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Eastern Germany was much more rural than western Germany. And before World War II, the rural populaion while declining was still substantial. Germany had to import food to feed its large industrial work force. Even so, there was still a substantial rural poplation. Schools exisited in almot all villages so the children could walk to school. Children living on farms had more of a problem. Some had long walks. Others may have ridden ponnies to school. The boy here seems to be an example (figure 1). I'm not sure how common that was. The photographic record suggests that it was not very common. Farmers were often less sold on the value of education than people living in the city. This seems less the case today, but it was a definite pattern before World War II. Many farmers were more interested in the children helping out on the farm than pursuing an education that was likely to eventually take them off the farm. Rural children were less likely to pursue secondary education. Those that did often boarded with relatives in towns and cities with secondary schools. Even at mid-century many Germans living in the major cities ahd largely rural roots.
Eastern Germany was much more rural than western Germany. Most of Germany's largest industrial cities were located in the West. The Ruhr Valley was the center of German industry. Berlin of course was an exception. Hamburg was Germany second largest city and major port. It was also located in the west, on German's short North Sea coast between Denmark and the Netherlands. Even today, eastern Germny continues to be the most rural area of the country.
Before World War II, the rural populaion while declining was still substantial. Not only did many Germans live in rural areas, but large numbers of city residents grew up inrural areas or had grand parents living in rural areas. Even at the mid-20th century many Germans living in the major cities had largely rural roots. This was chroinicled in the popular Heimat films.
Germany in the 19th century underwent an amazingly rapid indutrial revolution. At the time of the Napoleonic Wars, Germany was largely rural. By the end of the 19th century, Germany was the most heavily indstrialized country in Europe. Wth the rise of urban poplations, German farmers were no longer able to feed the country's burgenoning population. Thus, Germany had to import food to feed its large industrial work force. Even so, there was still a substantial rural poplation.
Americans may be mislead by the concept of rural in Germany and much of the rest of Europe. Our concept of rural is a farm house surrounded by emense fields where corn, wheat, or other crops are grown. Families were often a mile or more from their neighbors. This was why American fams wre more mechanozed than farms in Germany. They would be located several miles from the nearest store, school, and small town. German farms were smaller and rather than living in isolated homes, German farmers often lived together in villages.
Rather than small one-room schools like uin America, German children in rutal areas attended village schools. We have found numerous phoytographs of the children posing outside the schools. While hardly large, the were not tiny one-room schools with a handful of children as was the case in American rural schools. American children might have to walk several miles to get to school. This was not the case in Germany. Most rural children lived in villages and attnded the local village primary school.
Schools exisited in almot all villages so the children could walk to school. And the distances were relatively short. And the most the children migh have to walk across the village which normally cold be done in a few minutes. This not to say that there were no children living n farms. Children living on farms had more of a problem. Some had long walks. Ohers may have ridden ponnies to school. The boy here seems to be an example (figure 1). I'm not sure how common that was. The photographic record suggests that it was not very common. Almost all photographs of German school children we have fnd show them walking to school. And a German reader confirms that.
Farmers were often less sold on the value of education than people living in the city. This seems less the case today, but it was a definite pattern before World War II. Many farmers were more interested in the children helping out on the farm than pursuing an education that was likely to eventually take them off the farm. This of course was nt just the case in Germany. This was a prevailing attitude in most countries. Farmers were impressed with the practical and just did not see the value in academics. This has changed since World War II. Family farms that have survived in the more competitive modern environment have had to take a more competitive entrpreneural approach. And here education has become nore important.
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