Deutsches Jungvolk
Deutsches Jungvolk in der Hitlerjugend | |
Formation | 1928 |
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Dissolved | 1945 |
Type | Political youth organisation |
Legal status | Defunct, illegal |
Region | Nazi Germany Weimar Republic |
Parent organization | Nazi Party |
Affiliations | Hitler Youth |
Formerly called | Jungmannschaften |
Deutsches Jungvolk | |||
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The Deutsches Jungvolk in der Hitlerjugend (pronounced
Development
The Deutsches Jungvolk was founded in 1928 by Kurt Gruber under the title Jungmannschaften ("Youth Teams"), but it was renamed Knabenschaft in December 1928[1] and became the Deutsches Jungvolk in der Hitlerjugend in March 1931.[2] Both the Deutsches Jungvolk (DJ or DJV) and Hitler Youth (HJ) modelled parts of their uniforms and programmes on those of the German Scouting associations and of other youth groups,[3] which were banned by the Nazi government during 1933 and 1934.[4]
Following the enactment of the Law on the Hitler Youth on 1 December 1936,[5] boys had to be registered with the Reich Youth Office in the March of the year in which they would reach the age of ten; those who were found to be racially acceptable were expected to join the DJ. Although not compulsory, the failure of eligible boys to join the DJ was seen as a failure of civic responsibility on the part of their parents.[2]
The regulations were tightened further on 25 March 1939 by the Second Execution Order to the Law on the Hitler Youth ("Youth Service Regulation"), which made membership of the DJ or Hitler Youth mandatory for all Germans between 10 and 18 years of age. Parents could be fined or imprisoned for failing to register their children. Boys were excluded if they had previously been found guilty of "dishonourable acts", if they were found to be "unfit for service" for medical reasons, or if they were Jewish. Ethnic Poles or Danes living in the Reich (this was before the outbreak of World War II) could apply for exemption, but were not excluded.[6]
Training and activities
In spite of its recruits' early age the Jungvolk had an intensely political role. In 1938, the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler described enrollment from childhood in organisations associated with his party as an important part of indoctrinating young Germans with the regime's worldview, commenting:
These boys and girls enter our organizations with their ten years of age, and often for the first time get a little fresh air; after four years of the Young Folk they go on to the Hitler Youth, where we have them for another four years … And even if they are still not complete National Socialists, they go to Labor Service and are smoothed out there for another six, seven months … And whatever class consciousness or social status might still be left … the Wehrmacht will take care of that.[7]
The DJ and HJ copied many of the activities of the various German youth organizations that they replaced. For many boys, the DJ was the only way to participate in sports, camping, and hiking.
Once Germany was at war, basic pre-military preparation increased; by the end of 1940, DJ members were required to be trained in target shooting with small-bore rifles and to take part in "terrain manoeuvres".[10]
Organization
Recruits were called Pimpfe, a colloquial word from Upper German for "boy", "little rascal", "scamp", or "rapscallion" (originally "little fart").[11][12] Groups of 10 boys were called a Jungenschaft, with leaders chosen from the older boys; four of these formed a unit called a Jungzug. These units were further grouped into companies and battalions, each with their own leaders, who were usually young adults.[2] Der Pimpf, the Nazi magazine for boys, was particularly aimed at those in the Deutsches Jungvolk, with adventure and propaganda.[13]
Recruits were required to swear a version of the
Uniform and emblems
The DJ uniform was very similar to the Hitler Youth equivalent. The summer uniform consisted of a black shorts and tan shirt with pockets, worn with a rolled black neckerchief secured with a woggle, usually tucked under the collar.[15] Headgear originally consisted of a beret, but when this was discarded by the HY in 1934, the DJ adopted a side cap with coloured piping which denoted their unit.[16]
The emblem of the DJ was a white
Wartime
In addition to their pre-military training, the DJ contributed to the German war effort by collecting
Disbandment
With the surrender of Nazi Germany in 1945, the organization de facto ceased to exist. On 10 October 1945, it was outlawed.
Cultural depictions
The organisation or its members have occasionally featured in fictional works about
See also
References
- ^
Angolia, John R. (1991). The HJ, Volume 1. San Jose, California: R. James Bender Publishing. p. 61. ISBN 978-0912138442. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
A meeting of the Hitler Youth leadership in Plauen in December 1928 resulted in the formulation of the 'Deutsche Knabenschaft' (German Boys League), followed a year later by the formulation of the 'Deutsches Jungvolk' (German Young People) [...].
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7864-3935-5(p. 34)
- ISBN 978-1-4058-0169-0.
- ISBN 0-88738-002-6. Archivedfrom the original on 2020-10-09. Retrieved 2020-09-23.
- ^ "German History in Documents and Images (GHDI) – Law on the Hitler Youth (December 1, 1936)". Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
- ^ "German History in Documents and Images (GHDI) – Second Execution Order to the Law on the Hitler Youth ("Youth Service Regulation") (March 25, 1939)". Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
- ISBN 978-0-674-03374-0.
- ^ Lepage, pp. 70–72
- ^ Lepage, pp. 83–84
- ^ Lepage, p. 125
- ^ [1] Archived 2015-05-01 at the Wayback Machine Dudens Rechtschreibung.
- ISBN 978-0-7591-1984-0(p. 265)
- ^ Material from "Der Pimpf" Archived 2010-12-25 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "The History Place – Hitler Youth – Timeline and Organization". Archived from the original on 2013-05-04. Retrieved 2013-04-28.
- ISBN 0855241047(p. 43)
- ^ Stephens (p. 8)
- ^ Stephens (p. 73)
- ^ Lepage, p. 62
- ISBN 1-85532-257-9(p. 46)
- ISBN 978-1849086479(p. 399)
- ISBN 978-0425253687. Archivedfrom the original on 2020-10-09. Retrieved 2020-09-23. (Chapter 1)
External links
- Without Solving the Jewish Question, No Salvation for Mankind, an anti-Semitic children's story about DJ members from a book called Der Giftpilz published by Julius Streicher.