Spanish Youth Group Uniforms


Figure 1.--These Spanish Cubs were photographed in 1997. They are a mixed gender group. Note that some of the children wear traditional Cub caps.

The principal Spanish youth group is the Scouts. At this time we only know of one other Spanish youth group--the Fascist youth organization under the Franco regime. There was a Pioneer group during the Civil War era, but we only limited informatiin at this time. We know, however, relatively little about this group or the Scout movement during the Fascist era. Presumably the Scouts were prohibited by Franco after the defeat of the Republic in favor of the Falange youth group. With the fall of Fascism after Franco's death, this group disappeared and currently the Scouts are now the only important Spanish youth group. Scouting is, however, a relatively small movement.

Spanish Scouts

The principal Spanish youth group is the Scouts. We have little historical information about scouting in Spain. We do not know, for example, when Spanish Scouting was founded. Presumably the Scouts were prohibited by Franco after the defeat of the Republic in favor of the Falange youth group. With the fall of Fascism, the Falange youth group disappeared and currently the Scouts are the only important Spanish youth group. As in many European countries, there is no one single Spanish Scout asociation. The Catalans have, for example, a separate association. There is also a separate association for Valencia. Hopefully Spanish readers will provide us some details about Scouting in their country.

Nationalist Groups

At this time we only know of one other Spanish youth group--the Fascist youth organization under the Franco regime. We know, however, relatively little about this group or the Scout movement during the Fascist era. The 20th Century has seen the rise of two basic types of boys uniformed youth groups. One group of organizations had many different focuses, but an international orientation. The best example is of course the Boy Scouts. Another is the Boys Brigade. These groups have units in many different countries. Another group of organizations rejected internationalism and instead promoted nationist sentiments. Some like the Hitler Youth and Italian Fascist groups were strongly supported by Governments and competing youth groups, like the Scouts were outlawed. In Spain Generalisimo Francisco Franco after defeating Republican, antil clearical forces, set up a totalitarian state and created the Falange political party to goven the state. The Falange created its own uniformed youth group.

Pioneers

There may have been a Pioneer group during the Civil War era, but we have few details at this time, epcept that we know they existed. The Spanish name was Pioneros, presumaby chosen because of the Young Pioneer Movement in the Soviet Union. We do not know just who organized the group, presumably Socialist or Communuist parties or perhaps the labor unions. We are not sure when theyvwere first organized, but we know that groups were active atvkeast by 1935 before the outbreak of the Civil War (1936-39). We note an American volunteer of the Abrahan Lincoln Brigade promising to bring home a Pioneer pin. A reader who was a boy during the Civil War writes, "I recall that during the Spanish Civil War (1935-38) I belonged to the Pioneers, and I distinctly remember our uniform: Blue shirt, navy blue pants/skirts, and red scarf. Our emblem was several fire flames over crossed logs." [Ymadlain] Notice that they were a coed group at a time that most youth groups were single gender organizations.

Sources

Ymadlain, eMail message, March 3, 2011.







HBU






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Created: February 13, 2002
Last updated: 5:54 PM 3/3/2011