Deutsche Jungvolk: Winter Uniform

Figure 1.--Here we have an unidentified DJ boy in his winter uniform. He looks to be a boy who has just entered thec DJ at about 10 years of age.

The male side of the Hitler Youth was divided into two sections. The younger section, the Deutsche Jungvolk (DJ) consisting of boys from the age of 10 to 14. The winter uniform for the DJ, depending on the boy's age, consisted of black shorts or long dark blue trousers worn with either the dark blue tunic or the dark blue blouse with large collar. Under this was worn the traditional light brown shirt. A black neckerchief held in place by a brown leather toggle. A belt with the Hitler Youth buckle was alway worn. Many boys wore the belt with a shoulder strap. HBU is not sure if there were differences between the uniforms worn by the DJ and the older Hitler Youth boys. The DJ boys were more likely to wear short pants in the winter. (Even the older boys wore short pants in the summer.)

Garments

We have collected detailed infornmation on the DJ Winter uniform. The cap was a distinctive dark blue ski-type cap, matching the winter jacket. It was completely dfferent than the summer cap. I don't think it had ear flaps, at least I have never noted the boys wearing them down. The cap was worn with the same diamond shaped Hitler Youth pin that was worn in the brown summer cap. The cap is similar to what German readers have described to us as a Schirmmütze. I have no idea how to translate it. DJ boys in the winter wore the same black neckercjief held in place by a brown leather toggle tat they wore in the summer. Often this is not apparent because the knerchief was worn under the jacket which was almost always worn buttoned. This was the same neckerchief worn by the oklder HJ boys. It was a unifornm item adopted from Scouting. Boys wore the standard light brown shirt under their winter jackets. Ther were no special winter or summer shirts. It was initially the result iof inexpensive surplus military garments. But it fit in with the para-military look of the SA--popularly known as the Brown Shirts. And the HJ began as a SA unit. Hitler Youth boys are not normally depicted wearing the arm band. I'm not sure if they needed permission to wear it if only the officers were allowed to do so. Wearing the arm band appears to havebeen more common in the early years. "The first Hitler Youth style uniforms featured a brown shirt and black shorts and a unique arm band with a Nazi swastika minus the white circular background, with a white horizontal stripe added to easily distinguish youth members from brownshirted storm troopers, the SA, who resented being confused with the youths." The white horrizontal stripe was also incorporated into the Hitler Youth flag. The winter uniform consisted of either a dark blue tunic or the dark blue blouse with large collar. Some images show boys wearing both uniforms, so HBU is not quite sure about who decided what was to be worn and when. This may have varied over time. In many images, some boys do not wear the winter jacket. This may have been because it was a warm day and some boys did not think the winter jacket was needed. Perhaps some parts did not buy the winter jacket for their boys. Presumably the group leader would have announced the appropriate uniform. The fact that many boys showed up without the jacket, suggests that they were not sharply reprimanded, although this probbaly varied from group to group. These jackets were not all that heavy. We're not sure how the boys dressed on really cold days or if outseide activities were suspended when it was really cold. The winter uniform for the DJ, depending on the boy's age, consisted of black shorts or long dark blue trousers. HBU does not know if the various groups set requirements about wearing short or long pants or if it was left up to the parents. Available images suggest that different units set such rules. It appears, however, to be highly variable. although the boys in individual units appear to often dress identically. The long pants were often worn as ski pants blouced above the ankles--but some boys wore them as regular long pants. A belt with the Hitler Youth buckle was alway worn. Many boys wore the belt with a shoulder strap. We notice some units where none of the DJ boys wore the shoulder strap, only the HJ boys assisting with the unit. In other groups some DJ boys wore the shoulder strap and some did not. The boys that wore short pants with the winter uniform usually wore grey kneesocks. Some boys wore ankle socks, but the kneesocks were more common. Often theyy were not pulled up to the knee. Many images show boys with socks that do not look long emough to be pulled up the the knee, even if not cuffed over like turn-over-top socks. White kneesocks were also worn, but this appears to have been a dressy style for formal occasions. DJ boys did not wear long stockings, even in the winter. There may have been some exceotions here in rural areas, but basically the Hitler Youth did not approve of long ober the knee stockings. It is quite rare to see DJ boys wearing rhem even in the coldestvof weather. Boys mostly wore leather shoes. Some boys wore boot-like shoes. For the most part I believe the same accesories were worn with both the winter and summer uniform. I do not know if there was a standard toggle/woggle or the boys could choose. The Hitler Youth knife was one of a boy's most trasured possessions.

Differences

HBU is not sure if there were differences between the uniforms worn by the DJ and the older Hitler Youth boys. The DJ boys were more likely to wear short pants in the winter. (Even the older boys wore short pants in the summer.)