German Confirmation: Unidentified Boy (about 1930)


Figure 1.-- I thought the boy might be French, but a reader tells us that he is more likely German. Looking at the image closer, I am increasingly beginning to think that he is German. Candals are often used in German confirmation portraits. This portrait is unidentified. The boy looks to be about 13-14 years old. I would guess that this portrait was taken about 1930, but the larte 20s or eatly 30s are all equally possible. He may be doing his confirmation about 1930.

I thought the boy might be French, but a reader tells us that he is more likely German. Looking at the image closer, I am increasingly beginning to think that he is German. Candals are often used in German confirmation portraits. This portrait is unidentified. The boy looks to be about 13-14 years old. I would guess that this portrait was taken about 1930, but the larte 20s or eatly 30s are all equally possible. He may be doing his confirmation about 1930. He looks a little old for First Communion. A reader agrees that this is a confirmation portrait. Confirmation was especially important for Protestant boys. This boy I assume is Catholic because of the rosary. The boy wears a dark suit with some Norfolk styling. Note the belt. He wears his suit with a large Schiller collar. Boys commonly wore thick knit long stockings, especially during cold weather. Hosiery was more varied in the warmer weather. Girls often wore sheer, light weight stockings during the summer. This was less common for boys. An exception here was formal events like church events and weddings.

Nationality

I thought the boy might be French, but a reader tells us that he is more likely German. Looking at the image closer, I am increasingly beginning to think that he is German. Candals are often used in German confirmation portraits.

Boy

This portrait is unidentified. The boy looks to be about 13-14 years old.

Chronology

I would guess that this portrait was taken about 1930, but the larte 20s or eatly 30s are all equally possible.

Confirmation

He may be doing his confirmation about 1930. He looks a little old for First Communion. A reader agrees that this is a confirmation portrait. Confirmation was especially important for Protestant boys. This boy I assume is Catholic because of the rosary.

Clothing

The boy wears a dark suit with some Norfolk styling. Note the belt. He wears his suit with a large Schiller collar. Boys commonly wore thick knit long stockings, especially during cold weather. Hosiery was more varied in the warmer weather. Girls often wore sheer, light weight stockings during the summer. This was less common for boys. An exception here was formal events like church events and weddings. A reader writes, "A very interesting photo--one that looks a bit odd to me on considering it further. For one thing, the short trousers seem just a bit ungainly, especially for the 1930s. They are a bit too long to look right for the period, and, in addition, they seem much too wide. The boy's double breasted jacket also looks a bit too big for him. Notice, for instance, how long the sleeves are and how low the jacket comes down. I wonder if this is an adult man's suit cut down for the boy with the trousers cut off to make short pants. I don't think a suit tailored in Germany for a boy of about 12 or 13 would fit so badly. The poor boy seems to be stuck with a hand-me-down. Most short pants suits of the period have the trousers ending above the knee and are a bit more slimming in appearance. Or could the boy be wearing the suit of an older brother? Just speculating, of course." The suit does indeed not seem to fit very well. I don't think, however, that it is his father's cut down suit. The Norfolk style was a boy's style. We note boys wearing long shorts in many if these confirmation portrairs. Some boys even still wore kneepants wsih the three buttons at the hem. The width, however, does seem rather unusual.








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Created: 1:16 AM 1/20/2006
Last updated: 1:17 AM 1/20/2006