History

In general, the uniforms of the male Hitler Youth members consisted of a top, a neckerchief and woggle – but a tie for officers –, bottoms, a belt, knee socks, and shoes or boots.

Officers didn’t wear shorts, but usually black breeches of unknown material. It is unknown when this was first mentioned in regulations.

Alternatively, they were allowed to wear black trousers with a 2mm silver-coloured stripe down the outer seam, gold-coloured for higher officers. A regulation introduced on March 7, 1935 specified that Leaders of a Gebiet, department heads of the Reichsjugendführung (RJF), the Adjutant to the Reichsjugendführer, and the Staff Leader of the RJF should wear bright red piping. Another regulation stated that the red piping was to be removed by July 15, 1937, and replaced with brown piping.

The Leader trousers of the Aviation HJ members were identical, except that after 1938 all items worn during the winter months (October 15 to April 14) or during flying exercises were of air force blue colour.

Leader ranks at NPEAs (National Political Educational Institutes) wore similar trousers, but with either beige or white (for pre-military training) piping.

The ranks of Gefolgschaftsführer to Hauptgefolgschaftführer at Aeronautical Preparatory Technical Schools (Fliegertechnische Vorschulen) wore the breeches in Luftwaffe blue-grey colour. It is unknown when this was first introduced.