Hitler Youth and Baliall Boys (about 1934-35)


Figure 1.--We have noted photographs which seem to show friendship and joint activities betweem the German Hitler Youth and and Italian Balilla. The photograph here was taken about 1934 or 35 somewhere in Germany. What we do not know is the extnt of the cooperation or joint activities conducted by the two groups.

This photograph shows a German Hitler Youth boy with his Italian counterpart a boy in the Fascist Balilla. I'm not sure about the date the photograph was taken, but the uniforms suggsest 1934 or 35. The photograph was taken somewhere in Germany. The German and Italian teenagers are suposedly expressing their international Fascist solidarity with a mutual embrace. We notice a number of images like this. What we do not know at this time is the extent to which there was actual joint activities organized between the two groups. The uniforms of the two countries are amusingly distinctive. Compare the rather sober German uniform with the much more flamboyant, even theatrical looking, uniform of the Italian boy.

The Boys

This photograph shows a German Hitler Youth boy with his Italian counterpart a boy in the Fascist Bailall.

Chronology

I'm not sure about the date the photograph was taken, but the uniforms suggsest 1934 or 35.

Lovation

The photograph was taken somewhere in Germany.

Fascist Coopertion

The German and Italian teenagers are suposedly expressing their international Fascist solidarity with a mutual embrace. We notice a number of images like this. What we do not know at this time is the extent to which there was actual joint activities organized between the two groups.

The Uniforms

The uniforms of the two countries are amusingly distinctive. Compare the rather sober German uniform with the much more flamboyant, even theatrical looking, uniform of the Italian boy.

Hitler Youth uniform

The German boy wears the standard brown shirt, neckerchief, and leather garrison belt with brass buckle. He has buttoned flap pockets on his shirt. Instead of the more usual short pants, he wears breeches tucked into calf-high leather boots which lace up the front (the German equivalent of American "combat boots") and a soft peaked cap with a leather strap across the front. The cap is an early style and was replaced in the mid-30s with a field cap.

Balilla uniform

The Italian Balilla boy wears a sort of fedora with a brim turned down in front and a black band with insignia around the crown of the hat. His black jacket has elaborate insignia on it including a Nazi button in front (to show his solidarity with the Germans), a complicated system of white braid with a lanyard both under and over his right arm, a sleeve emblem designating his unit apparently, and white decorations on his lapels. He also seems to be wearing a medal on a black ribbon around his neck. An added note of glamour is the white handkerchief tucked into his breast pocket. He also wears an unusual looking black cummerbund around his waist instead of a belt. He wears grey plus fours (or are they straight pants tucked into his wrap-around putees?) with hightop boots.







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Created: January 22, 2004
Last updated: January 22, 2004