The Marching
Years
Everyone
remembers their childhood. Some of us did this, and some of us did
that. But, everyone did exactly the same where Heike Jahns
grew up! Everyone was a pioneer, and that's how it was in the GDR!
And, Heike
Jahns looks back upon this time with pleasure. The pioneers were
life both in and out of school, and the fun began in the very first
class. It was there that all the children were ceremoniously
accepted into the organisation, and from then on
the wearing of the uniform became a part of everyday
life. And, Heike Jahns still remembers
how proud she used to be in her
white blouse and blue scarf.
And, Heike
Jahns especially remembers Wednesday afternoons. These were activity
afternoons, and everything was provided and organized by the
pioneers. There were visits to the cinema, dancing lessons, theatre
workshops, musical evenings, and every other kind of club
imaginable, and mostly at no cost at all. Everyone
was in with a chance, which of
course, made it easy for families to manage.
But, there was sport, too. And sport was especially encouraged.
And, encouraged, too, were the camps.
And,
these were every child's dream. Summer with friends in
the country with everything laid on.
There was
good food, and activities from
morning until night. And, not only that. Camps were the
perfect place for making new friends. There were children from not
only the GDR, but, other socialist countries as well.
But, of
course, the evenings were always the best. They were the
perfect way of ending each day, and, the pioneer songs which were
sung round the fire after dark were special and full of wonderful
emotional feelings. And, these were the moments of magic.
But, it
would be wrong to believe that the pioneers were only good fun.
There were dull moments, too. And Heike Jahns remembers Mondays as
being the worst. Mondays were Flag
Days and started at seven in the morning. There was an assembly in
the school yard and everyone was there. And then, after
the unenthusiastic singing of one or two songs and the reading of
notices concerning achievements and coming events, allegiance
was sworn to the flag. Flag Days were not a nice way of
starting the week!
But, of
course, the pioneers were there to provide a pattern for life, and so
a system was needed. Primary school children were known as pioneers,
and their uniform was a white shirt or blouse with a blue scarf. And
then, in the 5th class, the children went up to the
Thälmann Pioneers and the blue scarf was swapped for a red one.
Ernst Thälmann, by the way, was the chairman of the German Communist
party before the 2nd World War.
And, success
was very important for all pioneers. Achievements were recognized
in the form of badges which were sewn onto uniforms.
And, each time a new badge was achieved, it was awarded
with ceremony.
And,
ceremony was a very important part of pioneer life, and the most
important ceremony of all was the going-up to the highest. At the
end of the 7th class, the white shirt was exchanged for a
blue one. Childhood had now been left behind, and everyone
was now a member of the Free German Youth (FDJ). The perfect
conclusion of a wonderful period as a proud pioneer!
But, there's
a sad irony in this childhood story. It's a story that can never be
repeated. Neither Heike Jahns's grandchildren, nor her great-grand
children will ever become pioneers. Heike Jahns's childhood vanished
into a past that will never return. The pioneers no longer exist –
and – even more dramatically - nor does the country she grew up
in! The GDR, as everyone knows, is now part of the German Republic.
And, whether that's good or bad, is a question for history!
But, the
past was the present at the time, and Heike Jahns remembers it well!
Vocabulary
achieved (to
achieve/achieved/achieved) - vollbringen
allegiance –
Treue
awarded
(to award/awarded/awarded) – verleihen
badge
– Abzeichen
childhood
– Kindheit
GDR
– (German Democratic Republic) - DDR
grew up – (to
grow up/grew up/grown up) - aufwachsen
laid
on (to lay
on/laid on/laid on) - organized
sewn (to
sew/sewed/sewn) – annähen
sworn (to
swear/swore/sworn) - schwören
Diarikom
is sponsored by Mag. Karl Brieber
Wirtschaftstreuhänder
– Steuerberater – Unternehmensberater
The
Most Beautiful Beaches in Europe!
Mountains,
rivers, lakes and much more.
Wales
– Come and visit!
Aber
House
Barmouth
Elisabeth
Razumovsky
