Hitler Youth Activities: Hiking--Importance

Figure 1.--Here we see a fairly large HJ group marchingin good order in the country side. Notice the deummers and fifers as well as the flags. The snapshot is undted, but looks to have been taken during the War.

We think most HJ boys went hiking in small units at the troop level. This was easiest enough for the boys living in villages or even small towns. It must have been a little more complicated for the boys living in cities. A hike down a city thoroughfare was not the same as out in the countryside. So we assume that the boys must have assembled in the morning for a major hike. Then they probably marched to the train station where they could get out into the country. I don't think their parents took them to the station, but rather they assembeled in their neigbothood and marched to the station. We say that because we note photographs of the boys assembling and there do not seem to be parents or even adult leaders about. Presumably the boys could ride on the rail road free of charge. Here we are largely guessing. Perhaps readers will have some dicumentary evidence to add to our understanding.