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The boys belong to a youth group, but before 1933 not the Hitler Youth. Several of the camp photographs focus on two boys, presumably brothers of the family here. Here we see the two boys with a banner (figure 1). We thought it was the Hitler Youth at first because the uniforms are similar. The shirt and belt buckles look like the HJ. The leather suspenders, however, were not like the straps worn by the HJ boys. And more importantly there are no NAZI insignia. We notice banners and patches that do not seem to be HJ regalia. The youth group photographs are not dated, but given the placement in the album would have been taken in the early 1930s. We are not sure just what group is involved here. The NAZIs very quickly shut down other youth groups after seizing power, but the Catholic youth association was allowed to operate for several years. Perhaps this was the group. The banner reads "Chemnitz" which is a German town. This means this is where the boys lived. There also seems to be a cross on the banner.
Organized uniformed youth groups began in Germant during the mid 1890s when Wandervogel began to form. It was officially chartered in 1900 and had an imense influence on the development of German youth groups. Scouting also appeared in Germany in the 1900s, but never had the nfluence that it had in American, England, and other European countries. The first generatio of boys joining youth groups was shatered by World War I. After the War a defeated and demoralized Germany searched for its soul. Wandervogel split into a great multitude of sectarian and often higly politicized groups, including the Hitler Youth whic was formed in 1926. Many boys belonged to these groups which included the Boy Scouts as well as groups founded by political partoes and religious groups. Upon seizing power, the NAZIS absorbed or abolished all youth groups except for the Hitler Youth. The Catholic youth association was allowed to cintinue for a few years, but evetually it to was ansorbed by the Hitler Youth. The NAZIs then used the Hitler Youth to mold a new generation of Germans and prepare them for war.
The boys belong to a youth group, but before 1933 not the Hitler Youth. We do not know, however, just which group this was. The cross on the boy's sleeve probably identified it (figure 1). There also seems to be a cross on the banner. Unfortunately, we do not know enough of the regalia of the diiferent youth groups to identify the group. While we do not know the identity of the group, we do see the boys involved in a range of activities, inclufing hiking and camping.
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