Hitlerjugend: An In-Depth History: HJ-Marine
by Arvo L. Vercamer

Out of all of the HJ activity groups, one of the most desireable ones to join was the Marine-HJ. Although it was open to all German youths, in reality, most of the memebers came from northern Germany. At its peak in the 1943-1944 period, the Marine-HJ contained over 60.000 boys.

In 1935, the "Reichsseesportschule" was activated in Brandenburg. A short while later, a second such facility was opened on Lake Constance in southern Germany. Two Marine-HJ sub-units existed; one focused on the needs of the German high seas fleets and one focused on the needs of inland-river and lake navigation issues. HJ-Marine members paid slightly higher membership dues in part to offset some of the higher operating expenses of their activities.

Marine-HJ members were treated with higher standards as issues such as chart plotting, celestial navigation, seamanship issues, etc. required cool headed and clear thinking individuals. Not everyone was cut out to be a Marine-HJ. High demands were made of the young boys as they sailed and raced on lakes, toured the various major surface combat ships of the new Kriegsmarine, built models, etc. One of the end goals were to ensure that each Marine-HJ member graduated with his sailing certificate and that each boy was suitable for future service in the Kriegsmarine. Naturally, if the youth wished to enter the German merchant marine, that path too was open for selection.

Prior to 1939, the graduating class of Marine-HJ members participated in a naval exercise on the Baltic Sea where the Kriengsmarine placed the two "tall-ship" sailing vessels, "Gorch Fock" and "Horst Wessel", at the disposal of the Marine-HJ. FYI - the "Horst Wessel" survived the war, was seized by the U.S. Navy in 1945 and is now the USGC "Eagle"; the "Gorch Fock" also survivied the war and is now in the service of the German Bundesmarine).

The HJ-Marine contained three primary components; the parent organization, the Marine-HJ (the regular maritime HJ) and two smaller sub-groups; the Reichsbann BS "Binnenschifffahrt" (a special component for inland water navigation) and the Reichsbann S "Seefahrt" (a special component for high seas activities).

Marine HJ - The parent organization, the Marine-HJ provided leadership and training to those who had a general interest in maritime service. Activities were focused on learning basic maritime skills; learning how commercial shipping operated and learning how to serve aboard Kriegsmarine vessels. It was one safe way to circumvent Germany's restrictions on the number of active naval personnel it could maintain because of the Versailles Treaty limitations.

Marine HJ Uniforms - Regular brown HJ uniforms with Marine HJ insignia (1933-1945) - KM winter blue and summer white uniforms with HJ armband (1936-1945) - mix and match variations existed in the 1933-1939 era; dark yellow piping on the brown HJ uniform cap; dark yellow piping on the brown HJ uniform shoulder boards; all ranks wore gilt buttons; Marine HJ "Bann Number" was woven in dark yellow into the brown HJ uniform shoulder boards; black leather shoes or hiking boots; black leather belt with HJ buckle (one of many designs); black HJ uniform "Bundhosen"/shorts or brown HJ uniform trousers; HJ knife (one of many designs).

Reichsbann BS "Binnenschifffahrt" - This smaller sub-organization provided leadership and training to those who had an interest in serving on German and European inland waterway regions; primarily fresh water regions.

Reichsbann BS "Binnenschifffahrt" Uniforms - Regular brown HJ uniforms with Marine HJ insignia (1933-1945) - KM winter blue and summer white uniforms with HJ armband (1936-1945) - mix and match variations existed in the 1933-1939 era; dark yellow piping on the brown HJ uniform cap; dark yellow piping on the brown HJ uniform shoulder boards; all ranks wore gilt buttons; Marine HJ "Bann Number" was omitted on the brown HJ uniform shoulder boards; Gothic scripted letters "BS" were woven in dark yellow into the brown HJ uniform shoulder boards; black leather shoes or hiking boots; black leather belt with HJ buckle (one of many designs); black HJ uniform "Bundhosen"/shorts or brown HJ uniform trousers; HJ knife (one of many designs).

Reichsbann S "Seefahrt" - This smaller sub-organization provided leadership and training to those who had an aptitude/interest in salt-water seamanship. Many of the Krigesmarine's future sailors were HJ-Marine graduates.

Reichbann S "Seefahrt" Uniforms - Regular brown HJ uniforms with Marine HJ insignia (1933-1945) - KM winter blue and summer white uniforms with HJ armband (1936-1945) - mix and match variations existed in the 1933-1939 era; dark yellow piping on the brown HJ uniform cap; dark yellow piping on the brown HJ uniform shoulder boards; all ranks wore gilt buttons; Marine HJ "Bann Number" was omitted on the brown HJ uniform shoulder boards; Gothic scripted letters "S" were woven in dark yellow into the brown HJ uniform shoulder boards; black leather shoes or hiking boots; black leather belt with HJ buckle (one of many designs); black HJ uniform "Bundhosen"/shorts or brown HJ uniform trousers; HJ knife (one of many designs).

Deutschejugend "Marine" uniform, mid 1930's

Illustration © Arvo L. Vercamer

Hitlerjugend "Marine" uniform, mid 1930's

Illustration © Arvo L. Vercamer

Boy of Marine-HJ

(Courtesy of Josef Fregosi)