Military Training in Specialized Divisions: Marine HJ Uniform

Figure 1.--Notice this HJ boy's duamond-shaped HJ badge on his white cap which he is wearing with a blue uniform. His cap band reads, "MHJ Flo ..." That means the Marine HJ and the name of his city which I am unsure about at this time. Note the badge on his sleeve, I'm not yet sure what this signified.

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 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.

Navy Uniform

The Marine HJ uniform was based on that of the Kriegsmarine rather than the ordinary HJ uniform.

Insignia and fittings

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.

HJ pin

They wore the HJ diamond-shaped pin on their caps and arm bands identifying them as HJ members (figure 1).

Arm bands

Some photographs show the boys wearing arm bands. I'm not sure how common this was. It may have been only for dress occassions.

Two Uniforms

There was both a blue dress uniform and a white work uniform. We had thought that these were summer and winter uniforms, but the white uniform appears to have been a work or activities uniform.

Caps

The were also blue and white caps. Usually but not always the boys wore white caps with white suits and blur caps with blue suits. This was, however, not always the case as can be seen here (figure 1). Again these caps were the same as the ones worn in the Kriegsmarine. The boys wore cap bands. The correct name for these bands are "tallies". The tllies showed 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. Well made sailor suits for boys also had caps withthese tallies which were commonly for one of the most prestigious ships in the natinal navies--normally battleships.

Pants

We have noted the boys wearing long pants. We are not sure if they also wore short pants like the regular HJ.

Officers Uniforms

There were special uniforms for the officers as in the other HJ divisions.

Shoulder Straps

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.

German Text

We have found some text in German, but do not yet know what it says:

MARINE - HJ Die MarineHitlerJugend (M.H.J.) ging aus der Deutschen Marinejugend (D.M.J.), dem Bund Deutscher Marine Vereine (B.D.M.V.) und dem Marine SA Jungsturm hervor. Die Mützenbänder waren kornblumenblau mit weißer Inschrift. Die Kokarde war rot - weiß - schwarz in Form eines Rombus. Die Jungen aus dem B.D.M.V. trugen nach der Überführung in die M.H.J. zuerst einheitlich das Mützenband mit der Inschrift: Marine Hitler Jugend. Am Beispiel der Berliner M.H.J. soll die Gründung dargestellt werden: Im August 1933 wurde in Berlin - Grünau der MARINE - SA JUNGSTURM gegründet. Die Wassersportvereine bekamen die Zwangsaufforderung, ihre gesamten Jugendabteilungen vollzählig an den MARINE - SA JUNGSTURM zu überstellen. Im September / Oktober 1933 wurde der MARINE -SA JUNGSTURM in MARINE HITLER JUGEND umgetauft. Die Mützenbänder hatten die Inschrift M.H.J.BERLIN 1 - 18. Die Buchstaben waren zunächst in lateinischen Großbuchstaben, später dann in der gotischen Schrift. Anfang 1935 wurde eine Ehrengefolgschaft gebildet, welche das Band M.H.J. BERLIN 13 trug. Im März 1935 war das erste Auftreten der M.H.J., im gesamten Reich, in Hamburg zum Tag der deutschen Seefahrt. Bis Ende 1944 Anfang 1945 wurde in den Reichsseesportschulen Lehrgänge für die M.H.J. abgehalten. Mit der vorauszusehenden Kapitulation der deutschen Wehrmacht wurden auch die Reichsseesportschulen aufgelöst und die Hitlerjungen zum Volkssturm oder aber wieder in die Heimat geschickt. Zur Zeit sind 136 M.H.J.Mützenbänder mit Vorläufern bekannt. MARINE - SA Auch die MARINE - SA trug Mützenbänder. Die Bänder waren schwarz mit goldenen lateinischen Großbuchstaben oder in Frakturschrift (S.A. POTSDAM MARINE - JUNGSTURM SA.Potsdam Marine - Jungsturm). Nur die Bänder der S.A. - Seesportführerschule Neustadt und die Wassersportschule Friedrichsort waren kornblumenblau mit weißer Frakturschrift. Zur Zeit sind 12 Marine SA Mützenbänder bekannt.