X-Nico

5 unusual facts about Free German Youth


Alexander Schalck-Golodkowski

He joined the Free German Youth in 1951 and the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschlands, SED) in 1955.

Free German Youth

New South Wales Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon was a member while on exchange in the DDR in the mid 1960s.

Karl Holluba

From November 1971 until 1986, he was on the central committee of the Free German Youth, and after 1980 became a division leader for finance.

Paul Gratzik

In Weimar, in 1962, he was an official in the local Free German Youth and decided to collaborate with the Ministry for State Security (MfS or Stasi) as an informer.

Report from Herrnburg

The Free German Youth chorus performed the piece as part of the World Festival of Democratic Youth; the production was awarded the National Prize, First Class.


ABC-Zeitung

Published by Volk und Wissen until 1950, and then by Verlag Junge Welt, it was the voice of the Free German Youth, targeting Young Pioneers and primary school pupils of the grades 1 to 3.

Popular front

For example, East Germany was ruled by a "National Front" of all anti-fascist parties and movements within parliament (Socialist Unity Party of Germany, Liberal Party, Farmers' Party, Youth Movement, Trade Union Federation, etc.).


see also

Wandlitz

In the woods North East of the village Wandlitz is the small Bogensee with a former summer house of Joseph Goebbels, later part of the academy of the Free German Youth organization.