Figure 1.--

An outgrowth of the strong thread of idealizing the Nordic roots of Germany and Volk culture was an anti-Semetic thread in Wandervogel. Jews were not for the most part welcome in Wandervogel units. Many Wandervogel groups rejected any contact with the similar Jewish Blue-White organization. This was not a political statement, but a natural extension of theW Wandervogel concept of purifying the true Tetonic spirit. Wandervogel itself periodically addressed the question of Jewish membership. At the Wandervogel Conference in Frankfurt (Oder) during 1914, the organization decided to allow local units the right to exclude Jews from their ranks and remove those who were already members. [HBC note: This should be viewed in the context that similar anto-Semitism existed throughout Europe and America. Many groups such as college fraternities in America excluded Jews even into the 1960s. I'm less sure about Scouting. This is important to note in assessing the NAZIs and the Holocaust. German anti-Semitism until the NAZIs does not appear to have been exceptional. In fact many Jews fled to Germany from oppression in Russia in the late 19th and early 20th century before World War I.] The Wandervogel desire to remain apolitical became virtually impossible in the increasingly charged political situation after World War I (1914-18). Wandervogel boys even before the War were highly nationalistic. After the War boys were convinced that their country had been wronged by the Versailles Peace Treaty and the older, more politically conscious boys, were critical of the Weimar Government in which Socialist including some Jews were important. More politically active youth movements, especially right-ewing groups like the NAZIs, rejecting the Weimar Government and picking up on Wanndervogel tenets such as idealizing youth, Nordic and volk culture. Thus in the 1920s these right-wing groups with strong political agendas were able to draw many boys away from the Wandervogel movement. It also in part explains why the German youth movement was so easily incorporated into the Hitler Youth after the NAZI seizure of power in 1933. They were also disenchanted with the older generation and their new sets of values: work and money. These and other attitudes made it a relatiively easy matter for the NAZIS in 1933 to fold them and most other independent youth groups into the Hitler Youth. For many German youth, natioanlism was the key issue and with some anti-Semitism was a component of nationalism. Hitler and the NAZIs of course greatly expanded the anti-Semetic thread in the Hitler Youth movement.

Institutional Structure

The rather loose institutional structure of Wandervogel in part prevented any overall policy of anti-Semitism. The issue was handled by individual Wandervogel units. Wandervogel itself periodically addressed the question of Jewish membership. At the Wandervogel Conference in Frankfurt (Oder) during 1914, the organization decided to allow local units the right to exclude Jews from their ranks and remove those who were already members. We do not have at this time any actual data on how many Wandervogel units banned Jews, nor do we know if such data actually exists.

General Ethos

An outgrowth of the strong thread of idealizing the Nordic roots of Germany and Volk culture was an anti-Semetic thread in Wandervogel. Jews were not for the most part welcome in Wandervogel units. Many Wandervogel groups rejected any contact with the similar Jewish Blue-White organization. This was not a political statement, but a natural extension of theW Wandervogel concept of purifying the true Tetonic spirit.

Anti-Semitism in Other Countries

Ant-Semitism in the Wandervogel and in Germany generally should be viewed in the context that similar anto-Semitism existed throughout Europe and America. Many groups such as college fraternities in America excluded Jews even into the 1960s. I'm less sure about Scouting. This is important to note in assessing the NAZIs and the Holocaust. German anti-Semitism until the NAZIs does not appear to have been exceptional. In fact many Jews fled to Germany from oppression in Russia in the late 19th and early 20th century before World War I.

Extent of Anti-Semitism

We can not assess at this time the level of anti-Semitism in the Wandervogel movement. The fact that units could exclude Jews show that it was present. The fact that the national organization did not prohibit Jewish membership shows that there were differences of opinion within the organization. We do not know if anti-Semiism was more widespread in Wandervogel than German society in general. We suspect the importance of Teutonic and Volk culture suggests that many of the youth drawn to Wandervogel had anti-Semetic views. Then again there was a humanistic aspect of Wandervogel which drew youths that were somewhat less likely to hold anti-Semetic viwes.

Nature of Anti-Semitism

We are not suggesting that the anti-Semitism prevalent in Wandervogel was anything like the anti-Semitism associated with the NAZIs and Hitler Youth. Rather it seems to be more the anti-Semitism present in many countries which sought to exclude Jews from organizations, universities, clubs, fraternities, ect., but not to persue racist legislation or deprive Jews of civil rights. We know of no effort by Wandervogel to promote anti-Semitism. Rather it seems to be simply a factor associated with the attitudes of members. Again the stress on Teutonic and Volk culture could hekp stimulare anti-Semrtic attitudes.

The Inter-War Era

The Wandervogel desire to remain apolitical became virtually impossible in the increasingly charged political situation after World War I (1914-18). Wandervogel boys even before the War were highly nationalistic. After the War boys were convinced that their country had been wronged by the Versailles Peace Treaty and the older, more politically conscious boys, were critical of the Weimar Government in which Socialist including some Jews were important. More politically active youth movements, especially right-ewing groups like the NAZIs, rejecting the Weimar Government and picking up on Wanndervogel tenets such as idealizing youth, Nordic and volk culture. Thus in the 1920s these right-wing groups with strong political agendas were able to draw many boys away from the Wandervogel movement. It also in part explains why the German youth movement was so easily incorporated into the Hitler Youth after the NAZI seizure of power in 1933. They were also disenchanted with the older generation and their new sets of values: work and money.

NAZI Era

Threads like anti-Semitism and Nordic culture in the Wandervogel movement made it a relatiively easy matter for the NAZIS in 1933 to fold them and most other independent youth groups into the Hitler Youth. For many German youth, natioanlism was the key issue and with some anti-Semitism was a component of nationalism. Hitler and the NAZIs of course greatly expanded the anti-Semetic thread in the Hitler Youth movement.

Reader Comments

Some of our German readers have questioned our assessment of Wandervogel anti-Semitism. Unfortunately there comments generally only criticize our contention that there were anti-Semrtic threads in Wandervogel rather than adding any actual factual information to our discussion. We suspect that this may reflect a general admiration for the Wandervogel Movement and an objection to any criticism of it. Actually while we believe Wandervogel was affected by abti-Semitism we do not suggest that it was the virulent anti-Semitism of the NAZIs.

One reader writes, "You assert 'Wandervogel stressed Germany's Teutonic roots, a highly nationalistic approach, rather than the international approach of Scouting that allowed it to spread beyond England. It was because of the stress on the Teutonic folk idea anti-Semetic, forshadowing a sinister streak in the German youth movement which would appear in a more virulent form in the Hitler Youth.' think you are mixing up nationalism and anti-semitism. Wandervögel sure were nationalistic by that time (e.g. taking part in World War I as volunteers). But anti-Semitism was not that easily accepted and tolerated within the Wandervogel as it is suggested by your article. And the Hitler Youth (HJ) was not part of the German youth movement." [Junge] Here we accept that anti-Semtism is not an inevitable aspect of nationalism. We maintain, however, in Germany often the most ardent nationalists were the most anti-Semrtic. Not always, but this was the common pattern. It was the case before World War I, it was even more stronngly the case after the War. Many right-wing ultra-patriotic parties emerged after the War, the NAZIs were just one of these parties.

Additional Research

We certainly agree that more research is needed on this subject. Our reader suggests that a good soyrce is Hermann Giesecke's Vom Wandervogel bis zur Hitlerjugend (1981). Unfortunartely as it is written in German, it is difficult for us to use. We would be very interested in any information that our German readrs may find.

Sources

Junge, Mariano. E-mail mesage, May 12, 2004.