right looks German as does his sailor suit--although its plainess makes it difficult to assess. Click on the image for a more information about German sailor suits.

HBC has no information on this image. We are inclined to the conclusion that it is a German image. The noy on the left looks rather English while the boy on the right looks German as does his sailor suit--although its plainess makes it difficult to assess. HBC would be interested in reader assessments.

Chronolgy

Based on the suits and hair styles, HBC estimates that this photograph was taken in the 1930s. It is hard to say just whenm perhaps about 1935, but that is just a guess at this time. I say 1935 primarily because after the NAZI takeover in 1933 it became less common for older boys to wear sailor suits, except as part of the naval division of the Hitler Youth. This boy is clearly not wearing his sailior suit as a uniform as there are no insignias on it.

Location

The background gives few clues as to location. It looks to be rural, but not much like a farm. Perhaps it is some kind of park.

Inividuals

Based on the pose you might think the boys are brothers. Thet do not, however, look much alike. The clothes suggest that the boys are from an affluent family, but not necessarily rich family. Looking at the pose more carefully, it does put some distance between the boys. A HBC reader does not think they are brothers. He speculates, "They might be cousins, or simply school chums. I would vote for cousins who, perhaps, spent a summer together and this was to document the occasion. Perhaps the cousin did live overseas with his parents, hence the boys not being close or entirely comfortable with being close. In Britain and Europe, boys be it brothers or schoolmates/friends always seemed to share a closer bond than American boys the same ages, and societal mores were not as steadfast opposed to such close relationships between schoolmates and the like. Body language is as important as clothing, I think."

Clothing

Neither boys wear caps. The older boy wears a conservative dark double breasted suit with a tie and soft collar. The younger boy wears a very plain, dark short pants sailor suit with plain kneesocks--probably grey. The older boys looks to be wearing identical socks. One of the reasons we believe that this is a German image is that English boys of this age would be unlikely to wear a sailor suit, but HBC has seen photographs of younger teenagers wearing sailor suits in Germany during the 1920s and early 1930s. The short scarfe is also a style we have seen German boys wearing.

Hair Style

The boys wear different hair styles, in part because the one boy has wavy hair andd the younger boy straight hair.

Facial Characteristics

The boys look very different. Although the pose suggests that they are brothers, they do not look at all alike. In fact the boy on the left looks rather English while the boy on the right looks decidely German. Of course the British have a lot of German blood in them, so assessing nationality is not a clear cur matter.

Age

It is difficut to assess age. I'd say about 13 or 14 years old. One HBC readers believes the boy on the left is closer to 15. The boy on the left is quite a bit bigger, but he does not look much older.






Christopher Wagner





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Created: May 3, 2001
ast updated: May 3, 2001