NAZI Germany: Youth Group Holdout--Unidentified Group (1934)

> Figure 1.--The Catholic youth organizations were the primary groups resisting incorporation into the Hitler Youth. Some natioinalist groups also resisted. We are not sure what groups is involved here in 1934. There is some information on the back which provides some clues. Put your cursor on the image to see the back of he card.

The Catholic youth organizations were the primary groups resisting incorporation into the Hitler Youth. Some natioinalist groups also resisted. We are not sure what groups is involved here in 1934. There is some information on the back that may provide some clues, but the group is not identified. We do not yey know the full name or any details about the organization. It appears to be a small nationalist group.

Inscription

The back of the card reads in the German writing form of the first half of the 20th century: "Meinen lieben Fähnleinführern für treuen Dienst gewidmet. Treue ist das Mark der Efr. Im Frühling des Neuenjahres 1934. E.K." Our German speaking readers have provides us a translation of the message on the back. The translation reads: "Dedicated to my dear squad leaders for loyal service. Faithfulness is the essence of honour! (or "Loyalty is the core of honor.) In springtime of the year of tempest 1934. (signed) E. K." Doing this translation was not easy because of the hand writing and the old German script. HBC German readeres collaborated on this translation and debated some of the letters. One reader thought that the group might be "EFR". Another reader writes, "Sorry to say, the other German reader who reacted first is certainly in error with respect to the "EFR". This group name does not appear in this backside message. Please compare the end of the third line, "... Ehre !" - (the correct reading) with the end of the word in the fifth line, "... jahres 1934."; there are absolutely similar handwritings of the three letters "hre". Best recommendations to the other German reader: In a second consideration he will certainly accept my explanation - Ich bin 1935 geboren und habe noch Deutschschreiben in der Schule gelernt, inzwischen mehrfach intensiv solche Handschriften studieren müssen und fühle mich da absolut sicher, nichts für Ungut!" With the first letters of the word in the fifth line I have problems. I have interpreted it differently as a capital "S" and the second letter as a small "t". I am rather convinced with the small "t", compare this letter, e.g., with the "t" in the second line at the end of the last two words and also the "ist" in the third line", very similar. If one accepts the "t" there, only a capital "S" at the beginning makes sense - old German handwriting is not easy!"

Unidentified Group

We have no idea what youth group is represented here. As the card was made in 1934, it is apparently one of the youth groups that Baldur Von Schirach did not succeed in incorporating into the Hitler Youth in 1934. These groups were mostly Catholic or nationalist. As there are no religious symbols in the portrait and there is rather a military stance, we might guess that this group was a small nationalist group. Unfortunately we have no information about the group at this time.

Uniform

The younger boy here is clearly wearing a uniform. He has a shirt with epaulets and flap pockets. He has one leather suspender and belt. The scarfe is very narrow. There are no badges are emblems. He als wears long sxhort pants and as it is spring and still presumably a little chilly, he wears long stockings. We have no clues as to the colors. The older youth is wearing a different outfit, perhaps one for group leaders.

Banner

The banner presumably displays the organization's symbol. We have, however, no idea about the symbolism involved.

Incorporation into the Hitler Youth

While most German German youth groups were incorpotated into the Hitler Youth or banned in 1933. Many leaders of groups hositle to the NAZIs were arrested. Sone were even murdered without even being arrested. Others like the Catholics and natioinalist grouops were treated with more circomspection. This appears to be a nationalist,rather than a Catholic, organization that remained independent at least in early 1934. There were so many groups, some quite small, that some remained independent for some years. This was especially true for small groups that claimed that they were not political. Just what happened to the Erf we are not sure.

Fähnlein

A German reader looked for the meaning of "Fähnlein". The German Wikipedia explains it as a small group of people in an organisation, e.g., for Scouts, Samblers ("Wandervögel"), and the Deutsches Jungvolk. This would I believe be like a troop in Scouting.