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Krauters- page 3
of Fritz' own personality. "he is too unruhig" (restless, turbulent,
uneasy). She cites as further evidence for this condition the concern
of the doctor (he recommends much sleep and certain patterns of diet).
And repeated complaints from his teachers that he is constantly moving
around and disturbing the class.
In the light of this view of Fritz how does Frau Krauter train and dis-
cipline his? First of all, she rarely exerts harsh authority, rarely
raises her voice in anger. One afternoon while I was visiting them, Fritz
had been drinking lots of spudel (similar to 7-up), and milk. She even-
tually suggested that he had had enough, repeated this over the next
half hour as he continued to get another cup or glass, finally as he
carelessly plashed a pan of milk on the table, she took the pan and cup
away from him and, with Dorothy's help, cleaned up the spilled milk.
Fritz continued to move restlessly about, playing records, listening
to the radio, climbing up on top of the china cabinet to look for postage
stamos, disassembling a small chair etc. Through all such activity,
Frau Krauter was seemingly one of slight harrassment and exasperation.
She occassionally said to him that the radio was too loud or that he should
stop something but, if he ignored her comment, nothing further was said.
She had to speak to him 4 or 5 times to get him on his way to bed and this
finally occurred an hour after his usual time. Frau Krauter response to
Fritz' play behavior may be described as "concerned permissiveness" but
in matters of sleep and diet she is more firm and Fritz seems to realize
this and shows reluctance obedience.
Herr Krauter, as father, seems to carry most of the burden of punishment.
When Fritz was especially restless, his mother said in a slightly threatening
tone that perhaps his father would make him quieter if he were there.
Another incident at the fest on the burg, when Fritz was asked to share
a chair wth his mother in order to make room for others, his father
answered his cimplaints with "You have onyl [only] two alternatives- sit here
or go home". Though said softly with a smile, this remark was quite openly
spoken with authority.
The children in Dorothy's age group (14 of them this year, an unusually
small number) will soon celebrate confirmation in the Evangelische Kirche
This is a regular annual function and seems to correlate the completion
of Mittelschule at about age 14. The ceremony consists, at least in part,
of a big party given by each family on a Sunday, succeeded on the following
Sunday by a speech of welcome as adult members in the church. Again on
this Sunday the families serve a big meal for friends and relatives.
This may supplement the autumn harvest festival (during which the 17 year
old boys and girls are official hosts and hostesses and lead town parades
etc.) as a "rite of passage", thogh it apparently affects a younger age
group and of course only within the Evangelische kirkche community.
Health seems to be an important value in the Krauter family. Frau Krauter
examined Fritz' feet one afternoon with some concern because she thought
she saw wet socks. The children are not allowed wine or coffee because
these are not thoughts good [for] her health. Further, the evening meal
is customarily light (only bread and butter, milk or fruit juice) because
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