Figure 1.-- A reader sentvus this school portrait which was taken in 1949. We were unsure if it was from the DDR or DFR. Ourcreader writes, "From the girls' hairdo I belive this is probably a DDR school." We are not yet sure just what styles he associates with the DDR.

Differentiating East (Deutsche Demokratische Republik--DDR) and West (BRD) German school images is difficult in the early years after World War II (1939-45) because the children in both occupation zones still dressed alike. Actually the DDR did not officially come into existance until after the Berlin Air Lift (1949, but here we are using it as a term for East Germany. The English abbreviation for the West Germany was the German Federal Republik (GFR) (Bundesrepublik Deutschland - BRD). The early post-War photographs are thus very difficult to differentiate. We are trying to develop indicators to help differentiate unidentified images. One reader believes hair styles differed. Gradually differences develipedbetween children in the two zones. The task becomes easier in the 1950s as the DDR students began wearing Young Pioneer scarves. We are not sure yet just when the scarves were inroduced, we think in the early- 1950s, butvthis neds to be condirmed. The children were awarded the scarves when they were about 10-years old. The youngr children did not wear them. Eventially the DDR followed the Soviet convention and introduced school uniforms. We are not sure just when, but believe it was the lare-1960s. Children in the DFR never wore uniforms. Thus it is relarively eassy to differentiate the children once the DDR introduced uniforms.

A German reader tells us, "The abbreviation 'BRD' in German / "GFR" in English was invented by the East-German Communist (Deutsche Demokratische Republik) " to come first in alphabetical listings (GDR/GFR) at a prior place. The abbreviation BRD / GFR was not commonly used in the West, primarily by persons sympathizing withthe communist - and by stupid idiots - we still have such idiots!" )

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Created: 11:46 PM 5/29/2012
Last Uodated: 5:10 AM 6/4/2012