1932_potsdam_hj

Reichsjugendführer Baldur von Schirach

After a short power-struggle with a rival organisation, Gerhard Roßbach's Schilljugend—Gruber prevailed and his "Greater German Youth Movement" became the Nazi Party's official youth organisation. In July 1926, it was renamed Hitler-Jugend, Bund deutscher Arbeiterjugend ("Hitler Youth, League of German Worker Youth") and, for the first time, officially became an integral part of the Sturmabteilung. The name Hitler-Jugend was taken up on the suggestion of Hans Severus Ziegler. By 1930, the Hitlerjugend (HJ) had enlisted over 25,000 boys aged 14 and upwards. They also set up a junior branch, the Deutsches Jungvolk (DJ), for boys aged 10 to 14. Girls from 10 to 18 were given their own parallel organisation, the League of German Girls (BDM).

In April 1932, Chancellor Heinrich Brüning banned the Hitler Youth movement, in an attempt to stop widespread political violence, but in June Brüning's successor as Chancellor, Franz von Papen, lifted the ban.
In mid-1932, Reichsjugendführer (Reich Youth Leader) Baldur von Schirach, later to be appointed head of the Hitler Youth (Hitlerjugend), began planning the first Hitlerjugend (HJ) rally, to be held in Potsdam.
From his account of events leading up to the rally, Schirach had no idea how many would attend the rally. When he first suggested the idea to Hitler he told him that he expected around 50% of the official membership of the Hitler Youth to attend which amounted to around 17,000 at that time. It became clear that more capacity would be required, and the tented camp erected at the Potsdamer Luftschiffhafen eventually had the capacity to accommodate 50,000. The actual numbers who attended were said to be:

80,000 boys and 20,000 girls

March-past by members of the Hitler Youth at the 1st youth rally , Potsdam 1932

The 1st youth Rally Participants and donation badge

The Potsdam badge in silver was the one worn by those who had been active participants on the day. The bronze version was available for purchase by spectators/non-participants and was also sold prior to the event as a fund-raiser. Regulations dated 15.5.1937 were introduced to stop the bronze version being worn from that year. The silver version was unaffected by this and could continue to be worn.

Silver 1932 Potsdam Badge - nickle silver plated tombac

maker: Hermann Aurich, Dresden

Bronze 1932 Potsdam Badge - bronzed tombac

Maker: F. Hoffstätter, Bonn

Hitler and von Schirach seen wearing the silver 1932 Potsdam badge

Von Schirach presented a special cased silver version of the badge to Hitler on the 11th of September 1932.

The design of the official poster and postcard for the event, designed by the artist Prof. Ludwig Hohlwein

Hitler Youth Donation/Day Badges

A small selection of Hitler Youth donation/day badges