Organization and Structure of the Hitler Youth

Organization and Structure of the Hitler Youth

By Cynthia A. Sandor

Overview

HJ Standort – HJ Garrison

The HJ Standort is the highest local authority on all matters concerning the German Youth. It is under the command of the Standortführer (Garrison Commander) and handles all administrative details with regard to the Reichsjugenddienstpflicht (Compulsory National Youth Service).

The Standort maintains the individual youth’s personal records (Jugendstammblatt), which contain all personal data, information on activities, etc. in the greatest of detail.

Extracts of the most essential information are kept on the Karteikarte (Filing Card) held by the member’s unit and on the Dienstkarte (Service Card), which also serves as a personal identity card.

The Standort is not part of the HJ unit structure itself; it only acts as a local administrative authority. Sometimes the Standortführer (SOF) is often also the commander of a Bann.

Reichsjungenfuhrerin - National Youth Leadership (RJF)

The RJF controls the policy as well as the administration of the entire HJ. It is headed by the Reichsjugendführer (National Youth Leader) who is assisted by an Adjutant and a Stabsführer (Chief of Staff). The Reichsreferentin controls the HJ, the Bund Deutscher Mädel (BDM – League of German Girls) and the Jungmädel (JM – Young Girls), and is directly responsible to the Reichsjugendführer who is directly responsible to Adolf Hitler.

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HJ Obergebiete –The 43 Gebiete were divided into 6 Obergebiete with each Obergebiete totaling about 375,000 boys.

HJ Gebiete – HJ Regions

The HJ inside Greater Germany was organized into 43 Gebiete (Regions). Each Region corresponds to a specific Gau (District). In the Gebiet, there were about 20 Banne (Regiments) and 20 Jungbanne (DJ). In total, there were 223 Banne, totaling 75,000 boys.

Each Gebiet is headed by the Gebietsführer (Regional Leader), whose deputy is his Stabsleiter (Chief of Staff). Each Gebiet has a Gebietsführung (Regional HQ) and is organized into Hauptabteilungen (HA - Executive Sections) and special semi-independent offices. The function of the HA in general correspond to those of the Hauptämter (Departments) of the Reichsjugendführung (RJF), which controlled all administrative and political aspects of the HJ movement.

Each Gebiet administers and maintains schools and camps. Some Gebiete conduct special schools, such as music or medical schools or provide other specialist’s courses.

HJ – Bann- HJ Regiment

The Bann (Regiment) is the basic unit of the HJ. In a Gebiet (Region), there are 20 Banne. Each Bann consisted of 4 – 6 Stämme (Units), totaling about 3,000 boys. In 1943, the Jungbann (Young Regiment) of the DJ, parallel to the Bann was abolished and the DJ Jungstämme (Youth Tribes) was placed under the supervision of the HJ Bann.

Generally, each NSDAP-Kreis (Party not Governmental District) contained one corresponding HJ Bann, and its Headquarters are located in the same town as the corresponding NSDAP-Kreis HQ. Larger Banne sometimes organized their own schools and courses and some even operated youth hostels and homes as well as camping sites.

The Bann is led by the Bannführer (Regiment Leader) who frequently held the office of the Standortführer (Garrison Commander). He is assisted by the Adjutant and a Hauptstammführer.

The Bann administration is divided into 6 Hauptstellen (Executive Offices) the functions of which generally correspond to the 6 Hauptämter (Departments) of the RJF and the 6 parallel Hauptabteilungen (Executive Sections) of the Gebietsführung (Regional Command HQs).

An average Bann of about 6,000 is sub-divided into 5 Stämme (Tribes) of the HJ and 5 Jungstämme of the DJ with a strength of about 600 each. However, a large Bann of 9,000 may contain up to 15 Tribes.

Special Units of the Bann - Each Bann had some special service units, usually:

· Motor-Stamm (Motorized)

· Flieger-Stamm (Aviation) and

· Nachrichten-Stamm (Signals)

These special service Stämme (tribes) are sub-divided in accordance with the established pattern of Gefolgschaft (Company), Schar (Platoon), and Kamaradschaft (Comradeship) as outlined below in the Organization of the Regiment Level of the HJ.

Among the smaller special service units found in the average Stämm (tribe) are:

· One or two Musik-Gefolgschaften (Music Department)

· A Sicherungsdienst (SRD) Gefolgschaft (Security Detachment) for patrolling, and

· A Feuerwehr-Schar (Firefighting Platon)

Organization below the Regimental Level

HJ – Stämm – HJ Tribe (Original HJ)

From the Stämm downward the unit of organization is standardized. A Stämm is divided into 3 - 5 Gefolgschaften (Companies) 150 each. In the DJ, there were 3 – 5 Fähnlein (Squadron) with approximately 160 cubs each. Totaling 600 – 800 boys. (Later became known as an Unterbann).

HJ – Gefolgschaft – HJ Companies

The Gefolgschaft is organized up to 4 Scharen (Platoons) of 50 each, totaling up to 190 boys. In the DJ, the Gefolgschaft is equivalent to the Fähnlein (squadron) and contains 4 - Jungzüge units. Each Gefolgschaft, roughly the size of a military company, had its own flag, and was the primary unit. HJ boys identified themselves with this unit.

HJ – Schar - HJ Platoon

Each Schar was sub-divided into 4 Kameradschaften (Comradeship) of 15 each and the latter split into two Rotten (Files). Total 60 boys. In the DJ, the Schar is equivalent to the Jungzüge and contained 4 Jugenschaften. A total unit of one Platoon was as many as 60 boys.

HJ Kameradschaft - HJ Comradeship - was the smallest unit with 10 – 15 boys and was overseen by the Kammeradschaftsfüfrer in the HJ and in the DJ by the Jungenschaftsführer.

HJ Rotte - HJ File – consisted of about 7 boys (mostly left out of organizational charts of the HJ).

For information on the Oberbann, please visit HJ and DJ Cloth Insignia Collection

Hitler Jugend Ranks (boys 14-18) (lowest to highest rank)	Deutsches Jungvolk Ranks (boys 10 - 14) (lowest to highest rank)

Hitlerjunge	Pimpf
Kammeradschaftsführer	Jungenschaftsführer
Scharführer	Jungzugführer
Gefolgschaftsführer	Fähnleinführer
Stammführer	Unterbannführer
Bannführer	Jungbannführer
Oberbannführer
Gebietsführer
Obergebietsführer
Stabsführer

BDM - Bund Deutscher Mädchen (League of German Girls 14 to 18)
Lowest unit to highest unit

Mädelschaft was the smallest unit with 10 to 15 girls.
Mädelschar consisted of 3 or 4 Maedelschaften totaling 50-60.
Mädelgruppe consisted of 3 or 4 Maedelscharen totaling 150-190.
Mädelring consisted of 4 to 6 Gefolgschaften totaling 600-800.
Untergau consisted of 5 Maedelring totaling 3,000.
Gau consisted of 5 Untergaue totaling 15,000.
Obergau consisted of 5 Gaue totaling 75,000.
Gauverband consisted of 5 Obergaue totaling 375,000.

BDM Ranks (girls 14 - 18) Lowest to highest rank	Deutsche Jungmädel Ranks (girls 10 - 14) Lowest to highest rank
	(Girls 10 to 14)
Mädel	Jungmädel
Mädelschaftsführerin	Jungmädelschaftsführerin
Mädelscharfürerin	JM-Scharführerin
Mädelgruppenführerin	JM-Gruppenführerin
Mädelringführerin	JM-Ringführerin
Untergauführerin	JM-Untergauführerin
Hauptmädelführerin
Obergauführerin
Reichsreferentin