This is a blog about music, photography, history, and culture.
These are photographs from my collection that tell a story about lost time and forgotten music.

Mike Brubaker
{ Click on the image to expand the photo }

Lessons in Swedish

26 August 2017



Left and stretch
and two...and three...and four!

Right and stretch
and two...and three...and four!





 
Armée Belge -  Ecole régimentaire
Leçon de gymnastique suédoise
 ~
Belgian Army - Regimental School
Swedish gymnastic lesson
















 
Attention!
Assume the position!
Take up legs!
Straighten arms!
Forward – Walk!













Armée Belge - Ecole régimentaire
Leçon de gymnastique suédoise

~
Belgian Army - Regimental School
Swedish gymnastic lesson



These two postcards are from a longer series of postcards
published in the decade prior to the First World War
that promoted the readiness of the Belgian Army.
The postcards are unmarked
but likely date from 1908-1912.

In the 1900s Swedes had a popular reputation
for gymnastics and fitness training,
which was then being adapted
for modern military training in several countries.

Because mechanized vehicles in 1910
were still very heavy with unreliable engines,
the soldier-powered wheelbarrow
remained an important piece of military equipment
for constructing the trenches along the Belgian borders.




This is my contribution to Sepia Saturday
where exercise is always important to good health.

http://sepiasaturday.blogspot.com/2017/08/sepia-saturday-382-26-august-2017.html



5 comments:

smkelly8 said...

Graceful and rather intense.

Postcardy said...

Your images look very similar to older European images of Sokols.

tony said...

Blimey ! I feel tired just looking at these lads!Looks like hard graft.....!

Kristin said...

They look so intense compared to the Sokols girls, which I only compare because I just looked at them.

Barbara Rogers said...

I was surprised to not see musicians doing exercises, Mike! But these young men certainly were doing some good workouts. Imagine having that put on postcards! You never know what you'll find next!

nolitbx

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