Hitler Youth Uniforms: Hosiery and Footwear

Figure 1.--These DJ trumpeters are carefully kitted out. Notice how most of the boys wear two pairs of kneesocks. One is pulled up to the knees and the other cuffed at the ankles.

Unlike the rest of the uniform, there was considerable variation concerning hosiery and footwear. I'm not sure what the regulations were, if any. Whatever they were, groups varied as to how strictly they insisted on conformity regarding both hosiery and footwear. Most boys wore plain grey kneesocks with their uniform, bit here there were many variations. We note that even in very well uniformed groups, there are often differences with the hosiery. . Sometimes the Hitler Youth boys wore white knee socks with that uniform. That was a uniform garment for special occasions. I'm not sure prescisely who or what determined the choice. Leather shoes often completed the outfit. We note boys commonly wearing heavy boot-like shoes. These heavy xhoes were more common with the DJ than HJ. We never notice boys wearing sneakers (canvass shoes).

Unlike the rest of the uniform, there was considerable variation concerning hosiery and footwear. I'm not sure what the regulations were, if any. Presumably there was somekind of mannual detailing the HJ and DJ uniform. We do not,however, have any information on such a manual so we just do not know what the precise regulations were. Whatever they were, groups varied as to how strictly they insisted on conformity regarding both hosiery and footwear.

Items

While we have no information on regulations concerning hosiery and footwear, we have noted some patterns by assessing available photographs.

Hosiery

Most boys wore plain grey kneesocks with their uniform, but here there were many variations. Some boys wore kneesocks with stripes or pattern tops. It is hard to tell rom the mostly black and white photographs, but some of the kneesocks look brown. Also the boys sometimes wore ankle socks, but photographs of the boys wearing long stockings are virtually non-existent. We note that even in very well uniformed groups, there are often differences with the hosiery. Sometimes the Hitler Youth boys wore white knee socks with that uniform. That was a uniform garment for special occasions. I'm not sure prescisely who or what determined the choice. We note a variation among the group here. Most boys wear two sets of kneesocks. One pair is pulled up, the other pair is cuffed and worn like ankle socks (figure 1). For some reason the boy at the end of the row only wears one pair of kneesovcks which he has cuffed at the ankle.

Shoes

Leather shoes often completed the outfit. We note boys commonly wearing heavy boot-like shoes. These heavy xhoes were more common with the DJ than HJ. We never notice boys wearing sneakers (canvass shoes). Nor do we often see boys in even DJ uniforms wearing sandals.