Hitler Youth Uniforms: Wearing the Uniform

Figure 1.-- We do not see many boys wearing their uniforms to school. A few school portraits show boys in their HJ uniforms, but this based on the photographic record was not common. Here we see an unidentified German class, we think probably taken in the early 1940s. We are not sure what kind of class this was. The boys look about 12 years old. We note one boy in the back row wearing his DJ uniform. Notice another boy wearing a middy blouse. Many of the boiys seem to be wearing short pants, some with long stockings. Notice the barebones classroom. I'm not sure what the wreath on the back wall was about.

We are not entirely sure just where HJ boys wore their uniforms. Nor do know if the HJ had rules as to where the uniform could and could not be worn. The most obvious was of course when the boys were going to a HJ meeting or some other activity like a parade. Boys also wore their uniforms at HJ summer camps. Here we are not sure how much attention was given to the uniform, wearing it correctly and making sure the boy had all the items making up the uniform. The uniform was also worn for civic events and pagentry. Common this was part of an official HJ activity. What we are unsure of is where the boys wore their uniforms outside of HJ activities. We do not see many boys wearing their uniforms to school. A few school portraits show boys in their HJ uniforms, but this based on the photographic record was not common. We are not sure if the schools or HJ had a rule about this. We also do not think it was common for boys to go to church in their HJ uniforms. Attending church was much more common in Germany at the time, but the HJ discouraged church attendamce. Some HJ units would schedule activities such as hikes on Sunday. We do note a few images of boys having their conformation portraits taken in their HJ uniforms. We are not sure about other special occassions such as weddings. We note children evacuated during the War because of the Allied bombing, commonly wore their HJ uniforms. This was in part because the children evacuated were in part overseen by the HJ.

HJ Rules

We do not know if the HJ had rules as to where the uniform could and could not be worn. Presumably there were actual regulations on this. We just have no details at this time. Hopefully HBU readers will have some insights to offer.

Correct Usage

Here we are not sure how much attention was given to the uniform, wearing it correctly and making sure the boy had all the items making up the uniform.

Occassions

We are not entirely sure just where HJ boys wore their uniforms. We note a range of occassions. Our information comes primarily from the photogeaphic record. Hopefully some HBU readers will have some insights to offer. The most obvious was of course when the boys were going to a HJ meeting or some other activity like a parade. Boys also wore their uniforms at HJ summer camps. We also see the boys wearing their uniform during the War for duties like manning anti-aircrft guns and listening devices. The uniform was also worn for civic events and pagentry. Common this was part of an official HJ activity. What we are unsure of is where the boys wore their uniforms outside of HJ activities. We do not see many boys wearing their uniforms to school. A few school portraits show boys in their HJ uniforms, but this based on the photographic record was not common. We are not sure if the schools or HJ had a rule about this. We also do not think it was common for boys to go to church in their HJ uniforms. Attending church was much more common in Germany at the time, but the HJ discouraged church attendamce. Some HJ units would schedule activities such as hikes on Sunday. This set up a conflict between the boys and their parents. We do note a few images of boys having their conformation portraits taken in their HJ uniforms. We are not sure about other special occassions such as weddings. We note children evacuated during the War because of the Allied bombing, commonly wore their HJ uniforms. This was in part because the children evacuated were in part overseen by the HJ.