Figure 1.--Here we see some kind of procession involving Young Pioneers. The photograph is undated, but looks like the early 50s. The boys might be mistaken for Hitler Youth boys, but the drum is not decorated in the HJ flame design.

There were Communist and Socialist youth movements in Germany before the NAZI take over, although we do not yet know much about them. They were supressed after the NAZI takeover. Many adults associated with the movement were arrested. Communist authorities organized the East German Pioneers after World War II in the Soviet occupation zone. The East German authorities introduced the Free German Youth and the Pioneer Youth in March 1946 less than a year after the War. We do not yet have much information about chronological trends associated with the Young Pioneers in Germany. As far as we know there was no attempt to orgnize a Communist youth movement in West Germany.

Pre-World War II Era

HBU at this time has little information on the Communist youth movement in Germany before the NAZIs seized power in 1933. Germany before the 1933 NAZI take over had a socialist youth movement called the Falcons. This group was also organized in France and probably other European countries as well. I'm not sure if there was also a Communist youth group. The NAZIs after seizing power banned the Falcons (1933). This was part of the NAZI overall supression of the Communist and Socilist movemeny as well as the Hitler Yout take over of the German youth movement. Presumably the adults who had been associated with the Communists were either arrested are successfully hid their connections and beliefs. Here we had no details as to what happened to the individuals associated with the Falcons or other left-wing youth groups.

Post World War II Era (1945-90)

Communist authorities organized the East German Pioneers after World War II in the Soviet occupation zone. The East German authorities introduced the Free German Youth and the Pioneer Youth (March 1946) less than a year after the War. We do not yet have much information about chronological trends associated with the Young Pioneers in Germany. As far as we know there was no attempt to orgnize a Communist youth movement in West Germany. We do not see boys wearing uniforms at frst except for a few selected children for cermonial events. Nor so we see unifgoms in the 1950s, although the children did wear scarves. We are not sure when uniforms were introduced, perhaps in the 1960s. This may have been done at thee same time school uniforms were introduced. The Yoiung Pioneers were disoned with the fall of Communism in Germany (1990).