DDR state youth organization is established in East Germany
The Free German Youth (FDJ) was established in the Soviet zone of occupation on 7 March 1946. Ostensibly an independent, non-partisan, anti-fascist youth organization, the FDJ developed into a semi-official organization dedicated to training generations of class-conscious socialists. Attracting members through the organization of leisure activities, the blue shirts and blouses worn as uniform from 1948 acted as a political statement.
Membership was voluntary, but non-members were often bullied by their school teachers and threatened with educational and career disadvantages. As a result, around 80% of young people had joined the FDJ by the mid-1980s. Membership plummeted after reunification and now only a handful of youths still turn up to the meetings.
About the Deutschlandmuseum
An immersive and innovative experience museum about 2000 years of German history
The whole year at a glance
