Since youth organisations feature so prominently in this chapter, how is the Jungdeutscher Order doing? I seem to recall that it was the largest organisation of its type untill its forced merger into the Hitlerjugend.As the father of two sons and two daughters, President von Lettow-Vorbeck had a personal investment in this cause, and would soon bring the Bündische Jugend (Federal Youth), the leading youth association, under the wing of the government when he created the new Reichsministerium für Bildung und Kinderschutz (Reich Ministry of Education and Child Protection), whose job it would be to monitor not only the schools of the Reich, but indeed all facilities and programs geared towards children to ensure both quality and safety. Light pushback came from several of the Free States who claimed that this interfered with previous precedent which left the running of schools mostly to the individual states (within a few restrictions), but they were quickly assured that this new ministry did not have the power to control school curriculum, focusing mainly on the staff and disciplinary measures. Its power over the youth organisations would be more extensive, directing funding and numbers towards groups with Conservative leaders and promoting activities like hiking, canoeing, and shooting. The goals were twofold: To increase the public health and fitness of the next generation and to properly prepare young boys for a potential future in the military. In 1935 this ministry would absorb the Jugendamt (Youth Office) and from then on would be the nation-wide authority on childcare and the front line against child abuse.
Speaking of organisations in general. Does Von Lettow-Vorbeck support any non-German groups on the continent? Groups that could be considered usefull allies in the future?