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

Motoring, especially the participating in car and motorcycle races, rallies and touring events, were very popular activities in post World War One Germany. Car giants such as Mercedes-Benz, Bayerische Motor Wekre (BMW), Auto-Union, etc., all vied for public attention by displaying their latest and greatest mechanical marvels. A top win in any given racing competition category could go a long ways to boost badly needed sales for the car's manufacturer.

By the early 1930's, and well before Hitler came to power, both the Allgemeine-HJ and the SA's Nationalsozialitsiches Kraftfahrer Korps (NSKK) were strongly recruiting for new youth members. This often created a strain on the recruitment activities of both organizations. In 1933, Baldur von Schirach, the Reichsjugendführer, and Major Hühnlein, the director of the NSKK, came to an understanding. The Allgemeine-HJ and the NSKK would pool their resources and create the "Reichsmotorschule". In 1933, the Motor-HJ was created by Baldur von Schirach and both the Motor-HJ and the NSKK were jointly used the resources of the Reichsmotorschule for their activities. Despite this arrangement, access to motorcycles and cars was often problematic. Many Motor-HJ members were permitted to use personally, family owned cars and motorcycles for training purposes.

The Motor-HJ focused its activities on teaching automotive maintenance skills, driving skills, German and international driving laws, rules, etc. A key goal was to create a pool of talented automotive specialists who, in the future, could serve in the Wehrmacht's motor pool. Activities stressed the importance of acquiring top-level driving and mechanical skills. HJ-Motor members paid slightly higher membership dues in part to offset some of the higher operating expenses of their activities.

In order to join the Motor-HJ, one had to be at least 16 years of age; this was the age at which a German youth could apply for a license to ride a motorcycle. At age 18, the Motor-HJ recruit would transfer over to the NSKK for additional career advancement and additional training in automotive skills.

A special HJ-Motor Abzeichen (HJ-Motor badge) was awarded for superior proficciencies in the automotive field.