Hitler Youth Uniforms: Badges

Figure 1.--Here we see an unidentified teenager that has just been drafted or jouned the the Whermacht. As he wears a proper uniform, it may have not been the Volksstrum, but we believe it was probably late in the war. He looks younger than 18 years of age. He was a HJ boy and has proudly placed his HJ Sports Profiency Badge on his unifiorm. We suspectvtht vtyhis was just for the photograph. Click on the image to see a detailed view of the badge.

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, sharpshooting, 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 have details on what the boys had to accomplish to earn these award badges. Apparently boys drafted into the Whermacht 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.

Sports Proficency Badge

We have noticed this badge described as a Leader's Sports Honor Badge abd a Sports Proficency Badge. A major goal of the HJ was to improve the health and physical fitness of German boys. Thus strenuous physical activities was an important part of the program. While we see the germ 'sports' being used here, we suspect that this involved phsical achievements like push-ups, pull-ups, endurance runs, etc. It was a metal pin with a vertical arrow poinred up and a circle and a swastica at the center imposed over the arrow. They were fairly large badges about 2 inches high, although some were smaller. There was raised writing on the circle. The one here, 'Für Leistungen in der HJ'. That meant, 'For achievements in the HJ' (Click on the image.) There were also badges for the younger DJ boys. They read the same, except they had DJ rather than HJ. Many backs had raised writing that read something like: 'RZM M1/101'. 'RZM M1/34' and 'RZM M1/35'. We do not yet know what that meant. The back may have a stamped number, such as 1555472. We are not sure if that was a boy's HJ membership number or if it was the award number. Given the large number, it may have been his membership number. 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 notice a smaller pin done in black enamel on white alloy. We do not yet have details on what the boys had to accomplish to earn these award badges. They were awarded to both DJ and HJ boys, but I do not think to BDM girls. Nor do we know when these badges were created. We notice some done as early as 1937. Apparently boys drafted into the Whermacht 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.

Sharp Shooters Badge

We note a few Sharp Shooter Badges. We suspect they were less common that the Sports Profiency badges, but are not yet sure. There were many variants, including ones with various colored wreaths added. We notice one vaulted white alloy pin with with black enamel. The pin had the HJ diamond symbol and crissed rifles imposed on a black target. We note writing on the back like 'RZM and M1/14' and a maker mark.

Youth Proficency Badge

We notice a badge called a Young Peeople's Proficency Badge. It was a HJ lighting bolt rune with writing in a circle surrounding a swastica. It was simiksr to the sport's proficency badge, but with the lihgjting bolt rune rather cthan an arrow. We do not know when this badge firsrt appeared, but we notice them in 1937. Some had a stamped maker;s mark on the back., We have noticed a 'B' stamp. Thgere was also a stamped number like the Sport's Proficency Badge.