Hitler Youth Publications: Boys Program

Figure 1.--Some of the images in 'Pimpf' are dramatically inpersonal and totalitarian, most are more personal, individuals images of the DJ experience. om army mess kits, reflecting the War situation. Many of not most of the photographs would have been taken before 1942. The book may have been of interest to parents with boys entering the DJ and for the boys about to enter the DJ or already in the organization. It does clearly represent the brotherhood fostered for the boys. We see the militarized experience, including sport and paramilitary activities.

Here are some of the Third Reich publications we know of that deal with the boys' program. As far as we can tell, the publications were almost entirely separate for the boys and girls priograms, as were the actual programs. Some are publications about the Hitler Youth rather than published by the Hitler Youth organization itself. Even the publicatiins about the HJ, however, would not have been published without the HJ looking it over before publication. We are slowly expanding our archive of HJ publications during the Third Reich. We welcome reader suggestions about new publications or comments on the publications that we have already archived. The publications provide a good idea of the range of actibities pursued by the HJ. Often there is an emphasis on thge summer dsmp experiednces. Some aspects of the HJ program are not well documented. We see the descipline and physical activities as well as youth leadership depicted. Less well developed is the ideological indioctrinartion and the srtress placec upon boys not atheletically inclined. We welcome reader insights on these publications.

Jungen: Euhr Welt (1938-43)

NAZI authorities published an yearbook for boys. It was entitled Jungen: Eure Welt, meaning Boys: Your World. The first volume appeared in 1938 and it was published annually thriugh 1943. There was no 1944 vilume as by that time the World War had begun to affect the domestic economy. I don't think the conotation was that the world belonged to Germany, but more the world in which the boys lived, but perhaps our German readers will give a more authoritative interpretation. The sub-title was The Year Book of the German Boy, but earlier editions identified it as the yearbook of Hitler Youth boys. There was a comparable series for girls. The articles were topics which appealed to boys. There are articles on current events, politics, the war, arts and crafts, games, sports, wildlife and similar topics. Much of the book is devoted to the military, even before Workd War II broke out. boys preparing for military service through the Hitler Youth program. We are not sure what the press run was and if this was abook boys purchased or was more likely to be read in libraries. It was published by the NAZI Central Publishing House. The book is heavily illustrated with both photographs and illustrations.

(Die) Junge Kameradschaft (1935)

Die Junge Kameradschaft seems to be a heavily illustrated HJ yearbook, perhapa apredecesor to Jungen: Euhr Welt which first appeared in 1938. The tirle would translate as "The Comradship of Boys". Comradship was an important element in the success of the HJ. Many adults looking back on theor HJ experience mention this. It was a large format 7-1/2 x 10-1/2 inch, 396 page, by the Zeitgeschichte Verlag in Berlin, Germany. There were articles on a wide range of topics. There were severa; articles and photographs about the HJ progeam, including "Ten Years of the Hitler Youth" and "Herbert Norkus" (a NAZI boy martyr). Some of the other articles were: "Fahnenweihe" (I'm not sure what this was), "Arbeitsdienst" (NAZI youth labor program), "German Land Year" (a rural youth labor program), "Deutschlandlager" (I'm not sure what this was), "Modern War Machines", "Air War", "Air Raid Protection", "The Reichsautobahn System", "Runic Characters", "Ancestral Records", "Race and Revolution", "History of National Socialism", "Olympics", "Zeltlager der Hitlerjugend", "Hochland", "Motorcycling", "Sail flying", "The Marine HJ", "Television", "The HJ Home", and much more.

(Der) Führer und die deutche Jugend (1935)

An HBC contributor serving in the U.S. Army in Germany after World War II acquired a book commemorating the 1935 NAZI Nurrenberg Ralley. The NAZIs held their annual party rally in Nurrenberg, a city with many medieval buildings and viewed by many Germans as harening back to Germany's ancestral roots. It was at the 1935 rally that the classic propoganda film, Triumph of the Will was made. One chapter of the book deals with the Hitler Youth participation in the rally.

Jungzug 2

Jungzug 2 translates as Youth Plsatoon 2. It was abook about the younger or Cub section of the Hitkler Youth. The boys were called Pimpf. The book has 60 black and white photographs. Pages on seven sword words. There are stories and experiences. The book seems to emphasize the trouble boys get ingo when unsupervised and shows the positive, character building program of the Hitler Youth. The author was Alfr W. and it was published by Lowes Verlag in 1937.

Hitlerjugend Taschenbuch für den deutschen Jungen (1943)

This was a heavily illustrated HJ pocket msannuel. It was published for HJ boys by the Oberkommando des Heeres (High Command of the Army) in 1943. This is Hitlerjugend Taschenbuch für den deutschen Jungen or Hitler Youth pocket manual. It measured about 4-1/8 x 5-3/4 inches so it could fit neatly in a boys HJ uniform shirt. These pocket handbooks were apparently published on many different topics. The booklet was titled "Du und dein Heer" (You and Your Army) and was published by Oberkommando des Heeres in 1943. Similar mannuels were presumably published in previous years. The 84 page HJ manual starts out with an introduction and photograph of Adolf Hitler followed by HJ requirements in exercise, shooting, communications, map reading, first aid, etc. There are pictures of Hitler Youth alumni who were recipients of the Ritterkreuz or Knights Cross, an explanation of the different sections of the Wehrmacht (Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine), weapons, military vehicles, Nazi orders and medals, flags, etc. There are pages explaining the Infantrie Regiment Grossdeutschland, Schnellentruppen, traffic signs, etc. Several elaborate color pages are tipped in showing Nazi uniforms (Generalfeldmarschall, Gebirgsjager, Panzer, Funker, etc.), Nazi uniform insigne and a selection of Nazi flags (Hoheitszeichen, Standarte des Führers, etc.). There is a German Panzer. There are pages where the HJ member could fill in the names of his Rottenführer, Scharführer, etc. and other important notes, a calendar of 1943, etc.

Pimpfe (1942)

This is a hard cover book about the HJ division for the younger boys--the Deutche Jugend. The book was written by by Heinz Ehr. and published by Osmer in Berlin during 1942. We are not sure who Ehr was. It includes stories, reports, and photos. The text is printed in the old German style that the NAZIs preferred. The situation in NAZI Germany had gotten more serious by 1942 when the book was published. The War had begun to go wrong for the NAZIs in the East. Although as some of the material may have been written in 1941 before this had become apparent. It is illustrated with lots of picture of boys, even pictures of small boys wearing big army helmets and eating from army mess kits, reflecting the War situation. Many of not most of the photographs would have been taken before 1942. The book may have been of interest to parents with boys entering the DJ and for the boys about to enter the DJ or already in the organization. It does clearly represent the brotherhood fostered for the boys. We see the militarized experience, including sport and paramilitary activities. We get a good idea of the DJ exoerience, especuially at camp. There are 160 pages with 46 black and white photos.