Polish plait

The Weichselzopf (also Gnome, Wüchsel, Schrötleins or Judenzopf, Haarschrötel, Trichoma, Cirragra, plica polonica called ) is the historical name for a massive agglomeration matted head hair into a tangled web similar to today's dreadlocks, which in extreme cases, the hair can relate as a whole. The term was also used figuratively for thoughts and literary works.

History

The Weichselzopf was not uncommon in the Middle Ages and until the 16th century in Germany and is located in Switzerland, in Belgium, found in Alsace and the Rhine. In the 19th century, he still felt in the Danube countries and in Poland, where the Latin name plica polonica and the English polish plait stir.

Medicine

The Weichselzopf also got into the focus of medicine, as he was often accompanied by skin diseases and was associated with more widespread in the poorer sections of the population of poor hygiene. It was in these cases proving illness initially at individual points and then around the surface of the scalp weeping rash that mostly dried up to scab and glued the hair to form a dense, felt-like structure. Since a combing of the hair was avoided partly due to the pain in part because of superstitious prejudices, encamped in the fur, apart from the exudate, debris of all possible kind, which made even denser the hair mass and also could accommodate lice, nits also contributed to the bonding. From the medical side was therefore concern for cleanliness of the hair and skin required to prevent or make rückgangig these phenomena.

Thus, for instance in Meyers Lexicon ( 4th edition from 1888 to 1890 ):

In the medical and sanitary works, the terms appear mainly to about 1910 and in decreasing dimensions and increasing historical observation until shortly after 1920, then almost only. In dictionaries for a matting of hair by the Nissen severe Kopfverlausung and eczema crusts or as a note In veterinary works, he appeared primarily in connection with horses.

Famous bearer

The most famous person who had a haircut in the style of Weichselzopfs, was the Danish- Norwegian king Christian IV ( 1577-1648 ). His hairstyle that was to flatter the king, imitated in his court, had the form of a " pig tail " that hung from the left side of his head and was decorated with a red bow.