Military Training in Specialized Divisions: Marine HJ

Figure 1.--Notice this HJ boy's diamond-shaped HJ badge on his cap. His cap band reads, "Stargard in Pommern". Stargard was a city in what was German Pommerania. This does not seem to be a vessel name. Aso notice the arm band which is only partially visible. We are not sure if this boy is in the HJ or the Kreigsmarine.

One of the specialized HJ divisions thar DJ boys could chose when they graduated to the HJ was the Marine-HJ (Naval Hitler Youth). The Marine-HJ engaged in a variety of seafaring activities like sailing and rowing. The boys trained with the navy, but we have only limited informaion on the program at this time. Boys were brought aboard Kriegsmarina vessels just as Flieger-HJ boys were brought aboard Luftwaffe ircraft. The highlight of the Marine HJ progrm was the naval training cruise on the Navy's training ship Horst Wessel--named after a HJ martyr. The boys could then progress into the Kriegsmarina or the Merchant Marine. While Germany only had a small navy when World War II broke out, the HJ Marine Division provided a pool of man power when Hitler approved the expansion of the U-boat force. It proved to be one of the military forces with the greatest proportion of mortality during the War.

Purpose

One of the specialized HJ divisions was the Marine-HJ ore naval branch of the Hitler Youth movement. The purpose was created to promote promote an interest in the sea and sailing and thus draw boys into preparing for the Kriegsmarine and merchant marine.

Interest

The Marine-HJ was especially popular in coastal areas of Germany and even inland areas near larger lakes and rivers. One source reports that the Marine Division was especially popular uin northern Germany. Yhis mean the North Sea and Baltic coasual areas of Germany. And many boys in the big northern cities (Hamburg, Bremen or Kiel) were already familiar with with boaring, including sailboats and kayaks. Not all Marine-HJ units were, howver, located near the sea or inland waters. Apparently even Berlin (about 100 miles inland) had a Marine-HJ unit. And their were Marine-HJ units organized in Austria after the Anschluss.

Age

The Deutche Jugend (DJ) boys upon reaching age 14 could chose to participate in a spcialized group and the Marine-HJ was one of those choices.

Activities

The Marine-HJ engaged in a variety of seafaring activities like sailing and rowing.

Leadership

The Marine-HJ leadership was providd by older youths who had gone throught the program as boys or adult instructors.

Training

The Marine-HJ taught the boys the basics of seamanship. The boys trained with the navy, but we have only limited informaion on the program at this time. Boys were brought aboard Kriegsmarine vessels just as Flieger-HJ boys were brought aboar Luftwaffe ircraft. The highlight of the Marine HJ progrm was the naval training cruise on the Navy's training ship Horst Wessel.

Uniform

The Marine HJ uniform was based on that of the Kriegsmarine rather than the ordinary HJ uniform. The principal difference was the white metal insignia and fittings that were used instead of the gilt colored metal items used on the Kriegsmarine uniform. There was both a blue dress uniform (figure 1) and a white work uniform. The were also blue and white caps. We had thought that these were summer and winter uniforms, but the white uniform appears to have been a work or actiities uniform. They wore the HJ diamond-shaped pin on their caps and arm bands identifying them as HJ members. The boys wore cap bands showing the city where their HJ unit was based rather than the name of their vessel as is the case for actual sailors. Many sailors would save the cap bands and today in Europe in Germany, England, and other countries some military uniform enthusiasts collect these bands. We have noted the boys wearing long pants. We are not sure if they also wore short pants like the regular HJ. There were special uniforms for the officers as in the other HJ divisions. The HJ in 1938 introduced specialized shoulder straps which became the only sytimatic visual representation of rank. The Marine-HJ shoulder straps were dark navy-blue with yellow piping, contrasting to the rest of the HJ which had black shoulder straps that were piped in different colors depending on the HJ service division.

Kriegsmarine

The boys after completing the Marine-HJ program could then progress into the Kriegsmarina or the Merchant Marine. We see many younger German sailors wearing their HJ pins along with the Kriegsmarine eagle pin. I'm not sure how long the boys would continue to wear their HJ pins after they joined the Navy. Almost all of the youths entering the Kriegsmarine in World War II would have have gone through the HJ program. I am less sure just what porportion came from the Marine Division, but would assume it was fairly high. While Germany only had a small navy when World War II broke out, the HJ Marine Division provided a pool of man power when Hitler approved the expansion of the U-boat force. It proved to be one of the military forces with the greatest proportion of mortality during the War.

Stargard

The Marine-HJ boy seen here in the blue uniform was from Stargard in Pommerania, as can be seen by his cap band (figure 1). Stargard was in Hinterpommern, i.e. Pommerania east of the Oder. The city was an important rail junction and industrial city with has metalworking and chemical industries. The town was first chartered in the 13th century. It later joined the Hanseatic League. It was the capital of Farther Pomerania (Hinterpommern). It became a part of Brandenburg in 1648 and thus Prussia. The town was destroyed in vicious fighting during World War II. It was transferred to Poland at the end of the War in 1945. Stargard is only 30 kilometers from Stettin, a seaport and at the time a naval base. It's connected by the Ina River to the Oder and hence to the Baltic. Besides, being a Hanseatic city its people must have been oriented toward seafaring activities for centuries.