When I found the grainy photo above in an FKK magazine, I kept thinking I'd seen it before. Well, it turns out that Mr. Scumbeast had sent me a slightly different view of the same group and scene. I'm reposting it below now that I know the source. I may have mistakenly called it military.
Wouldn't that be fun?
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah!
DeleteGone are the days when we could enjoy ourselves like this. One September, I remember sneaking in to the school swimming pool after a cross-country run for a surreptitious swim, only to find Atty (Lt Commander Atwood, aka Wah-Wah because of his "Empire" accent) hooking leaves out of the water with an enormous sieve. Doubtless knowing exactly what I was up to, he told me to get in and help. I just stripped off and dived in. It was an Indian Summer and the water was wonderfully warm. Then I had my swim. I only recently told this story to a friend who has just recently retired from teaching. He told me that today, had Atty been caught, he would have been fired on the spot. What a load of nonsense, I thought. He had been 30 years in the Royal Navy as a PT instructor and medic and had seen more naked men than the average school inspector has had hot dinners. Sometimes "progress" isn't.
ReplyDeletePrudery seems to run in cycles. Hopefully, this too shall pass.
DeleteNo, Jerry, you were absolutely correct in assuming these were military men. They're German Army physical training instructors undergoing their own training at the Heeressportschule (Army sports school) in Wunsdorf, DE, during the decade Hans Suren was the director of the school. He's the fifth guy from the left in both photos, not looking especially thrilled to be charging into cold water. I'm sure I referred you to his "Der Mensch und die Sonne" and his many exercise books. They were so popular and went through so many printings I often think HS was sort of the Jack LaLanne of the Third Reich. He was certainly a splendid example of the Aryan Ubermensch himself, posing for all the photos in the exercise booklets. Google his name for more info, and there are always numerous copies of his various books on ebay.de
ReplyDeleteThanks for the additional info, Bob. I didn't know the FKK magazines would use pictures from the army.
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