User:Pacific wanderer/German Youth Activities

German Youth Activities

1. General

The US Army anticipated a problem with/for the mentally disoriented and dislocated youth in Germany after a brainwashing-like education and indoctrination by Nazi Kindergarten, Jungfolk and Hitlerjugend until 1945.

However they did not anticipate the situation of the hungry, freezing and, lacking space for homework after school German kids in the bombed out towns and cities. (In most cases school hours were only from 08am til 11am because the lack of teachers, lack of heating and lack of schoolrooms.)

The US Army faced both challenges and done itself proud.

The idea was to provide for the German youth a kind of open house, not a shelter, where they would find a warm and clean place with playthings, books and sports and by the bye teach them the fundamentals of democracy and an outlook of their miserable situation at most homes. Especially during the blockade of West Berlin in 1948 and 1949 the GYA was the mainstay of the

2. Red tape

The idea of GYA originated from HQUSAE (Headquarters United States Army in Europe) and was to be implemented quite early. But HQUSAE was not independent. The main and official US policy during and after the slow occupation of Germany towards the inhabitants was 'non fraternization'. This had some reason as to avoid getting personally involved with ex Nazi followers, war criminals and the like.

But the US Army in Europe started the GYA anyway. But soon the were called back by the Pentagon. Thus it got a slow start and it had to wait a year until the official policy was changed at lest towards children.

3.Personnel and facilities

The personnel at start about late 1945 were American volunteers of all branches and ranks also army dependents and nurses. Later German parents and volunteers were invited to join the staff.

The GYA Facilities were located close to but not inside of US Army barracks. It would rent or impound a villa or larger house then to be remodeled and opened to the youth of the neighborhood. It normally enclosed a yard to play basketball and provide for a training corner for baseball (never a field) and table tennis. The rooms were equipped with standard GI issue furniture and there was always a photo shop, a library and a movie room.

In the summer the staff would plan and provide for a summer camp in the nearby woods or recreational areas along the riversides.

Conclusion

Especially during the Russian blockade of West Berlin in 1948 and 1949 in addition to the Airlift the GYA was the mainstay of the morale and well being of the Kids in the American Sector.

None of the many children who found a warm place to do homework after school, to play, to find guidance other than from their still-shaken parents, to learn sports and get look into a brighter future will forget the time and devotion given by the volunteer US military and civilian personnel who were running the GYA homes.

The US Army did not only win the war in the west. After the fall of the Third Reich it won the hearts of the German kids in the US Zone in Germany and the US Sector of West Berlin.