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PHOTO - A GDR Summer Camp - Archive.
The
Marching Years
Heike
Jahns
When
Heike Jahns was a child, she was a young pioneer - and so was
everyone else. And, that's how it was in the GDR.
And,
Heike Jahns looks back to her pioneer days with great
pleasure. They began on her first day of school, and, from that
day on, her life was this socialist movement. And, Heike Jahns
still clearly remembers
the white blouse and blue scarf she wore everyday. Heike Jahns
was happy and proud as a young pioneer, and each day was fun.
But,
Wednesdays were special. Wednesdays were action, and Wednesdays were
pioneer days. There were visits to the cinema, dancing lessons,
theatre workshops, musical events, and many other activities, too.
And, all at no cost. But,
nothing was as good as the camps.
The
camps were summer and fun with friends in the country. There was very
good food – much better than
usual - and action from morning til night. There were never
dull moments. But, the evenings
were always the best. And, the pioneer songs which were sung
round the fire after dark were special and full of emotion.
And, these moments of magic were the ones taken home at the end of
the summer and the ones that were never forgotten.
But,
Heike Jahns remembers the dull moments as well. And, Mondays were
always the worst. Mondays were Flag
Days. The entire school would assemble, and after the
unenthusiastic singing of one or two boring songs, allegiance
was sworn to the flag. Flag Days were not a nice way of
starting the week!
And,
the pioneers, too, were a pattern for life. Primary school children
were the young pioneers and they wore a white shirt and blue scarf.
In the 5th class, the children went up. And, the blue
scarf was changed for a red one.
And,
success was important for all pioneers. And success was rewarded
with badges. And, receiving new badges were moments of glory and
pride. And, all the children worked hard. The more badges one had,
the better one was.
But,
the greatest occasion of all was the going-up to the highest.
Finishing the 7th class, the white shirt was changed for
a blue one and Childhood became a thing of the past. All were
now members of the Free German Youth (FDJ). The perfect conclusion
of a wonderful time as proud pioneers!
But,
there's a very sad irony in this childhood story. Neither Heike
Jahns's children, nor her grand children, nor anyone else will ever
become pioneers. The pioneers no longer exist – and – even more
dramatically - nor does the GDR, the country where Heike grew up!
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
sworn
(to swear/swore/sworn) - schwören
A GDR Summer Camp - Archive
