Figure 1.--This is a Volksschule (basic primary school) in Schwechat, Austria during 1952. More than half the class is wearing either lederhosen or H-bar shorts. Lederhosen look more common than the H-bar shorts. Click on the image for some background about Austria after World War II.

We have noted Austrian boys wearing H-bar pants. Many school photographs show at least some Austrian boys wearing them. It is some times difficult to determine if a boy is wearing H-bar pants or lederhosen. School photographs from the 1940s and 50s show large numbers of boys wearing lederhosen with the halters and H-bar shorts. We do not notice many bots wearing H-bar longs. Most of the boys appear to be wearing lederhosen rather than H-bar shorts, but this requires further assessment. We are assuming that boys wearing leaher halters are also wearing leather lederhosen, but here too we are not certain. A reader writes, "In Austria and Germany, H-bar pants were quite common. Beside the praticality of keeping the suspender straps in place, the style was influenced by the popularity of lederhosen. Many mothers were fond of the lederhosen style. Thus they also made suspenders style for wool pants as well."