Hitler Youth Uniforms: Insignias and Patches

Figure 1.--This group of DJ campers looks to be boys that have just joined the HJ at age 10. Notice the older boy at the left, who has cramed is shirt pockets full, is the only one with a triangular shoulder patch abd an oval lighting bolt patch. He does not yet appear to be a youth leader, however, as he does not have a lanyard. This photograph was taken in 1934. Image courtesy of the MD collection.

We have noted a variety of insignia and patches on both HJ and BDM uniforms. For the purpose of a command structure, Germany was divided up into a number of Hitler Youth Districts or HJ-Gebiete. Arm badges in the shape of a triangle were worn on the left upper arm of their shirts or tunics which showed the name of the wearer's HJ District. This was worn by both the HJ and DJ boys as well as the BDM giels. We also notice boys with an oval runic lughting bolt patch. The single lighting bolt was the emblem of the HJ. It was also used on belt buckles and banners. It was course similar to the double lighting bolt symbol of the dreaded SS. Only the HJ and DJ boys wore it. The BDM girls did not wear it. We are unsure what the DJ boys had to do to earn their lighting bolt patch. There were other insignias and patchches that we are just beginning to identify. We also notice badges that were awarded for sports, shrpshooting, and other proficency achievements. There not only were insignia for Hitler Youth uniforms, but a military unit formed from Hitler Youth boys also had special insignia, "Hitler Jugend" in Germanic script.

Hitler Youth Insignia

Hitler Youth boys did not wear nearly as many patches and insignias as American Cubs and Scouts. There does not appar to have been, for example, anything like merit badges or camp attendance patches. We have noted, however, a variety of insignia and patches on both HJ and BDM uniforms. We are collecting images of these patches. We have noted a variety of insignia and patches on both HJ and BDM uniforms. For the purpose of a command structure, Germany was divided up into a number of Hitler Youth Districts or HJ-Gebiete. Arm badges in the shape of a triangle were worn on the left upper arm of their shirts or tunics which showed the name of the wearer's HJ District. This was worn by both the HJ and DJ boys as well as the BDM giels. We also notice boys with an oval runic lughting bolt patch. The single lighting bolt was the emblem of the HJ. It was also used on belt buckles and banners. It was course similar to the double lighting bolt symbol of the dreaded SS. Only the HJ and DJ boys wore it. The BDM girls did not wear it. We are unsure what the DJ boys had to do to earn their lighting bolt patch. There were other insignias and patchches that we are just beginning to identify.

Badges

Badges were mertal pins worn on the their uniforms. We do not notice HJ boys wearing aa lot of these pins. We are not sure if this means that only a few boys earned the badges are it vwas not the dionething to wear them on the uniforms. When worn they seem to have been placed on the left breast pocket. Our information on HJ badges is still very limited. We also notice badges that were awarded for sports, shrpshooting, and other proficency achievements. Like many NAZI awards, they were done to regognize different levels of achievements. Thus we notice the sports proificency award done in gold, silver, bronze and other variants. We do not yet havcd details on what the boys had to accomplish to earn these award badges. Apparently boys drafted into the hermacht could wear these badges on their military uniforms. This seems to have been the case at the end of the boys when younger boys were drafted. We suspeect this was boys with a youth organization mindset and who had no idea what they were getting into,

Military Insignia

There not only were insignia for Hitler Youth uniforms, but a military unit formed from Hitler Youth boys also had special insignia as well, "Hitler Jugend" in Germanic script. This was worn by the ??? Hitler Youth division formed in 1943 and which saw action in Normandt during June 1944. It was a panzer division and prevented the British from taking Caen for over amonth. In the process the division was descimated. The boys wore regular SS uniforms, but with a Hitler Jugend sleeve device in Gothic script.

Sources

Wellershaus, Stefan, e-Mail message, August 21, 2002.