Jugendburg

A Jugendburg, or youth castle in English, describes a medieval castle in German-speaking regions that was repurposed during the 1900s as a public community hub or educational centre for young people. The initial supporters of these youth castles were largely drawn from the Wandervogel and Pfadfinder movements, or at least had connections to the broader youth movement. The word itself originally signified the use of castles by young people. There is debate over the distinction between Jugendburgen in this historical sense and those operating as youth hostels, such as those run by the German Youth Hostel Association.

Youth hostels first appeared in the early 20th century, following the youth movement, as lodging for young men, youth groups, and school classes. The first German youth hostel was established in 1909 by Richard Schirrmann at Altena Castle, which had been rebuilt from 1906 to 1915. During the Nazi era, youth castles were taken over by the Hitler Youth and the League of German Girls, and the term became increasingly tied to Nazi ideology. From 1935 to 1943, a schoolchildren’s magazine titled *Deutsche Jugendburg* was published by the National Socialist Teachers League.

In the context of the youth movement, the names Gustav Wyneken, Robert Oelbermann, and Karl Oelbermann are frequently linked to Jugendburgen. In 1910, progressive educator Gustav Wyneken chaired the Bund für freie Schulgemeinden and edited its magazine. He sought to establish a new school or Jugendburg for his progressive educational project, which aimed at forming people according to a worldview. Wyneken wanted to redefine teacher-pupil relationships based on comradeship and leadership. From 1912 onward, he influenced the youth movement as an adult, creating the concept of "youth culture" in opposition to the subservience of Wilhelmine Germany, as well as against school and family. In 1913, he helped organise the First Free German Youth Day at Hoher Meissner, though tensions arose because many groups rejected his leader-figure role. The Freideutsche Jugend network that emerged from the Meissner Declaration held an anti-rationalist viewpoint that clashed with Wyneken’s approach.

Fascinated by Wyneken’s ideas, the Oelbermann brothers dreamed of the Jugendburg concept after World War I.