Figure 1.--Here we see a German primary school in 1934. The inscription reads, " Hermsdorf, März 1934 ". That means Hermsdorf, March 1934. I think Hermsdorf is the location rather than the name of the school. Most of the boys wear short pants, some with kneesocks, others with long stockings. The hosiery here is interesting. Boy 1 and 3 appears to be wearing rolled socks over their long stockings. Boy 11 has very lumpy long stockings. Two boys wear sailor suits. Another comment on the hosiery in this picture from a reader, "No. 3 seems to be wearing ankle socks with striped cuffs on top of his long stockings. I'm not sure how common this practice was, but we see a parallel in the Swedish film, Fanny and Alexander, in which Alexander at the beginning wears ankle socks on top of his brown long stockings. This wearing of a double layer of hosiery on the feet does not seem to have been very widespread, but it may have been done if the shoes were a little too roomy or as additional protection for young feet in winter." |
