Figure 1.--NAZI authorities published an yearbook for boys. It was entitled "Jungen: Eure Welt", meaning "Boys: Your World". Here is Volume II (1939), although it was published in 1938 with information about 1938 activities and events. |
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The Germans began publishing a boys yearbook (1938). We do not know if thefre was a comparable girls' yearbook. s We have not yet found a complete set of these yearbooks. We have found some scans from various volumes. The first volume was published in 1938. itler launched the War in 1939, but the book presumably was published earlier in the year. We note Volume V published in 1942. It had some color photographs. While the NAZIs had been stopped before Moscow, most of Europe was still in NAZI hands and the War was by no means lost. Volume VI published in 1943 was the last volume. We note that the subtitle was changed. The situation in Germant began to deteriorate in 1943 because of
serious military reverses. Hitkler had anticipated that the resources of the East would enable him gio wage war indefinitely. This did not occur and the resources seized in the East were barely enough gto support Wehrnmacht operatuibns there. The 1943 volume is all black and white, a small indication of the deteriorating military situation. After 1943 the war situation declined to the point that large books like this could no longer be published.
These yearbooks were prepared and published the year before the date. After all who wants to buy the 1939 yearbook in 1940. We believe that the yearbooks here were put on sale soon after the New Year. Of course you want the 1940 yearbook in 1940, but by preparing it the year before, the yearbook becomes an account of activities and events in the previos year. Thus the 1939 yearbook becomes an account of 1938. And indeed we see Austria and the Anschlus featured in the 1939 yearbook. The fact that the first book was not published until 1938 means thAt the books were published in the era that Germany was rapidly moving toward war or actually during World War II.
The books were published by Zentralverlag der NSDAP. Verlag means publishing house. The Zentralverlag der NSDAP means the Central Publishing House of the NAZI Party. Notice that the title page of Eure Welt reads 'Franz E. Nachf'. The NAZI Party purchased a Munich publishing house named Franz Eher (1920). The title page of their books continued to mention Franz Eher for some reason and added Nachfolger, meaning successor. The Party paid 110,000 marks. They published Hitler's book, Mein Kampf. They published most of the Nazi propaganda and other tracts. After the NAZI take over, Goebbels Propaganda Ministry also established control over other German publishers. And with the power of the NAZI police state, the Zentralverlag began acquiring other German publicatiions and publishers. Some were owned by Jews. It was a GmbH. GmbH is Genossenschaft mit beschränkter Haftung which means Ltd.-- a corporation or limited liability company. Eventually the Zentralverlag became one of the largest publishing houses in the world.
Opposite the title page there is, "Graphik und Schusbumchlag: Ferdi Spindel". I think that means that Spindel did the graophics and illustrations.
The Germans began publishing a boys yearbook (1938). For some reason it took 5 years to ciomeup weith the idea. By this time all German children were required by law to join the Hitler Youth. We do not know if thefre was a comparable girls' yearbook. s We have not yet found a complete set of these yearbooks. We have found some scans from various volumes. The first volume was published in 1938. itler launched the War in 1939, but the book presumably was published earlier in the year. We note Volume V published in 1942. It had some color photographs. While the NAZIs had been stopped before Moscow, most of Europe was still in NAZI hands and the War was by no means lost. Volume VI published in 1943 was the last volume. We note that the subtitle was changed. The situation in Germant began to deteriorate in 1943 because of serious military reverses. Hitler had anticipated that the resources of the East would enable him gio wage war indefinitely. This did not occur and the resources seized in the East were barely enough gto support Wehrnmacht operatuibns there. The 1943 volume is all black and white, a small indication of the deteriorating military situation. After 1943 the war situation declined to the point that large books like this could no longer be published.
The first volume of Jungen: Eure Welt (Boys - Your World: The Year Book of the German Boy) was published in 1938. This book is a compilation of articles of interest to the German Youth in their teens.
There are sections on current events, politics, arts and crafts, games, sports, wildlife and similar content.
It was published in hardcover in full linnen. The binding size was 6 3/4" x 9 3/4". The editors (Herausgegeben von)
were Wilhelm Utermann and Karl Lapper. We know little about Utermann, except that he wrote a number of books about NAZI Germany touching upon economic matters. Lapper was an Austruan who earned a dictorate in law. He formed a NAZI youth group in Austria and was later active in both the the Hitler Youth and Goebbels Propagabnda Ministry. He reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the SS. The book was published by Zentralv., Franz E. Nachf., Gmbh., Munchen (Munich). The book is a mix of topics including articles about Hitler Youth activities and military matters, including military ranks and badges. There were also non-political articles that would appeal to boys, like outer space, construction (we think the Autobahns), and adventures in Africa. We do not have an index, but notice the following articles: Willi Richter, "Unter der fchibarzen Lagerfahne des Jungvolks', Harald Gloth, 'Die Leute von Penzberg', and Bruno H. Bürgel, 'Sind die Sterne bervohnt?'.
We have found a 1939 volume. Hitler launched the War in 1939, but the book was published in 1938 for distribution in 1939. The 1939 book has a range of articles that would appeal to young people, probably the boys more than girls. The articles in the 1939 volume included the HJ Leadership, 12 Months of Hitler Youth Work, the Work of the Führer Corps, Water, Air and Motors, Lucky Austria, Rudolf Hess, Fascist Italy, Himalaya, Langenmarck, Looking for Gorillas in the Jungle, Our Kriegsmarine, Armored Cars and Mechanized Vehicles at the Front, German Flyers over Enemy Land, Sports Heroes from Bernd Rosemeyer to Berger Ruuds, Sailplane Flying, the Small Sailboat, Auto Racing, the Sun - Motor of the Universe, Natural History, the Battle of Torgau, Plastics, Television, as well as a great color illustration and an article about of a small city with a military base nearby and projects that young people could make like the German red Nazi swastika flag. The choice of topics is very interesting. There was a heavy military emphasis, notable for a country still at peace.
We note Volume V published in 1942. While the NAZIs had been stopped before Moscow, most of Europe was still in NAZI hands and the War was by no means lost. The volume, however, was prepared in 1941 when the NAZI armies were surging through the Soviet Union and many though that Barbarossa would be another stunning NAZI success. The volume had some color photographs. Germany at the rime was a leader in color photography. We note that the subtitle was changed, although we are not sure why. There are a range of material, including articles about the HJ Leadership, the War Work of the Hitler-Jugend, the SS-Heimkehr Program (SS Repatriation), the Battle for Narvik, the War in France, the Balkan Campaign, Victory at Dunkirk, the Father of the Stuka, West Africa, Islam, Catacombs, Ships in a Bottle, the Origins of Dogs and Horses, the Universe, Natural History, Perpetual Motion, the German Patent Office, U-Boots, Thiland (a chapter by Ralph Colin Ross), and projects and amusements that young people could make. This included a toy armoured vehicle. There is artwork and maps, photographs including a full-color page of the Wehrmacht marching down the Champs Elysees in Paris. This was a very emotive scene. Germany had fought for over 4 years and lost hundreds of thiusands of men trying to accomplish in World War I and Hitler had accomplished it in only a few weeks of fighting with very light losses.
Volume VI published in 1943 was the last volume. The content issimilar to the other volumes. There are sections on current events, politics, the war, arts and crafts, games, sports, wildlife and similar content. Much of the book is devoted to the War and boys preparing for military service through the Hitler Youth program. An important aspect of the Hitler Youth was to funnel boys into the various services of the German military. Of course there were countless military victories which could be used for the early volumes. This changed in 1942 when NAZI armies began to experience military defeats, but the publishers could simply harken back to earlier victories. The 1943 volume is all black and white, a small indication of the deteriorating military situation. After 1943 the war situation declined to the point that large books like this could no longer be published.
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