Hitlerjugend: An In-Depth History: 1924 - Uncertain future
by Arvo L. Vercamer

Spending only a short time behind bars (he was released in April of 1924), Lenk wasted little time in establishing yet another "youth" group, the "Grossdeutsche Jugendbewegung". On November 25th, 1924, Lenk was once again arrested and thrown in jail at Landsberg because of his involvement in banned political activities. Lenk was released from Landsberg on December 20th, 1924 - the same day Adolf Hitler was released from Landsberg prison after serving only nine months of his five-year sentence.

While in prison, Adolf Hitler wrote "Mein Kampf" (my (personal) struggle). This book was to serve as his blueprint for controlling Germany, if not the world. Many passages of his book were devoted to the youth of Germany and their roles in a future Nationalist Socialist Party led society.

Undaunted by his many setbacks, Lenk set up yet one more "new" youth organization, the "Deutsche Wehrjugend". But this time, he elected to do this without soliciting NSDAP sponsorship. This somewhat irritated Hitler and his close inner circle of activists greatly and they quickly organized countermeasures designed to ensure the failure of the "Deutsche Wehrjugend". Partially attributed to successful NSDAP disruptive measure and partially because Lenk just was not a good organizer, the "Deutsche Wehrjugend" organization went bankrupt within a short time. Lenk, of ill physical health, feeling the mental stresses of these personal failures in part attributed to other legal problems he was facing (embezzlement charges), called it quits as to his further participation in the German youth movement.

Lenk was not the only one who worked towards re-establishing new right-wing youth groups. A number of those who fled to Austria after the failed November 1923 putsch also worked to re-establish new right-wing youth groups. Among the most prominent were the efforts of Gerhard Rossbach, leader and founder of the "Freikorps Rossbach" (he was also one of Ernst Röhm's homosexual partners). In Austria, Gerhard Rossbach quickly proceeded to establish a new Nationalist Socialist youth organization, the "Schilljugend".