Figure 1.--This Soviet Young Pioneer wears the naval uniform at a summer camp in 1978.

The Young Pioneer summer camps appears to be the largest system of such camps that ever existed. The Young Pioneers in the Soviet Union and Eastern European countries also built nation-wide systems of youth camps. We believe that each of the European satellite countries as well as the Soviet Union had impotant summer camp program. We believe that virtually all children particiapted in these programs, but are not sure if any choice was involved. We believe that these were coed camps, but again have little information. Nor do we have much information on what type of uniforms were worn at the summer camps. We are not sure if the Asian communist countries also had summer camp programs.

Soviet Union

An important part of the Soviet Young Pioneer experience was summer camp. Millions of Soviet children went to these camps. I'm not sure how vountary they were. They reported varied greatly in quality. Like schools and stores for privlidged adults there were some very impressive camps and reportedly hard to get into. Most camps attended by the great bulk of the children were reportedly not very well equipped, although I have only limited sources of information. I'm not sure if the children were issued special uniforms for these camps, but red scarves, white shirts, and blue socks appear to have been the customary uniform. Millions of children were involved in these camps. Hopefully our Russian readers will provide us information about their expoeriences there.

Other Countries

No information is available on Young Pioneer summer camps in other countries at this time.