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Hello all,

I just signed on and thought it would be nice to intro myself.

Volker, 38 years old, currently raising a new troop of Boy Scouts in our local protestant parish.

Although the scouts in Germany are so much different from the rest of the world, my own past scouting experience was along traditional lines and so that's what I'm going to convey to the kids.

 

I'm sure it will be quite an experience to accompany them from kiddo-off-the-street through Tenderfoot to Scout.

 

See you around the campfire!

 

Allzeit bereit!

Volker

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Geherte Phadfinder Bruder, Volker. Ich begre Sie zu unserem Forum von Scouters. Ich bin froh, dass Sie versuchen, eine " troop ' in Ihrem Kirchspiel in Gang zu bringen. Sie werden viele Meinungen hier hren. Einige, sind und einige sehr klug verrckt. Sie mssen diejenigen whlen, die arbeiten, und sie dann zu weiter Ihrer 'Troop ' verwenden werden. Eine groe und effetive 'Troop ' zu fhren, ist schwierig. Es wird viele Hrden geben, und ich spreche von der Erfahrung. Ich wnsche Sie Erfolg. jambo

 

PS>>>That was in German, for the sake for those who did not understand.

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Hello,

yes, I think it will be a challenge to start a troop from scratch, but I'm quite positive that it will be a rewarding task.

In our part of Germany, the Rhineland, close to Bonn, a click South of Cologne, the Catholic DPSG (St. George) is best known, but that should not keep us from doing something for the kids in our community.

 

I've already contacted the forestry service who "runs" the woods surrounding our town and they have been very welcoming and helpful. In fact, they offered us some kind of outdoor playground where we can practically do all major woodcraft and pioneering. I'm glad this started so well.

Two troops from Bonn have already offered their help to get us off the ground.

 

Our kids will mainly be in the age range of 10-14 years. Maybe at some point I will be asking for a Stateside troop of similar aged kids as pen-pals or email-pals for "my" kids to give them an experience of the international character of the scout movement.

 

best regards,

Volker

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To Germany's Scout brothers: You have very good ideas for your 'Phadfinder', working in the 'Schwartz Wald '. Pen pal idea is a good one, since now we have Internet. I am not sure of the dates, but I believe October 15th, is the Jamboree on the Air, and the JOTI, which gives a boy a chance to exchange ideas and photos with other scouts around the world. When I was running a Troop ( now I am retired ), we had a 24 hour session with the Scouts, with 3 ham operators stringing their antenas all over the place. We reached 23 countries...scouts earned their Radio, electronics merit badges, and some got interested in HAM RADIO.

In reference to the 'umlaut'...you can write it as 'ue', if your typewriter does not produce it. " Habt eine gemuetliches tag " ...jambo

 

 

 

 

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Hello,

scouts in Germany are very different from the rest of the world as they sort of mixed with the various independent youth organisations for which their outdoor activities are not a concept of education and training in citizenship, but a way to express their liberal, free-thinking views.

You will find only few "traditional" scout troops, most call themselves "tribes", "packs", etc. and wear an interesting assortment of clothing.

Here, they distinguish between "scoutish" (traditional), rather scoutish, covenant or rather covenant.

I think, my scoutish kids in khaki with hat and stave will sort of stand out among the rest.

 

best regards,

Volker

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Slouchhat writes:

 

"Scouts in Germany are very different from the rest of the world as they sort of mixed with the various independent youth organisations for which their outdoor activities are not a concept of education and training in citizenship, but a way to express their liberal, free-thinking views."

 

Very different indeed! Germany is a free country as far as Scouting is concerned. As such it is the very opposite of the United States where the courts have (so far) determined that one religious organization is allowed to impose its discrimination on everyone who wants to join Scouting.

 

Germany is the BSA's very worst nightmare because Germans have the right to choose from 40 Scouting associations plus dozens of unaffiliated single groups, or just start their own! For an excellent overview of World Scouting, See:

 

http://www.troop97.net/intscout.htm

 

Slouchhat continues:

 

"my own past scouting experience was along traditional lines and so that's what I'm going to convey to the kids...Here, they distinguish between "scoutish" (traditional), rather scoutish, covenant or rather covenant."

 

What sort of traditional program do you use?

 

You might find The Kudu Net helpful. See:

 

Some Traditional Scout Skills, including Stave Making:

 

http://kudu.net/outdoor/skills/index.htm

 

Some Traditional Scout Games your Scouts might like, especially Wide Games and Night Games:

 

http://kudu.net/outdoor/games/index.htm

 

Kudu

 

 

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