Lederhosen
The termLederhosen(/ˈleɪdərˌhoʊzən/;German pronunciation:[ˈleːdɐˌhoːzn̩],singular in German usage:Lederhose,German:[ˈleːdɐˌhoːzə];lit. "Leather Pants" ) is used inEnglishto refer specifically to the traditionalleatherbreechesworn by men inSouth-Germany,Austria,Bavaria(namelyUpper Bavaria),South TyrolandSlovenia.The termTrachtenLederhoseis often used in German to avoid confusion with other types of leather pants.
History
[edit]Leather as a material to create pants was not invented by theBaiuvarii.The French, for example, have leatherculottes,which bear a striking resemblance to the Lederhose.
Besides the ornate stitching and characteristicantlerbuttons, what makes theAustro-BavarianLederhosen truly unique from other European leather pants is their length.
While there are Lederhosen that go past the knee, these were mostly worn for special occasions; the everyday form of Lederhosen in the Austrian and Bavarian alps were cut above the knee. Workers and hunters alike preferred the added mobility, especially in the steep slopes of theEastern Alps.While the exact origin of this cut is uncertain, the first written account of its use was made byAugust Lewaldduring his tour ofTuxertal,Tyrol, Austria in 1835.[1]
While the popularity of lederhosen remained constant in the depths of the Eastern Alps, their everyday use steadily declined along the outer edges of the mountain range. Nowhere was this more bemoaned than in the Upper Bavarian town ofBayrischzell,where school teacher Joseph Vogl set out to preserve this alpine tradition. Thus, in 1883 he established the Association for the Preservation of the National Costume in the Leitzach Valley and in Bayrischzell.[2]This association became the model for other preservation clubs known asTrachtenvereine,which spread across the outer edges of the Eastern Alps; from Munich to Salzburg and all the way over to the Austrian capital ofVienna.[3]
In Bavaria, the efforts to preserve traditional clothing and bolster a national, Bavarian identity were greatly supported by the ruling class.King Ludwig IIfamously supported the creation ofTrachtenvereine,andKing Ludwig IIIwore lederhosen on trips to the Alps to show support for their preservation.[4]
While there areTrachtenvereinein Austria, famous towns deep in the Alps such asBad Ausseestill to this day do not have preservation clubs, as lederhosen have continued to be common dress. Much like in Bavaria, the ruling class would don lederhosen during visits to the Alps, in this case not to show support for their preservation, but rather to blend in with the local population.[5]
Variations
[edit]- Decorative Seams:There are 3, 5, 7, and even 9-seam lederhosen, depending on the number of stitched designs along the side trouser seam and at the front of the bib.[6]
- Cuff:The side seams of lederhosen are either tied or buttoned together at the cuff[7]
- Inseam:The lederhosen are held together by either a vertical seam or a horizontal seam known as aTellernaht[8]
- Color:Traditionally, the lederhose would either be black or brown
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Lewald, August (1835).Chronik der Gebildeten Welt.1835(2).
{{cite journal}}:Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^Grieshofer, Franz J. (1978).Die Lederhose. Kleine Kulturgeschichte des Alpenländischen Beinkleids.Verlag Fritz Molden.
- ^Grieshofer, Franz J. (1978).Die Lederhose. Kleine Kulturgeschichte des Alpenländischen Beinkleids.Verlag Fritz Molden.
- ^"Die bayerische Lederhose".markgraf-1830.de(in German).Retrieved2023-12-20.
- ^Grieshofer, Franz J. (1978).Die Lederhose. Kleine Kulturgeschichte des Alpenländischen Beinkleids.Verlag Fritz Molden.
- ^"Erhabene Werte:: Leder Daxner".leder-daxner.at(in German). 2023-07-12.Retrieved2023-12-20.
- ^"Lederhosen Knigge".CocoVero München(in German).Retrieved2023-12-20.
- ^"Die wichtigsten Begriffe rund um die Lederhose – Trachtenbibel"(in German). 2021-02-24.Retrieved2023-12-20.
External links
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