Blue Necktie

The Ernst Thälmann Pioneer organization, consist-ing of the Thälmann Pioneers (ages 6-10) and the Young Pioneers (ages 10-14), was an organization for East German schoolchildren. From the 1960s and 1970s until the end of the GDR, nearly all schoolchildren joined one of the two groups. The organization, based roughly on the concept of the Boy Scouts, was named after the former leader of the Communist Party of Germany, Ernst Thälmann, who was executed at Buchenwald con-centration camp. It was founded on 13 December 1948 and disbanded in 1989 in the course of German reunification. Its aim was to teach school-children socialist ideology and prepare them for the Freie Deutsche Jugend (FDJ), the organization for young people aged 14-25. The children spent afternoons and summer holidays together in camps. The pioneers' slogan was “Für Frieden und Sozialismus seid bereit – Immer bereit / For peace and socialism be ready – Always ready”. This was usually shortened to “Be ready – Always ready”. This slogan was recited at the raising of the flag. Usually the pioneer leader said: “Be ready!” and the pioneers answered “Always ready”, placing their right hand near their forehead with the thumb down and the fingers facing skywards. The pioneers' uniform consisted of white shirts and blouses worn with blue trousers or skirts. Often the only uniform item worn was the most important sign of the future socialist – the triangular necktie. Thälmann pioneers wore a red necktie, Young Pioneers a blue one.The Pioneer Organization always fascinated me. After reunification a lot of families from the former GDR moved to West Berlin, so that I had a lot of new friends and classmates. They told me about theirtime as Thälmann Pioneers. In their young innocencethey were sad about reunification because they would never be able to become Young Pioneers and wear the blue necktie and the pin / medal you can see in the picture. Since the blue necktie was so important to children of my age group at that time, the picture is named The blue necktie even though the boy in the picture iswearing a red one. He symbolizes Thälmann Pioneers that will never be able to become Young Pioneers.