Hitler Youth: Activities--Pageantry Drum and Buggle Corps


Figure 1.--Every important Hitler Youth unit had a drum and buggle corps which would play an important role in public appearances and formal group meetings. These boys are a rather large unit and are performing in a public park.

The Hitler Youth drum and buggle corps was an important part of the pageantry in which the units participated. The HJ drum corps, always made up of boys was a ubiquitous feature of NAZI parades ralies. The drums were always emblazoned with a flame-like motif. The buggles commonly had banners with the single lightning bolt symbol of the Hitler Youth. A Hitler Youth unit of any size would have a drum and buggle parade. No civic pagent or parade would be complete without the local Hitler Youth unit and drum and buggle corps. I do not know of actual full bands, although there may have been some. All of the units that I have seen, however, are drum and buggle corps. For formal events the boys woyld wear white shirts instead of their sranndard brown shirts and white kneesocks instead of the normal grey kneesocks. They retained their black short pants.

Pagentry

The Hitler Youth drum and buggle corps was an important part of the pageantry in which the units participated. The HJ drum corps, always made up of boys was a ubiquitous feature of NAZI parades ralies.

Drums

HBC notes that drummers appear to be more prevalent in available photographs. This may represent a greater empgasis on the drums than the buggles. The drums were always emblazoned with a flame-like motif. Generally we have noted the flames were positioned with the black part toward the ground. Drummers were not, however, always careful about this.

Buggles

The buggles commonly had banners with the single lightning bolt sumbol of the Hitler Youth.

Prevalemce

A Hitler Youth unit of any size would have a drum and buggle parade. No civic pagent or parade would be complete without the local Hitler Youth unit and drum and buggle corps. I do not know of actual full bands, although there may have been some. All of the units that I have seen, however, are drum and buggle corps.

Uniforms

Normally the drum and byggle corps wore standard Hitler Youth uniforms, but with badges and insignias indicating their membership in the musical units. For formal events the boys woyld wear white shirts instead of their sranndard brown shirts and white kneesocks instead of the normal grey kneesocks. They retained their black short pants.

Gender

We have primarily noted boys in the images of HJ drum and buggle corps. I am not sure id the girls' BDM formations had musical units.

Image

The boys in the image on this page are performing in their dress uniforms with the swhite shirts and white knee socks. Although it os difficult to see in the image on this page, the boys are wearing the regulation Hitler Youth armbands. They are not wearing their caps are kerchiefs. Notice that boys in this image have drums with the flames in two different possitions. Generally we have noted the








Christopher Wagner






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Created: December 4, 2000
Last updated: February 15, 2002