Colour of the socks worn by the Hitler Youth summer uniform

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Hi Guys

Please can someone tell me what colour socks the HJ wore with their summer uniform


Thanks Guys

Nick
 
AFAIK, most commonly worn were socks of a brown-gray color. You see white socks with a lot of the Bavarian / southern German Hitler Youth groups or for "dressy" occasions.

In general, for most boys, it was "socks they already owned" - brown, gray, regular sock colors of the time that they would have normally worn with their regular clothing.
 
Hi Nick,

The regulation (dated 14.4.1935 and still valid as late as 1943) says grey knee-length for HJ and DJ but as Chris says, you'll see variations in photographs. White socks were permitted for wear in Obergebiet Südost (Austria) and in the Gebiete Hochland, Schwaben and Bayerische Ostmark.

Both types of sock were available through the RZM or could be bought in authorised retailers.
 
What ever ther mother had washed for them the night before!!! Lots of photos of diffrent coloured socks being worn, ive never seen a pair of ''regulation'' socks myself. Anybody got a pair?? Pete.:blink:
 
I'm always wary of taking the 'they wore what they wanted/what they had to hand/their mums made everything at home because no-one had money' thing too far because the logical conclusion is that items may be accepted as real simply because they look old. Yes, of course there were non-regulation items as Pete says but they should, in my humble opinion, be seen as the exception and not the rule. Okay, we're talking about socks here but you know what I mean :001_smile:
 
Garry - if we were talking about the military, or any uniformed service where uniforms were issued, I would wholeheartedly agree with you.

However, that was not the case with the majority of the Hitler Youth. While senior leaders held paid staff positions and got their uniforms either issued or paid for, the majority of members in the Hitler Youth were between 10 and 18 years of age and their parents had to buy the uniforms for them, as well as whatever equipment they needed. That gets expensive quickly, especially with kids that outgrow what they're wearing about as fast as it's bought for them.

Stores actually sold 'regulation' fabrics and patterns for moms to make uniform items at home, and many former members report that they were missing parts of the uniform or that they had to wear clothing they already owned because their family could not afford to buy the regulation uniforms at the 'Brauner Laden'.

I don't know how common it is for the little boys in the Hitler Youth, but in the BDM, it was very common for girls to wear skirts or blouses they already owned, whatever shoes they owned, whatever socks they owned. Some never owned the Kletterjacke. Some had homemade skirts and always had to stand in the center of formation where they wouldn't be so obvious during big events. A lot never owned anything like the bread bag, or a backpack for hikes.

I think out of the former BDM members I am talking to, about half never had the 'issue' uniform, let alone a complete one with all the insignia and everything.

I don't want to compare it to today, but I was thinking yesterday that it does compare a bit to Civil Air Patrol in the US. (I am a member of CAP, so the comparison makes sense.) Our cadets are ages 12 through 18, our Seniors (adults) are 18 and up.

We issue uniforms to cadets IF THEY ARE AVAILABLE in their sizes, but a lot of the time, they get a partial issue and need to go buy what they're not issued - socks, boots, insignia, replacement buttons if they're missing from their uniforms, etc. All their gear for encampment, they have to buy.

So you have the regulations and you've got Squadrons where everyone has a full set of everything and then you've got Squadrons where half the cadets are wearing sneakers because they don't have boots in their size (or they can't get them that small).

Just a thought.

With items such as socks, I think the Hitler Youth mostly prescribed what color they ought to be, and boys wore what they had available. I don't think there is such a thing as a 'regulation' sock with an RZM tag in it, even - more of a guideline to wear gray knee socks so everyone would be uniform but would be able to wear what they already have.
 
Thanks to all for your answers! I want to ask I too, j.klinsmann do it first.

So as I understand in HJ usually use party-style socks, but getted from homes.

Can anybody say what material usually use for them?
 
All good points of course Chris but what I meant was that for re-enactment purposes (the OP is a reenactor) they might prefer to go for the regulation item which in this case is grey knee-length. As far as collectors are concerned, they will always prefer to go for the regulation item.
 
All good points Chris but what I meant was that for reenactment purposes they might prefer to go for the regulation item which in this case is grey knee-length.

I agree, that would be the best way to go. :) Just offering another opinion and view on the matter.

I think something to bear in mind is that most boys would have already owned gray or tan-gray knee socks anyway, as their regular everyday socks.
 
Brilliant advice

Hi Guys

Thank you so much for all your wonderful research, it really is a joy to read such knowledgeable responses to questions

Just Brilliant

Nick
 
Strümpfe für HJ und BDM

Just found this ad about Socken und Strümpfe from 1937. Don't know about RZM tags though. And no colo(u)rs.

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