THW-Jugend

THW-Jugend e. V. is the registered, non-profit youth association that unites all youth groups of the Technisches Hilfswerk (THW), Germany's federal civil protection and technical relief organisation. Founded in Ahrweiler in 1984, the association grew out of local youth groups that had already formed within individual THW local branches during the 1970s, before being organised at federal level. Today it counts roughly 16,000 young members aged 6 to 17, distributed across 668 local THW youth groups (Ortsjugenden), each normally attached to a THW local branch. The association's central aim is to introduce its young members to THW technology and working methods in a playful way, under the motto 'Spielend helfen lernen' (learning to help through play). A secondary but important purpose is recruiting the next generation of THW volunteers. Its educational work rests on five pillars: active leisure activities, educational work, technical training, international cooperation, and social engagement. Considerable emphasis is placed on general youth work, so that young helpers learn both the tasks of the THW and how to interact within a group. THW-Jugend organises a wide range of activities. Every three years each state youth organisation holds a state youth camp (Landesjugendlager) with a state youth competition, whose winners advance to the federal youth competition. The federal youth camp (Bundesjugendlager) is the association's most logistically demanding event, bringing together local youth groups from across Germany; it has been held in locations such as Oberschleißheim (1985), Gelsenkirchen (1992), Wismar (2006), Wolfsburg (2010), Landshut (2012, 4,000 participants), Mönchengladbach (2014, about 4,600 participants), Neumünster (2016), Rudolstadt (2019, 5,000 participants) and Föhren near Trier (2024). Regular training sessions cover topics such as rope work, bridge building, map reading, OpenStreetMap, lighting of incident sites, first aid, transport of injured persons, and wood and stone working, alongside games, film, craft and barbecue evenings. Young members are called Junghelfer and may join from age 6 until they turn 18, after which they are prepared for service in the THW. On joining, each Junghelfer receives special youth clothing, officially comprising trousers, jacket, fleece jacket, safety boots, base cap, belt, protective helmet and work gloves, with a T-shirt and multifunctional socks added in practice. The clothing resembles the older THW uniform (MEA 1.0) in blue with yellow reflective stripes, distinguished by light-blue accents and the THW-Jugend emblem. Members can earn a national proficiency badge (Leistungsabzeichen) in Orange, Blue, Bronze, Silver and Gold variants, subject to age and length of membership, with first-aid course requirements for the higher levels. Local youth groups are led by Ortsjugendbeauftragte, who are members of the local THW branch staff and superiors of the youth group. As a registered non-profit association, THW-Jugend is closely tied to the THW but operates as its own legal entity for youth work. Its website, thw-jugend.de, serves as the public portal for the organisation.

The THW-Jugend e. V. was founded in Ahrweiler in 1984 as the registered association uniting all youth groups of the Technisches Hilfswerk (THW) in Germany. Its roots, however, reach back to the 1970s, when youth groups had already formed within many local THW branches, though these were not yet organised at federal level. The creation of the federal association in 1984 provided a unified structure for this youth work. Over the following decades the association grew into a nationwide organisation. By the 2020s it counted roughly 16,000 young members aged 6 to 17, spread across 668 local THW youth groups (Ortsjugenden), each normally attached to a THW local branch. The association's work is guided by the motto 'Spielend helfen lernen' (learning to help through play) and rests on five pillars: active leisure activities, educational work, technical training, international cooperation, and social engagement. A central feature of THW-Jugend life is its camp and competition system. Every three years each state youth organisation holds a Landesjugendlager (state youth camp), which includes a state youth competition; the winners advance to the federal youth competition held at the Bundesjugendlager (federal youth camp). The federal camp is the association's most logistically demanding event and has been held in numerous locations across Germany, including Oberschleißheim (1985), Springe (1987), Schwaigern (1990), Gelsenkirchen (1992), Mühldorf am Inn (1994), Detmold (1996), Pinneberg (1998), Gunzenhausen (2000), Bostalsee (2002), Münsingen (2004), Wismar (2006), Trier (2008), Wolfsburg (2010), Landshut (2012, with 4,000 participants), Mönchengladbach (2014, about 4,600 participants), Neumünster (2016), Rudolstadt (2019, with 5,000 participants), and Föhren near Trier (2024). Beyond camps, THW-Jugend groups take part in international youth exchanges and hold regular training sessions according to a service plan. These cover THW-relevant topics such as rope work, bridge building, map reading, use of OpenStreetMap, lighting of incident sites, first aid, transport of injured persons, and wood and stone working, as well as games, film, craft, barbecue and comradeship evenings. Joint activities such as tent camps are especially popular among the Junghelfer. Membership is open to young people from age 6 until they turn 18, when they are prepared for service in the THW. On joining, each Junghelfer receives special youth clothing, officially comprising trousers, jacket, fleece jacket, safety boots, base cap, belt, protective helmet and work gloves, with a T-shirt and multifunctional socks added in practice. The clothing resembles the older THW uniform (MEA 1.0) in blue with yellow reflective stripes, distinguished by light-blue accents and the THW-Jugend emblem. Members can earn a national proficiency badge (Leistungsabzeichen) in Orange, Blue, Bronze, Silver and Gold variants, subject to age and length of membership, with first-aid course requirements for the higher levels. Local youth groups are led by Ortsjugendbeauftragte, who are members of the local THW branch staff and superiors of the youth group.

• 2024

  Bundesjugendlager held in Föhren near Trier.

• 2019

  Bundesjugendlager held in Rudolstadt with 5,000 participants.

• 2016

  Bundesjugendlager held at the Holstenhallen site in Neumünster.

• 2014

  Bundesjugendlager held at the former JHQ Rheindahlen site in Mönchengladbach with about 4,600 participants.

• 2012

  Bundesjugendlager held in Landshut with 4,000 participants.

• 2010

  Bundesjugendlager held in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony.

• 2008

  Bundesjugendlager held in Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate.

• 2006

  Bundesjugendlager held in Wismar, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

• 2004

  Bundesjugendlager held in Münsingen, Baden-Württemberg.

• 2002

  Bundesjugendlager held at Bostalsee, Saarland.

• 2000

  Bundesjugendlager held in Gunzenhausen, Bavaria.

• 1998

  Bundesjugendlager held in Pinneberg, Schleswig-Holstein.

• 1996

  Bundesjugendlager held in Detmold, North Rhine-Westphalia.

• 1994

  Bundesjugendlager held in Mühldorf am Inn, Bavaria.

• 1992

  Bundesjugendlager held in Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia.

• 1990

  Bundesjugendlager held in Schwaigern, Baden-Württemberg.

• 1987

  Bundesjugendlager held in Springe, Lower Saxony.

• 1985

  Bundesjugendlager held in Oberschleißheim, Bavaria.

• 1984

  THW-Jugend e. V. founded in Ahrweiler.

Non-profit youth association of Germany's federal technical relief organisation, focused on playful technical education and volunteer recruitment for civil protection.

• Junghelfer membership (ages 6–17)

• Technical training sessions (rope work, bridge building, map reading, first aid, etc.)

• Leistungsabzeichen proficiency badges (Orange, Blue, Bronze, Silver, Gold)

• THW-Jugend youth clothing and equipment

• Landesjugendlager and Bundesjugendlager camps

• International youth exchanges

1. 1THW-Jugend official websitethw-jugend.de
2. 2THW-Jugend – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3THW Jugend – Wikidatawikidata.org