Czech mates

[qwazse]

Had a great weekend comparing notes with some boys who were raised in the Czech Republic. Because scouting was outlawed during the cold war, their movement has a dearth of senior scouters. Den chief age youth operate as den leaders. Merit badge counselors: no such thing. Scoutmasters: 1 for 96 youth. The parents are hoping for the next generation will have more parents involved. From the enthusiasm of the boys, however, I kinda hope not.

 

First thing they asked about my scouts' unis: where are your neckers?

[Cambridgeskip]

It's quite common in the former eastern bloc countries. I encountered some Hungarian scouts in 2005 at a jamboree in the UK. There were about 40 scouts with just 3 adults, the eldest of who was 20ish (if memory serves). They were all keen to exchange neckers and I still have a Hungarian one sewn on my blanket!

[Nike]

The Polish female Scouts and the Czech kids are some of the most popular groups at the annual Intercamp event in Europe.

[berliner]

Yup, totally agree: went to Intercamp in Viersen with 3 adults and like 10 boys ... after we spent days looking for them we learned to just look at the polish girl scouts camp LOL

 

Germany is a bit different: West Germany has since WW2 been split into many many (I think 150 !!!) different scouting organisations.

East Germany had a communist-scout thing (FDJ) that ceased to exist with the fall of the wall in 1989.