Traditions > Clothing
Clothing
Volga German costume in the mid-1800s. Drawing from the 2005 Volga German calendar.
In a climate vastly different from their homelands, the German colonists quickly adopted the local clothing styles. As early as 1816, the Saratov Kontora reported that the cut of the male colonist's was much like that of the Russian peasants living near them.
Males wore a plain loose shirt belted at the waist and worn over a pair of trousers. The shirt was customarily worn untucked. Most men wore a billed cap, which was replaced by a fur cap (often with ear flaps) in the winter. Calf high felt boots were also worn in the winter, but during the summer either leather boots were worn or the men would go barefoot.
Women typically wore a black or brown scarf and a loose-fitting smock, which might also have a sleeveless jumper (sarafan) worn over it.
Most colonists had a set of Sunday clothes that were only worn to church or on other special occasions.
Males wore a plain loose shirt belted at the waist and worn over a pair of trousers. The shirt was customarily worn untucked. Most men wore a billed cap, which was replaced by a fur cap (often with ear flaps) in the winter. Calf high felt boots were also worn in the winter, but during the summer either leather boots were worn or the men would go barefoot.
Women typically wore a black or brown scarf and a loose-fitting smock, which might also have a sleeveless jumper (sarafan) worn over it.
Most colonists had a set of Sunday clothes that were only worn to church or on other special occasions.
Norkan Georg Schmer wearing a Russia style hat, a "dulup" (Russian style sheepskin coat) and "fellstiefel" (felt boots) about 1912. Source: AHSGR Journal, Summer 1985.
Drawing of Volga German colonists in 1909 by Jakob Weber
Postcard of a Volga German colonist near Saratov.
1930 photograph of Volga German women buying cloth. Source: "Süddeutsche Zeitung".
Sources
Arndt, Elena A. Nacional'nyj Kostjum Nemcev Povolž'ja (konec XVIII - Načalo XX Vv.) ; Posobie S Metodičeskimi Rekomendaciajmi. Perm': Izdat.-Poligrafičeskij Kompleks Zvezda, 2000. Print.
Cover of the book about Volga German clothing by Elena Arndt.
Long, James. From Privileged to Dispossessed. Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska, 1988. 264. Print.
Lonsinger, August, and Marion Hanke. Sachliche Volkskunde Der Wolgadeutschen. Remshalden: Bernhard Albert Greiner, 2004. Print.
Lonsinger, August, and Marion Hanke. Sachliche Volkskunde Der Wolgadeutschen. Remshalden: Bernhard Albert Greiner, 2004. Print.
Last updated January 18, 2019.