Hitler Youth Pageantry: Local Party Rallies

Figure 1.--This NAZI Party rally (Kundgebung) was held in Freiberg during 1936. Freiburg is a city in southwestern Germany. It was apparently taken for Lotte (from Charlotte) Lindt, presumably one if the girls participating. The prticipants in the white shirts are the Bund Deutscher Mädel (BDM) girls. I think most of the other partipants are HJ boys, but curiously I do not notice the standard black shorts.

Party rallies were held all over Germany. The purpose was to frim up support and inspire the family faithful. These were events that German boys and girls could participate in and their patriotism admired by family and neigbors. These rallies were held in many locations and at different times of the year. The image here shows a rally in Freiberg, a city in southwestern Germany (figure 1). They were notable for their military formations. The NAZIs were very good at staging theatrically emotive events. Often very dramatic locations were chisen for these rallies. I am not sure what the impression was on the participants. I rather think the children were very impressed, but this is somrething that needs to be conformed. We have very little information on these rallies at this time. I am not sure, but I believe thsat various NAZI formations may been involved in these rallies. Here we are talking avout the Hitler Youth, but other groups such as the SA seemed to have been involved as well.