22

22

The chromatics of the brethren

An old photo dating to 1949 shows the women of the community in their festive dresses in Kirchgasse. Parts of it are the white fringed fichu and the bonnet. But the black-and-white photograph misses out on one essential element. Different colours were selected for the so-called “Chorbänder”, the ribbons attached to the bonnet. Children and young, unmarried girls wore pink, girls after their confirmation wore red, married women picked blue and widows used white ribbons. The delicate headgear was not sewn but carefully put together using only pins; it was stored in special baskets.