Figure 1.--This is a photograph from a German 1948 magazine article. German Boy Scouts here are hiking along the banks of the Neckar River. Immediately after the war German Boy Scouts could not wear uniforms, fly with model planes or use rifles for target shooting. One boy is playing a guitar while walking. They look more like the pre-World War I Wandervogel.

Only after the defeat of the NAZIs in 1945 were the Scouts allowed to reorganize in Germany. After World War II Scouting was reestablished in Federal Republic (West Germany). The Allies at first put limitations on Scouting activities. Immediately after the war German Boy Scouts could not wear uniforms, fly with model planes or use rifles for target shooting. Here the concern was the role that the Hitler Youth had played in preparing boys for war. The Soviets in their zone, however, banned Scouting. And in German Democratic Republic (East Germany) and boys and girls had to join the state-sponsored Young Pioneers. After unification the Pioneers quickly disappeared and Scouting is now available to all German boys. Scouting was very popular with German boys in the 1950s and 60s, but I'm less sure about the current status of Scouting. I believe that the groups established did not give serious attention to uniforms, presumably concerned anout the Hitler Youth tradition. Lederhosen were often worn as Scout shorts. The Young Pioneers in East German seem less concerned about the uniform issue.

West Germany

Only after the defeat of the NAZIs in 1945 were the Scouts allowed to reorganize in Germany. After World War II Scouting was reestablished in Federal Republic (West Germany). The Allies at first put limitations on Scouting activities. Immediately after the war German Boy Scouts could not wear uniforms, fly with model planes or use rifles for target shooting. Here the concern was the role that the Hitler Youth had played in preparing boys for war. Scouting was very popular with German boys in the 1950s and 60s, but I'm less sure about the current status of Scouting. I believe that the groups established did not give serious attention to uniforms, presumably concerned anout the Hitler Youth tradition. Lederhosen were often worn as Scout shorts.

East Germany

The Soviets in their zone, however, banned Scouting. And in German Democratic Republic (East Germany) and boys and girls had to join the state-sponsored Young Pioneers. After unification the Pioneers quickly disappeared and Scouting is now available to all German boys. The Young Pioneers in East German seem less concerned about the uniform issue affecting Scouts in West Germany..