Figure 1.--Here we see an unidentified German primary class on an outing into the countryside during 1951. Most of the niys appear to be wearing Lederhosen for the outing which you can tell by the halters. The boys look to be about 12 years old. /i>

Lederhosen are commonly associated with Germany. And most of the boys who have worm Lederhosen have been German boys. This is confirmed by the fact that the great majority of the images we have found and archived are German images. We note many Germn boys wearing them to schoo, especially in the 1950s. And because Germany has a large population, we are talking about large numbers. Lederhosen were also very common in Austria. But Austria is a much smaller country. Thus the number of boys has beem much smaller. There is also a substantial German-ethnic population in Switzerland. Like Austria, however, Switzerland is a small country. Lederhosen appear to be less common in Switzerland than in Germsny and Austria. Lederhosen have also been worn by boys in other countries, but not very commonly.

Austria

Lederhosen were commonly worn in Austria. Unlike Germany, it was not regiional. Of course Austria is a smaller country than Germany--it is essentially an Alpine country. Lederhosen were commonly worn by boys to school. They were more common in rural areas than Vienna and other large cities. Lederhosen because they were not regional were more popular in SAustria than Germany, but becuse we have a smaller Austrian archive, we have fewe Austrian images. This of course is a reflection of Austria;s much smaller population. Economics is probably another factor.

Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia was assicusted with Austria for severakl centuries. Bohemia was part of thd Holy Roman Empire meaning z strong Grerman influence. We do not notice Lederhosen gto sny bextent, but H0basr shoerrts were very common.

France

French stores sold Lederhosen-style shorts in the 1970s. Some boys may have worn them to school, but we do not believe that this was extensive. Few of the French school pictures we have noted show boys wearing lederhosen.

Germany

Many German boys beginning in the 1920s seem to have worn lederhosen to school, but this from available images appears to have usually been a minority of the boys in most classes. We have noted lederhosen being worn earlier, but we do not begin to see a lot of boys in school photographs wearing lederhosen until the 1920s. Often a few boys in many primary schools are wearing lederhosen by the 1920s. I'm not sure why lederhosen became more common for schoolwear at this time, but surely it had something to do with the war. Almost always boys wearing Lederhosen to school wear them with the decorative halters. Wearing lederhosen varied regionally in Germany, being most common in sothern Germany, especially Bavaria. Bavaria of course borders on Austria. Lederhosen seemed to have emerged in this Alpine area. We note many Germn boys wearing them to schoo, especially in the 1950s. Lederhosen continued to be worn to school through the 1960s, but are now not very common.

Italy

HBC has no information about Itlanian boys wearing lederhosen to school or other wise. Italy has a minority German population in an area annexed from Austria after Wiorld War I -- South Tyrol. A reader reports, "Although it has not always been the case, ethnic German boys there wear lederhosen again with pride. I am certain that many boys are wearing them to school."

Switzerland

There is also a substantial German-ethnic population in Switzerland. Like Austria, however, Switzerland is a small country. As far as we can tell, Lederhosen were niot very commin in Switerland.

Other Countries

Lederhosen have also been worn by boys in other countries, but not commonly.

Created: 12:50 AM 2/5/2021
Last updated: 12:50 AM 2/5/2021