Sunday, June 7th, 11 am
“In Leipzig, several groups of young persons, the so-called ‘Meuten’ (‘packs’ or ‘hordes’) made their appearance in the year of 1937, who dressed uniformly in the style of the former Bündische Jugend and gathered on certain streets or squares. […] The boys of the Meute were shouting around in the streets, harassed passers-by — especially the HJ (Hitler Youth) — rode wildly through the streets in groups on bicycles, and displayed an indecent behaviour toward the girls. […] The Meute, together with other Meuten existing in Leipzig, regarded itself as a youth movement standing in opposition to the HJ. […] Boys and girls were discouraged from doing their HJ service; the slogan was spread that they should not take anything from the HJ. In contrast to the HJ, they were advocating for free and unrestricted gatherings and excursionsinvolving girls.”
– from an indictement of the Leipzig district attorney against several members of the “Meuten”, 1940
(»In Leipzig traten im Jahre 1937 mehrere Gruppen jugendlicher Personen, die sogen. »Meuten«, in Erscheinung, die sich nach Art der früheren bündischen Jugend einheitlich kleideten und auf bestimmten Straßen oder Plätzen zusammenkamen. […] Die Jungen der Meute schrien auf der Straße herum, belästigten Passanten, insbesondere die HJ, fuhren zu mehreren mit dem Fahrrad wild durch die Straßen und legten bei ihrem Verhalten gegenüber den Mädchen ein unsittliches Gebaren an den Tag.[…] Die Meute fühlte sich zusammen mit anderen in Leipzig bestehenden Meuten als eine im Gegensatz zur HJ stehende Jugendbewegung. […] Jungen und Mädchen wurden vom HJ-Dienst abgehalten, es wurde die Parole ausgegeben, sich von der HJ nichts gefallen zu lassen. Im Gegensatz zur HJ wurde für ein freies und ungebundenes Zusammenkommen und Fahrtenleben mit Mädchen eingetreten.«)
Between the years of 1936 and 1938 the groups called “Meuten” by their detractors crystallised from all kinds of former youth-groups that were regarded with suspicion by the new Nazi-regime. They were mainly made up of blue collar teenagers and young adults who did not like the increasingly restrictive and dull life under the regime, a scene rather than an organization. The increasing societal pressure, and the bullying by HJ-members, made them much more political and willing to physically defend themselves, later many of them also engaged in acts of protest and sabotage. For a while, they were numerous and determined enough to keep Nazis and local police off their streets and create a small free space for themselves. Around 1938, most members were arrested during a massive crack-down by the Gestapo, sent to prison or to youth re-education camps, many later to the front, others could flee or join other resistance movements. Since the “Meuten” left none of their own writing, and did not really fit either German state’s image of what a resistance fighter should be like, they were largely forgotten after the war, and only in recent decades rediscovered by local historians and hobbyists.
The guided tour will take us to several places in Lindenau that were important to the local “Meute Reeperbahn”, and highlight key events and the fates of several individuals.
The tour will be in English. It should take about one and a half to two hours of slow walking with several stops. The entire route is on even ground and should be accessible for wheelchair-users.
We will meet June 7th, at 11 am in front of the ADI, Georg-Schwarz-Strasse 19, a prior registration is not necessary.
This project is funded by the Stadtbezirksbeirat Leipzig-Altwest budget granted by the City of Leipzig.