Hitler Youth Activities: Distinctive Military Training

Figure 1.--

An observer writes, "As for the pre-military training, the Hitler Youth was not the only youth organization doing this at that point in history. U.S. Boy Scouts also learned orienteering, rifle shooting, etc. It's nothing that was unique to the Hitler Youth." [Crawford] Here we do not entirely agree. We do agree there was overlap and in some cases there is a fine line. Target shooting is an example here. Our information is still limited here, but our initial assessment is that the HJ program was much more strongly oriented toward actual pre-military training then the Boy Scouts. There was certainly programs like orienteering and rifelry in the Boy Scouts. We think, however, the context was different. The activities were not put in a military context by the Boy Scouts. The HJ did put them in a military context. In addition, Scouts were never given military exercizes to perform like laying commuication lines. Nor were there any attempt to glorify war like staging mock funerals for fallen warriors. Rifelry was always in the context of marksmanship and hunting. The HJ not only put rifelry in a military context, but exposed older boys to other weaponry.

Differeing Opinions

HBU has encountered some differences in opinion as to just how different Scouting and the Hitler Youth were in terms of militarism.

Little Difference

One observer believes that there was little difference between the Hitler Youth and Boy Scouts as to military activities. He tells us, "As far as the scouts vs. the Hitler Youth are concerned I both have to agree and disagree with you. The Boy Scouts were originally founded as a military unit, the Mafeking Cadet Corps, which fought in the Boer War at the Siege of Mafeking. Baden-Powell's original book on scouting is a military training manual called Aids to Scouting, and in 1907 he published a revised version called Boy Patrols. The more famous manual, Scouting for Boys is largely based on Baden-Powell's 1899 book Scouting for NCOs and Men, another military manual. You might find the following Boy Scout History links very useful. This one, in particular (The Sons of the Nation)) has an article about perceived and real militarism in the Boy Scouts - from their uniforms to their military equipment to their rifles. Another one tells about Boy Scouts during World War II (The Left Handshake) tells you plenty about the wartime contributions of Boy Scouts internationally - such as running canteens for the soldiers, collecting money, making camouflage nets, delivering mail, making toys for children, working as messengers and at hospitals. Members of the Sea Scouts were trained by the British Royal Navy and saw active military service. Equally, members of the Air Scouts were overseen by the Royal Air Force in Britain. And most scouts once they'd reached enlistment age (just like their HJ counterparts prior to "war's end") enlisted in the military. I think the only significant difference between the Boy Scout and the Hitler Youth was that at the end of the war, Hitler Youth boys actually had combat formations whereas the Boy Scouts did not. However, if Britain had been invaded - maybe they would've have..." [Crawford]

Significant Difference

The discussion here of the Scouts is interesting. I entirely agree with the military origins of the Scouts. I think one needs to be careful in making the case for militarization in the Scouts by using information from the first few years. Baden Powell's Scout Association was challenged by a rival group, the British Boy Scouts which achieved considerable success. Among various differences, two of the most important was mititarization and nationalism. BP finally overcame the challenge by coopting their issues. The military aspect was reduced and he began to develop Scouting as an international movement. Thus Scouting changed a great deal after World War I. It is true that Scouting in America and some other countries has rifelry merit badges, but it was an elective activity. One did not need to have a rifelry merit badge to gain a higher rank. The Hitler Youth program on the other hand was more standardized and various levels of military training was an essential part of the program. Also we note HJ boys at camp conducting virtual military exercizes, far beyond anything we have noted conducted by Scouts. It is quite correct that Scouts in NAZI occupied countries during World war II played a role in the resistance movement. The NAZIs banned Scouting in occupied countries, although precise regulations varied from country to country. Scouts aiding the resistance strikes us, however, as quite different than a military component to the Scout program. It is true that there were connections between the military and Scouting. The American National Scout Jamboree, for example, is held at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia every 4 years. Military units often have booths at local Scout expos. These and other connections, however, are much more limited with the close connections between the German military and the Hitler Youth. NAZI Germany instituted a conscription program and links were established so that older HJ boys were directed into the various military services.

Time Frame

The time frame is an important factor, both for Scouting and the Hitler Youth. We mention above that Baden Powell's Scouting Association was significantly affected by its competition with the British Boy Scouts in the early years. Our contributor who has done considerable research on the HJ writes, "Don't get me wrong, I agree on a lot of your points on the difference between the Scouts and the Hitler Youth. I think we specifically have to look at the Hitler Youth pre-war and during the war as almost separate entities because training and work changed so much during the war." This is an important point. HBU does not yet have details on the changes in the HJ program overvtime, but this is certainly an interesting facet for further research,

Sources

Crawford, Chris. E-mail message, June 5-7, 2005. Chris has a fascinating site of his own bout the HJ, focusing on the BDM. Interested readers may want to visit her site--Bund Deutscher Mädel.