Here’s another photo I need a little (OK, a lot of) help understanding. Here is what I know:
- The photo was in my aunt’s photo collection, and it presumably comes from photographs belonging to my father’s grandmother who lived in Elmhurst, Illinois
- The family came from Budesheim, a village outside of Bingen. This is in the district of Bitburg-Prüm, in Rhineland-Palatinate, an area along the Rhine river in western Germany.
- The family was Catholic.
What are the ways I can discover more about the photograph? Any ideas on how to find information on the photographer? What do you think is the occasion of the photo? The girls’ dresses are what kind of lace? What is the pole behind the girls? Why does the window appear to be barred? Does the umlaut over the “a” in the photographer’s name indicate that the photograph was taken in Germany, rather than the United States?
I will say that from the time I first saw this photograph, because its appearance is so different from the rest of the family photographs, I assumed it was either brought with the family from Germany or was sent from a family member in Germany to my great-grandparents in the U.S.
The Family Kalamazoo 
Since they are Catholic, I assume this is a confirmation picture for the older girl and a first communion picture for the younger girl. The gloves, Bible and cross are also a clue. Along with whatever that is they are wearing on their head. I’m not sure what you would call that. A veil would be typical but that isn’t a veil.
It almost looks like a crown, especially on the older girl’s head? If they had their confirmation and first communion around the same time, that would make a lot of sense.
It seems odd that first communion and confirmation would occur at the same time. It seems that groups of each would occur on different Sundays. The pole could represent May Day….which is sort of a pagan holiday that was absorbed by Christians. The pole looks kind of skinny for a May pole, and there are no ribbons — it could be a symbolic May pole.
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=498
Re: bars, some places besides jails have them. Think of a place with no screens in the summer. The people want fresh air but no intruders. Some places I visited in Mexico in the summer of 1968 had bars rather than screens. It would be hard to enter or leave via such windows unless you were an insect.
Here’s a more current photo of boys and girls performing a Maypole dance at a church in England. Note girls of different ages in white dresses, flowers in hair. The Bible and cross don’t look very May-Day-ish, however.
WJ, I agree about the Bible and cross. I assumed it was something to do with first communion or confirmation, but was confused by the two ages. But you’ve opened up the field here . . . .
http://www.ilfordrecorder.co.uk/news/news/maypole_and_morris_dancing_enjoyed_in_the_sunshine_during_may_fair_in_ilford_1_2191799
This link is British so I wondered about Germany and found that the Maypole is in all “Germanic” countries. This is what wikipedia has to say about Germany and Austria: In Germany and Austria the maypole (or Maibaum[9]) is a tradition going back to the 16th century.[10] It is a decorated tree or tree trunk that is usually erected either on 1 May – in Baden and Swabia – or on the evening before, for example, in East Frisia. In most areas, especially in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Austria, it is usual to have a ceremony to erect the maypole on the village green. The custom of combining it with a village or town fete, that usually takes place on 30 April, 1 May or at Pentecost (Whitsun), is widespread. This tradition is especially strong in the villages of the Bavarian Alps where the raising of the traditional maypole on 1 May in the village square is a cause for much celebration. The pole is usually painted in the Bavarian colours of white and blue and decorated with emblems depicting local crafts and industry.[citation needed]
Just before the Maibaum is erected, depending on the region, there may be a procession through the village, usually ending up at a central place and/or restaurant and usually watched by crowds of spectators and accompanied by a brass band. The actual installation of the tree then takes place in the afternoon or evening. While the crowds usually while away the time drinking beer and eating sausages, the young men busy themselves with decorating the maypole to get the symbols of various trades representing the region into the right position. While the maypole is traditionally set up with the help of long poles, today it may sometime also be done using tractors, forklifts or even cranes. In Lower Austria ropes and ladders are used.
If the tree is erected on the eve of 1 May, then the event is usually followed by a May dance or Tanz in den Mai.
Depending on local custom, the Maibaum may remain in place until the end of the month and is then taken down, decorations removed and the trunk stored until the following year. In many parts of Bavaria it remains in place all year round.
On the night of the last day of April, many young men erect small decorated “Maibäume” in front of the houses of their sweethearts. Some attach a red heart with the name of the girl written on it to the tree.
I sent my mom a link to this photo. The flowers in their hair remind her of bridal wreaths for the Queen of May celebration, a ritual in the Catholic church held every May for Mary. She said it was a very big celebration, at least at her church.
She also said the book was probably a prayer book, rather than a bible.
Wikipedia informaiton: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_devotions_to_the_Blessed_Virgin_Mary
Kathryn, this was really helpful. Please tell your mom thanks! I think it connects with jeannie’s comment above about May Day. From what your mom said, I found pix of girls online with the floral crowns for “May Queen.” Then I found this article which is interesting, though the source is odd. It even notes the white dresses AND has a pic that has a lot of similarities to mine. http://winaresort.com/young-virgin-sacrificed-after-may-day-celebrations/
But in my photo the girls do not have bouquets.
Here’s another link: http://www.americancatholic.org/messenger/may2006/traditions.asp
Also, it states that second graders wore their first communion outfits again for the May crowning.
Since the Queen of May themes are so similar, the Catholic Church probably took what they considered a pagan holiday and adapted it to celebrate Mary.
Growing up, the church did not make a big deal about the Queen of May, so this is very interesting to me. Wikipedia (I know, not the best reference) states that the custom fell out of favor in the 70s and 80s – the exact time when I would have been an age to participate. It was interesting to hear about what a big deal it was for my mom growing up.
Kathryn, that article is fascinating. I had never heard of this before, and it seems like it was actually a big deal.
This is a May Pole, must be May 1′ 18–‘the lace looks like old style. Holland, Belgium, France, or even GERMAN. This looks to be a Catholic service. The leg of the table is well made of hard wood. The girls seem to be between 8-9 to 16-22 ? Or is she the mother. Bars are for protection either in church or business, photo store Dad
Sent from my iPad
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Dad, thanks! So it IS a May Pole! These ladies were right! They must be related to your grandparents. So maybe this was taken in a storefront photographer’s studio and that’s why the bars are on there? Glad you signed this “dad” because the iPad says it’s mom.
What we need is someone to weigh in on the dresses. If this is Germany, what year would it be, based on the dresses?
Do you have a scan of the back and the bottom of the photograph? This often contains information about the photographer or the studio which can be . used to date or locate the photograph.
Hi Yvette! Unfortunately, this particular photo was already scanned by my cousin who has the original and there were hundreds and hundreds of photos, I don’t want to ask him to go through them and find it to check it out. I wish I had a scan of the back!
What a lovely picture! And now I see we share another interesting connection; I grew up in the town next to Elmhurst Illinois. If memory serves, they have an active historical society.
Oh my goodness! That is a coincidence :). They have a blog for DuPage County, so I posted a note over there–waiting to hear from them! Thanks, Laura, and Happy New Year!
This is a beautiful photo. I think the style of the girls dresses is early 20th century, about 1900-1910. High button shoes were also popular during that time period. Happy New Year!
EmilyAnn, that helps a lot! That would probably mean that they are the children or grandchildren of a sibling of one of my dad’s grandparents.
After reading the previous comments, I remember something I saw in a movie set in Hamtramck, Michigan. It’s a Polish community, of course. Anyway, there was a kind of festival in which all the little children and young virgins participated, and they were dressed in white and wore flower crowns and carried flowers. It’s a fascinating movie that I have watched many times — “Polish Wedding.” look at this trailer — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMlSFn-vMC0
This trailer doesn’t seem to have anything in it about this. Why have I never heard of this movie?
“A Procession of the Virgin and selection of an actual virgin to lead it does not happen in the Polish Roman Catholic Church, but the procession in the movie bears many similarities to the May Crowning tradition in the Roman Catholic Church.”
Fascinating!! Thanks, WJ!
This is a lovely photo and a great discussion. Thanks for stopping by my blog today. Best wishes in gleaning information from this photo!
Thanks so much, thegenealogygirl! I like your blog!
It’s a beautiful photo but I’m afraid I’m not able to be of any help!
Linda, thanks anyway . . . .
I’m not Catholic, but my first thought when I saw the photo was that it was a first communion picture. I can remember friends wearing beautiful lace dresses that they got (or their mother made) for their first communion.
That was what I thought too but when I looked at the photo more I thought that the pole had to have some significance. I think that pole is what led people to think of it as a May event. Plus the two girls are of different ages, which made it complicated. Lots to figure out about these old photos!!
My mother’s side of the family (British) celebrated May Day, but she only mentioned a pole nothing about a tree. She did say it could be anything ‘like’ a pole – so of course – that would qualify. My father’s side German) didn’t celebrate it, but he did mention there were numerous branches of the Christian faith back then from the old country mixing with newer traditions.
So was your father’s German family Catholic or Protestant?
Neither were Catholic until they converted, Dad was Lutheran.
The Lutheran part could be why the Queen of the May was unknown to him?
Could be, he wasn’t a practicing Lutheran either which may it easier to convert when mom did.
That makes sense.
Just a suggestion, not only look at the county level church records re Catholic, but also possible Lutheran church records. Perhaps something can be found in the ?”Kries” (county) records.
The photo instantly struck me as European. I have absolutely nothing to base that on and I’m certainly no expert in photos, clothing styles, etc.
But last November, we had a presentation from Maureen Taylor, a genealogical “photo detective”, at the monthly meeting of the Western Massachusetts Genealogical Society. The presentation was virtual through SKYPE. Several members brought in pictures that I simply held up to the camera and Maureen was able to help pin down a general idea of the time period and possible locations. Nothing specific, but with enough information to help figure out how to piece the picture into the family tree.
I don’t know if she could help, but you might take a look at http://www.maureentaylor.com.
Dave, what a fabulous source! I will check out her website right away! I’ve been thinking for awhile that there must be photo detectives!!