Figure 1.--Here is Bernard with his Austrian cousin in 1954. Note the difference. Bernard wears fashionable velvet shorts even for an outing in the country with white kneesocks and sandals. His Austrian cousin who lived in a rural area wears lederhosen and goes barefoot.

Bernard was Michèl's little brother. He was born in 1947. Like Michèl, he was dressed very fashionably. As a younger boy, quite often he had his hair done in a little barrette. Like Michèl, his hair was sometimes done in a choupette, but by 1954 when this photograph was taken, it was cut short. It was a way of keeping longish hair in place. Like Michèl he often wore rompers, normally light blue ones. After he graduated from rompers he wore short velvet shorts and blouses with puffed sleeves. Here he can be seen wearing velvet suspender shorts, sandallettes, and white kneesocks which he has not pulled up. He is also wearing a light-colored short-sleeve wool sweater, hard to see as he is also wearing a white shirt, you can just see the collar worn outside the sweater. It was a typical modern French look in 1954. One interesting aspect here is that the sweater was worn inside the suspender straps and tucked into his velvet shorts, rather than outside covering up the suspender straps.

Note how differently he is dressed from his Austrian cousin (figure 1). At this time Austria was still was quite poor, but clean. After 1955 the tourism took a full expension in this country .

Like Michèl, Bernard learned to speak fluent French and German. On these trips with the Austrian cousins we would speak German as they did not understand French very well. Bernard spoke fluently german ( with a south accent like me ). He understood the austrian dialect , but didn't speak it (like me). His cousins couldn't a word in French. When we were alone between ourself, we spoke French; but if we were with Austrians we had to speak German. It was a rule of good manners.

Bernard studied in a Catholic school and wore a uniform several years. He wasn't altar boy; unlike Michèl who was an altar boy several years and during his hollidays he served sometime the mass overthere. The familly is very catholic. He has three children and he is a civil eungineer. Bernard also became a close friend.

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Created: October 11, 2003
Last updated: October 11, 2003