This is the German national water polo team from 1925. Many other German swimmers at that time used types skimpier types of suits, but perhaps they toned down the skin level for an international audience. Below is an example of an alternative type on a different water polo team that might have been for all male venues or perhaps the more tolerant German domestic market:
The British, Canadian and US also wore bikinis of similar type and so I would suggest that these were worn in all-male environments such as gymnasia and sports clubs. Briefs were also worn for indoor sports. The French, of course, pride themselves on inventing the bikini - named after an Bikini Atoll which was the site of nuclear tests - but these were "bikini sets" for women, not men, so thankfully there is no casus belli.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info. I had no idea that those skimpy types were use elsewhere.
DeleteRemember that in the 20's nude swimming ( in general the FKK movement) was already popular in Germany. The FKK movement started at around the 1890's
ReplyDeleteRight.
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