Pioneer movement facts for kids

Young Pioneers of Vietnam at the 2003 Southeast Asian Games

Pioneer movements are groups for children and teenagers. They were started in countries that had a Communist party in charge. Many of their ideas came from the Scout movement.

In most socialist countries, joining a pioneer movement was usually a choice. There are some key differences between pioneer movements and scout groups. Scout movements are independent. This means they are not controlled by the government. Pioneer movements, however, were often linked to the government.

For example, pioneer movements often did not have separate groups for boys and girls. In the USSR, many Young Pioneer camps and Young Pioneer Palaces were built. These places were only for Young Pioneers. They were also free to use. The government and trade unions helped pay for them. Special newspapers and magazines were also made for Young Pioneers. Some of these sold millions of copies.

What are Pioneer Movements?

Pioneer movements share some ideas with scout groups. Both movements encourage being prepared. They also promote sports and outdoor skills. However, pioneer movements also taught about communist principles. Some people who disagreed with Communist states said this was a form of teaching ideas without allowing other views.

A member of these groups is called a pioneer. They often wear a scarf. This scarf is usually red, but sometimes it is light blue. The pioneer group is often named after a famous person. This person is seen as a good example for young communists.

For instance, in the USSR, the group was named after Lenin. In East Germany, it was named after Ernst Thälmann. The Thälmann pioneers had a slogan. It was: "Ernst Thälmann is my role model. We wear our red scarf with pride." Albania also had a pioneer group. It was called Pioneers of Enver. This was named after their leader, Enver Hoxha.

Countries with Pioneer Movements Today

Today, pioneer movements still exist in several countries. Here are some of them:

• Belarus (called the Belarusian Republican Pioneer Organization)
• Belgium (Pioneers of the Workers Party of Belgium)
• People's Republic of China (Young Pioneers of China)
• Cuba (José Martí Pioneer Organization) This group started in 1961. In 2001, it was honored by the United Nations Environment Programme for its work on the environment.
• Cyprus (EDON)
• Finland (Democratic Union of Finnish Pioneers)
• The Czech Republic – Today, Pionýr is a non-political group. It organizes fun activities for children. It is part of the IFM-SEI.
• North Korea (Young Pioneer Corps)
• Russia
• Spain (Pioneers of the Communist Party of the Basque Homelands)
• Tajikistan (King Somoni Inheritance)
• Syria (Baath Party Pioneers)
• Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh Young Pioneers, started on May 15, 1941)

Older children could join other communist groups. However, only a few people usually did this.

Other Pages to Explore

East German pioneer organization

• Scout movement

Images for kids

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  Young Pioneers at a Young Pioneer camp in Kazakh SSR.

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  Postal stamp of East Germany showing young pioneers with red and blue neckerchiefs.

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  Emblem of the Dimitrovist Pioneer Organization "Septemberists".

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  Emblem of the Pioneer Youths of Burma.

See also

In Spanish: Movimiento de Pioneros para niños