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These two Polish brothers lived in Krakow, Poland. They are Stefan (age 12) and Roman (age 9). Unfortunately we do not know their last name. Krakow was located in the Austrian zone of Hungary before World War I. The photograph was taken in 1918 during World War I and are playing with a nice set of toy soldiers. The boys wear military-style school jackets. Stefan has some kind of badge, These may be school uniforms, but we are not sure.
These two Polish brothers are Stefan (age 12) and Roman (age 9). Unfortunately we do not know their family name. We believe, however, they came from a prosperous family. There father could have been a government official or perhaps a professional of some sort.
The photograph was taken in 1918 during World War I.
Krakow was located in the Austrian zone of Hungary before World War I. Russia attacked toward Krakow at the beginning of the War (1914), but the Germans and their faltering Austrian allies took Warsaw and much of the rest of Poland (1915). For the rest of the War Poland was occupied by the Germans who set up the Government General in the territory takeb from Russia. Kaiser Wilhelm and the Emperor Karl issued a joint manifesto (November 5, 1916) announcing that a Polish Kingdom would be created in the Government General. The Kingdom was to remain under the protection, meaing control, of the two powers. The boundaries and constitutional issues were left undecided. Germany set up a Provisional Council of State was convoked (December 6, 1917). THis was replaced replaced by a Regency Council (September 12, 1918). When Aerica entered the War and the Bolshevicks sued for peace (1917), the Allies adopted the principle of self determination. PresidentsWilson's Peace Plan was based on the 14 Poits including national self determination (January 1918). After the Armistice (November 1918), the Poles forced the Germans out of their country and proclaimed an independent Polish state.
The boys lived in Krakow. This was part of Austrian controlled Poland. Krakow became Poland’s capital (1038). It was the capital during Poland's Golden Age when the country dominated Wastern Europe from the Black Sea to the Baltic Sea. Even today it is seen as the historic and ciltural center of the city. It is also an important religious center.
The boys are playing with a nice set of toy soldiers. The soldiers would of course be lead ones and realistically painted. What detail they showed. Such a nice set of soldiers is an indication that the boys came from a prosperous family. It must have been an exciting time for these boys. In early 1918 it loojked like the Central Powers might win the War, in which case Krakow would have remained in Austrian controlled Poland. As the year progressed the fortunes of the Central Powers wained and Polish independence became an increasing possibility.
The boys wear military-style school jackets. Stefan has some kind of badge, These may be school uniforms, but we are not sure. Roman wears short corduroy trousers with either short socks or long white stockings, its not real clear. I thouught Stefan might be wearing longs ribbed stockings, but he seems o be wearing longer knee pants also made of cotduroy. I think I can just make out the ornamental buttons commonly worn with knee pants.
Many Polish boys in the 1910s had close croped hair. Stefan's hair which can be combed and especially Roman's hair cut in Dutch boy bangs suggests to us that the boys came from an affluent family.
These boys would have attended Austrian schools before World War I. The Austrians were more liberal than the Russians, but I am not yet sure about their school policies in Poland. Most Poles lived in the Russian controlled area of Poland. There the schools were tauht in Russiam. Boys probabley learn Polish in an underground school. Eve Curie's biograpgy about Madam Curie describes schools in Russiab controlled Polanhd. The physicist went to underground Polish groups to keep Polish alive as they were forced to study in Russian.
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