Figure 1.--This boy in 1958 wears quite a wide front halter piece, decorated with a stag head. The halter arrangement on lederhosen is called " Lederhosen - Hosenträger ".

Through the 1940s, boys wearing lederhosen usually wore the halter with them. The one notable exception was Hitler Youth boys. HBC had thought that age was a factor, but an HBC reader insists that tradition is a more important factor. Some lederhosen are made without halters and are worn with belts. Normally the halter was compsed of two over the shoulder narrow straps that crossed at the back. Buttons conected the halter to the shorts at front an back. In the front the shoulder straps were connected with cross pices of different sizes and shapes, usually oval. The straps had clasps which could adjust the length for proper fit as the boy got older. Commonly the cross pieces were decorated with Alpine symbols like dear and flowers.

Description

One of the most easily recognised characteristics of boys' lederhosen is the halter or braces. These are made of leather straps that button onto the waist. The have a crossbar and adjustment buckles to allow adjustment for length. Halters have a variety of buckle arrangements. There is normally a loop to contain the loose end of the strap, which can be made of metal or leather. Normally the halter was compsed of two over the shoulder narrow straps that crossed at the back. The halter was detachable. Buttons conected the halter to the shorts at front an back. In the front the shoulder straps were connected with cross pices of different sizes and shapes, usually oval. The straps had clasps which could adjust the length for proper fit as the boy got older.

Terminology

The halter arrangement on lederhosen is called " Lederhosen - Hosenträger ". All kind of halters are called Hosenträger. The lederhosen haltar in Bavaria and Austria it is called " Auszier ". Another term is " Stickereimotiv ". It is important to call it " Stickerei " or " Bestickung ", because that means that it was made by hand (recognizable by the fact that the leather has not been punched through). The crossbar is called " Quersteg " or " Quersattel ".

Types

The halters for boys' lederhosen seem to come in two types, the first is where the leather is quite thin and flexible allowing for easy movement. They are normally made from a single thickness of leather. In the second type the leather is quite substantial and stiff, the cross bar is almost rigid, the leather is backed either with thick felt or thinner leather. It is not clear which is the better type of halter. Presumably the stiffer braces tend to stay in place, when sitting and do not fall off quite so easily. The more flexible braces are probably more comfortable but more prone to coming off. Personal experience would suggest that the wearer quickly gets used to the weight and feel of wearing lederhosen with a stiff halter.

Slipping

One very annoying feature of some halters if not properly fitted is that the brace strap may slipfrom the shoulder. Some boys have to constantly flip the errant strap back onto their shoulders. Sometimes the braces come right off the shoulder.

Chronology

Vrtually all the historical photographs we have noted of lederhosen show the pants with halters. Boys wearing lederhosen through the 194os usually wore the halter with them. The one exception as noted below were youth groups like the Hutler Youth. .

Youth Groups

The one notable exception to boys wearing halters with their lederhosen before World War II (1939-45) was the Hitler Youth boys. After the War this convention continued with other youth groups. HBC has noted that most Scouts who wore lederhosen after the War wore them without halters.

Age

HBC had thought that age was a factor as to if boys wore their ledehosen withoit halters. This may a factor that older boys after World War II often wore lederhosen for Scouting. We though that they might not like the folk look or associated halters with younger boys. A German HBC reader, however, is not convinced that age is a factor, He writes that "... halters have nothing to do with age I think." He does indicate, however, that as a young boy I wore them on regular troussers too (not the leather ones offcourse). They allow you to grow into your trousers a bit." This means that yoing boys could wear trousers bought in slightly large sizes and thus get more wear out of them.

Tradition

A HBC reader believes that tradition is a an important factor as whether boys wear halter with their lederhosen. He indicates that the more traditonal trachten/lederhosen are worn with halters in Bavaria and Austria where lederhosen originated.

Belts

Some lederhosen are made without halters and are worn with belts. Lederhosen are made to be worn with a often decorative halter that holds them up. Most folk costumes have highly decorative halters. Younger boys wearing lederhosen almost always wear halters. We have noticed that older boys, especially Scouts, tend to wear their lederhosen without the halter. Often older boys wear lederhosen without a halter, but with a belt. Some boys wear their lederhosen without a halter or belt. We have noted, however, many boys wearing their lederhosen with a belt. We are not sure just what the purpose of this is. Many lederhosen do not normally come with belt loops so the belt appears largely ornamental as it does not hold up the lederhosen. Lederhosen with double zips normally come wity belt loops. The belt may have some practical purposes, especially for Scouting as a variety of items can be attached to the belt. This would make it handy for hiking and camping even if it was not attached to the lederhosen pants.

Bib Fronts

Some lederhosen are made with an attached bib rather than a detachable halter. The bib is usually made of the same quality and color leather as the shorts. The straps are attached to the top of the bib with buckles. There is no quick release buckle as with a pair of dungarees. The wearer has to slip the straps off the shoulders or undo the buckles.

Decoration

Commonly the cross pieces were decorated with Alpine symbols like dear and flowers. The cross bar may be embossed with scenes of deer often this is replaced with a replica (plastic) carved bone medallion showing a similar scene.

Components

Halters are made of two primary components, the cross bar and braces. There can be substantial differences between these components. They can very in size, primarily the with. The braces can vary in length and there are differences in the buckles and button attachments. The crossbar is even more varied and there are differences in shape and design. There are some other components, such as diagonal supports, but these are not common.

Variations

The author has seen a variation of the halter where the space between the cross bar and the waist is a panel of leather. The bottom of which has four buttonholes so that it may be attached to the two buttons for the halter and the two buttons for the flap, but behind the flap. Some crossbars have a zip running along the top so that it may be used as a purse.

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Created: April 4, 2001
Last updated: May 10, 2003