Deutsches Jungvolk DJ rucksack (Marschgepäck)

Hello Christian,
You're quite right. Not much information on this other model of backpack :help:

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Henrik, these do look like the normal Tornisters to me.
The four leather loups are in the upper center of the normal Tornister.
The boy on the right has the Kochgeschirr properly attached to these loups.
With the Marschgepäck the leather loups are moved to the right side
so that the Feldflasche can be added to the "D-Ring" and the lower leather loop on the left side.
Both pictured Marschgepäcks have this special look on the outside.
 
Almost un-used. 3 hole buttons, paper label with RM (Reichsmark) price tag.
Probably later period rivetted version?

Regards,
Chris

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Hi Chris,
I think you are right. Since the leather parts are rivetted (genietet) I would also say this is a later version.
In my opinion already during the war. But I would say not in the last years of the war.
During the last years of the war all materials got very rare
and I doubt they would have spend material on making these after 1942.

Is the item in the picture yours?
 
Yes, this is my Marschgepäck. It arrived today and I am very happy about it :)
It will soon be placed on my Jungvolk mannequin !
 
Hello Chris,
I had not seen your bag, it is nice !
This is the first picture I see with the marschgepäck (with no removable straps) :

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interesting picture.

It is so funny. I had not heard about this Marschgepäck for years, and now only a few weeks after the first one, I receive another one.
Rivetted again, but this time with brown leather and with leather re-inforcements on the belt loops !

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Photo taken from ebay while the auction was still ongoing showing Hitlerjugend wearing there marschgepacks.

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They are wearing the usual Tornister, not the Marschgepäck discussed in this thread. Nevertheless good picture.
 
Here's a pic of the DJ Marschgepäck chaps:

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It is also described in Bekleidung u. Ausrüstung der HJ 1934 p114.

A "DJ-Marschgepäck" is noted in RJF Verordnungsblatt III/46 dated 19.12.1935 as having been exclusively trialled in that year by Gebiet 24 Mecklenburg. The order is entitled "Schulranzen" and states that Mecklenburg was the only Gebiet permitted to use it and that manufactureres were not authorised to sell the DJ Marschgepäck to any units outside of Mecklenburg. Thinking logically, this order can't be talking about the version pictured above because that clearly existed prior to 1935 and the fact that it is shown there means that it had already been authorised.

"Schulranzen" is a word now used to describe the stiff, box-like backpacks worn today by schoolkids here in Germany so the order may well be talking about a version of the HJ-Tornister for the DJ.

I found a little more information on the DJ backpack today in a source from Gebiet Mittelrhein dated Dec 1935 which talks about the trials carried out by Gebiet Mecklenburg in the same year. Uptake of the official DJ backpack was slow due to the relatively high price when compared to the HJ "Affe" and this led to a situation where smaller DJ members were indirectly forced to carry the HJ version which was, in many cases, simply too large. Another consideration during the trial was to introduce a backpack which could be used for school to carry books etc but also when on Jungvolk route marches, camps etc. The reasoning was that young children would need a bag for school anyway (Schulranzen) so why not use that when on DJ/JM camps etc as well. The trial suggested the modification of old school satchels by dyeing the leather black and attaching extra straps as required.

After 1935 I don't see any mention of the official 1933 DJ backpack so I would think that it was shelved as a result of the Gebiet Mecklenburg trials.
 
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