Strength of the HJ specialists (Flieger HJ, Nachrichten HJ etc)

Joined
Jun 7, 2009
Messages
328
Thanks Received
89
I was thinking that any boy who joined the HJ would be more interested in joing one of the specialist units rather than just the 'normal' HJ. More fun I think? These specialist parts of the HJ were always smaller though and I was wondering why that was so.
 
Yes, there were sometimes problems with this but the Reichsjugendführung decreed that 30% of the total strength of the HJ should be on the books of the specialist units. Changing to a specialist arm was voluntary 99.99% of the time but some boys were forced one way or the other to meet local quotas.

Long before any boy went across to another arm a long paperwork trail ensured that the numbers had been worked out long before that day. There were medical assessments which ensured that a boy met the respective requirements for his chosen arm. Boys with certain trade skills appropriate to the chosen arm also had better chances of going across.
 
Thanks for the information Garry. Great question. I think Flieger was really popular, just from the ammount of straps that are availible compared to Motor, Strief, Marine, and I think Signals was the least popular. That's all speculation on my part, just going by the current availibility of straps.
 
Going by the numbers in various period and modern books the Motor-HJ was the largest followed by Flieger-HJ, Marine-HJ, Nachrichten-HJ and Reiter-HJ respectively Darin. It's difficult to get good numbers though because the figures given are normally for boys who had achieved the respective goals (Nachrichtenschein, Driving licence etc) and so don't reflect the actual numbers of boys within these organisations.

As the war progressed ever more boys were drafted into the specialist arms and this is where the figure of 30% comes from. Artur Axmann ordered it in 1940 (actually the figure was 33% in the first regulation which is revised to 35% in a later directive). Pre-war the numbers of boys in the various specialist arms would have been nowhere near that figure.

Edit

figures for 1939 show the following membership numbers:

Motor-HJ - 120000
Flieger-HJ - 90000
Marine-HJ - 50000
Na-HJ - not given but each Bann had a minimum of one Nachrichtenschar
Reiter-HJ ? (Was not a specialist arm after 1939)
 
Standard HJ straps Patrick. No special colour.

Edit: The Reiter-HJ was quite small and was aimed primarily at youth in the countryside as it was really only them who had horses or could afford them. The Reiter-HJ ceased to be a special arm after 1939.
 
Ok thanks Garry so the designation was not in the colour but on the straps itself.I have never seen these kind of straps.
 
They were just standard HJ straps Patrick. Indistinguishable from general HJ.
 
Was also the HJ-Streifendienst made by volunteers?

was there any requisite to join that group?

Regards

Antonio
 
Was also the HJ-Streifendienst made by volunteers?

was there any requisite to join that group?

Regards

Antonio

They were all volunteers too Antonio. The Streifendienst included the HJ-Feuerwehrscharen and the basic prerequisites for service with the SRD were:

Exemplary service in the HJ (and DJ if transferring from there directly into the SRD).

Must have displayed exemplary conduct both in and out of uniform since joining the HJ/DJ.

Good sporting ability

Good general fitness/eyesight/hearing.

Strong character, ability to handle pressure.

After 1938 the SRD members were also assessed for suitability for the SS at the same medical examination which tested their physical suitability for the SRD. Once the boy reached 17 there were further requirements to be met to permit transfer to the SS. SRD leaders also had additional prerequisites.

I have a lot on the Streifendienst so if there is anything specific you'd like to know just let me know. Probably better to open a new thread for further questions if you have them.
 
Was also the HJ-Streifendienst made by volunteers?

was there any requisite to join that group?

Regards

Antonio

The Striefendienst were volunteers that were a cut above the regular HJ.

Streifendienst units were funded and trained by SS and local police units.

Upon compleation of there SRD duties , these special HJ were expected to enlist in the Waffen SS .
 
Thanks for the info Garry,i thought there might be special lettering on the boards indicating Reiter-HJ

Patrick, the only thing I've seen regarding shoulder strap insignia for the rieter HJ is a period photo of an HJ who has unofficially affixed a metal crossed flags cypher to his straps. Not regulation, but this sort of thing was done by HJ occassionaly.
 
The Striefendienst were volunteers that were a cut above the regular HJ.

Streifendienst units were funded and trained by SS and local police units.

Upon compleation of there SRD duties , these special HJ were expected to enlist in the Waffen SS .

Thanks Joe and Garry for the info.

I didnt know they were volunteers. I thought they were "promoted" after achievements, etc.

I knew about them being close to the SS / Gestapo and that many of them ended up in Concetration Camps.

Best Regards

Antonio
 
Just come across this thread. Great reading!Great info!
Answered alot of questions Thanks:)
 
More accurate figures:

Nachrichten-HJ - 47,000 members (1940)
Flieger-HJ - 120,000 HJ members plus 100.000 DJ in the model plane groups or Modellflug Arbeitsgemeinschaften (June 1940)
Motor-HJ - 150,000 members (April 1940)
Marine-HJ - 62,000 members (1940)
Reiter-HJ - 'raised' in 1938 but was not a special arm in the sense that the others were. In 1938 23,000 HJ boys were undergoing riding training with the NS-Reiterkorps

Source: Das kommende Deutschland 1940
 
Back
Top