Figure 1.-- The Hauptschule in Betschkerek was an all boys' school, common for secondary schools at the time. The photograph apparently shows a class for 13 year olds. Betschkerek was in the Banat, nominally a part of German World War II occupied Serbia, but in fact self-ruled by the ethnic Germans under NAZI supervision. We believe that many schools throughout occupied Yugoslavia were closed during the War, but ethnic Germans, many of whom cooperating with the German occupation authorities, were able to keep their schools open. Thus German schools in the Banat continued to operate. The boys are variously dressed. Most wear suit jackets, some with Bavarian styling. They are worn with various pants, including short pants, knickers, and long pants. One boy seems to be wearing a Hitler Youth uniform. Some of the boys wear long stockings. A few have rolled them down like knee socks. App arently it was a warm day when the photograph was taken, although the teacher wears gloves. Put your cursor on the image to see the rest of the class.

This school was identified as the Hauptschule in Betschkerek during 1943. A Hauptschule (general school) in Germany was a secondary school beginning after the first 4 years of primary schooling. It offers a 5-6 year secondary program, but was not academically rigorous like a Realschule or Gymnasium. In Betschkerek it was probably the only German secondary school. The building behind the class seems a strange doorway for a school. Given the name of the school and location, we believe it was a school for ethnic Germans in the Banat, an area in Vojvodina, an are a east of Croatia and north of Belgrade. The school was an all boys' school, common for secondary schools at the time. The photograph apparently shows a class for 13 year olds. This was nominally a part of German World War II occupied Serbia, but in fact self-ruled by the ethnic Germans under NAZI supervision.. We believe that many schools throughout occupied Yugoslavia were closed during the War, but ethnic Germans, many of whom cooperating with the German occupation authorities, were able to keep their schools open. Thus German schools in the Banat continued to operate. Schools in Slovenia (partitioned between Germany and Italy) and Croatia (nominally independent) also probably operated. Here we need more information. The boys are variously dressed. Most wear suit jackets, some with Bavarian styling. They are worn with various pants, including short pants, knickers, and long pants. One boy seems to be wearing a Hitler Youth uniform. Some of th e boys wear long stockings. A few have rolled them down like knee socks. Apparently it was a warm day when the photograph was taken, although the teacher wears gloves. A year after the photographic was taken, the Whermacht withdrew north from Greece and Yugoslavia. Most of the ethnic Germans, expecting reprisals fled with the retreating Whermacht.

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Created: 2:28 AM 2/12/2008
Spell checked: 4:53 AM 12/8/2013
Last updated: 7:21 PM 4:53 AM 12/8/2013