Hitlerjugend: An In-Depth History:

1931 - Von Schirach cleans house

by Arvo L. Vercamer

On April 27th, 1931, the HJ and the SA were once again brought closer together. Specifically, the HJ was now made an inseparable sub-component of the SA. In addition, the headquarters of the HJ was moved from Plauen to Munich proper during the month of October, 1931.

This action had a number of large political consequences. Now, the HJ was oficially required to attend political demponstrations and participate in parades alongside their SA "mentors".

A number of small, internal reorganizations of the HJ also were undertaken in 1931. Specifically, the HJ was now divided into three specific branches:

A.) Jungvolk - To encompass all seven to 15 year old youths.

B.) Scharen - To encompass all 15 to 18 year old youths.

C.) Ring - Youth leaders everywhere, organizationally not visible.

Kurt Gruber resigned his post of "Reichsführer der HJ" in October of 1931, though he remained in the HJ organization as an advisor. Von Schirach had apparently been successful in pressuring Gruber to leave. One of von Schirach's first actions after Gruber's resignation was to purge the HJ leadership of all individuals who were not politically acceptable or reliable.

In Gruber's place, Adrian Theodor von Renteln was elevated to the position of "Reichsführer der HJ. Von Renteln held this HJ post until he departed on June 16th, 1932, to become the new head of the "Kampfbund des Gewerblichen Mittelstandes (Fighting Group of the Industrial Middle Classes).