Germany calling

[jambo]

"Guten tag"....I wonder 'slouchhat' if you are not to far from Idar Oberstein ? I know there a gentleman by ,Herr Schleich, who was the Scout Leader of the Bund Deutcher Phadfinder, which was recognized by Geneva, The International Scout Bureau. Is your " Stamm " recognized by the the Bureau ? I remember that the Scout unit was recognized by the city, as a youth program, and therefore received 50 % of money from the city , for their outing program. Our units here in the States don't get any money from the city/government to run their program . BSA Inc. basically supports it self, and pays for some of the camp operations. Most of the money is being raised by paterents, to support their boy in Scouting.

 

I like the " Kohte tents "...they break up into six separate pieces, carried by each scout and then assembled into one. Do you know where you can buy one ? jambo

 

 

[jambo]

I tried sending you a letter in German...please let me know if you get ?

Mein Bruder-Pfadfinder,

Ich habe von Ihnen fr eine Weile nicht gehrt. Was ist im Kundschaften in Deutschland neu?. Sie haben Konkurrenz von anderer Organisation? Erhalten Sie Finanzhilfe von Ihrer Stadt oder dem Staat, oder privater Organisation, um Ihre Jugendorganisation zu fhren?. Sie stellte jeder Kontakt mit den amerikanischen Pfadfindern in Deutschland her? Ich wnsche Sie Erfolg, jambo

[Slouchhat]

O boy, a couple of days not checking the thread and so many replies...

 

Okay, yes, the Germans still use those big black, ugly tents, called Kohte. They are borrowed from the Scandinavian hunters, house about a complete patrol and you can have a fire inside for cooking or a council. They are a great means of getting the patrol into a team, too.

 

Germany is very diverse when it comes to scouting. In the late 19th Century, the first youth groups sprang up, trying to get away from the restrictions put onto them by adults, the government, etc. When BP''s book "Scouting for Boys" was translated into German by Dr. Alexander Lion, scouting was seen as a great way to get boys into military shape. In between and after the world wars, the free youth organisations and the German Pfadfinder mixed up and became what they are today - still diverse.

There are about a hundred scouting organisations in this country, all with their own traditions, etc. Some are members of WOSM or WAGGS, many are not.

Very confusing even if you''re a scout yourself.

You can join an established organisation, but you don''t have to. If you don''t like what they are doing, build your own. So you end up with a small organisation of maybe only 200 members. But then, some want the small brotherhood.

 

I''m running my troop along the classic lines described in "Scouting for Boys", although, like the tents, I borrow items which prove useful to help the patrol method.

We''re just building a new troop now, classic style, khaki uniforms (although the Germans would never call it a uniform), staves, hats and all.

I''ll keep you posted how it is going if you like.

 

The troop is a part of our Protestant parish, which helps well re. cost, insurance, etc. Right now, I''m talking to some of the WOSM-member scout organisations about membership, because, let''s face it, among the German scouts, we, the "Classics", stand out like a dinosaur.

Still, I''m convinced that the original method is good.

It worked for me when I was a boy, it will work for the kids today as values are eternal.

 

best regards,

Volker

 

 

[jambo]

Volker ! I have written to you in German , but you did not answer me ? Where can I can get that black kohte tents ? Hpe on hearing from you. jambo

[Slouchhat]

Hi Jambo,

sorry for the delay. You can check out this supplier: http://www.ausruester-eschwege.de

They offer a nice package consisting of four Kohte shelter quarters including the cover square at the best price-quality relation that I know of.

If you want to purchase one, I can help you.

 

best regards,

Volker

[jambo]

Mein Phadfinder Bruder Volker:

Thanks for the information...but I still could not find the " Kohte" tents...I found plenty of our American type tents. I hope Scouting is getting along fine in Germany. jambo

[Slouchhat]

Hi Jambo,

if you follow the link, click on "Unsere Produkte", then "Jurten/Kohten", then "Kohten-Komplettangebote" which means complete tents. I''d choose the first "Spezialkohte 280 gr/m mit 20cm Erdstreifen" as you may not need a stowage bag for the tent.

 

best regards,

Volker

[jambo]

Volker mein Herr,

Thanks for the info...but what is the difference between the regular Kohte tent, and the ''super '' Kohte. I know the price difference ! Have you used any of them, and do you have negative or positive to say about them. " Aufwiedersehen " jambo

[Slouchhat]

Hi Jambo,

the regular Kohte tent doesn''t have a sodcloth at the base of the shelter quarters and is made of a bit of a thinner fabric. That''s the difference I know of.

We use the Superkohte so we can put grass tiles on the sodcloth to prohibit a flood in the tent.

 

best regards,

Volker

[jambo]

Volker, once again thanks for the info. What is this about " sod grass " placement ? Is that a new German techique to keep the water out of the tent ? Please educate me ! Sincerely, jambo

[Slouchhat]

Hi Jambo,

in our gang, we dig a trench along the edges of the tent so in case of heavy rains, water will be directed away from the tent and if possible downhill.

The dirt you dig out can either be just clumps of dirt which are being put on the sodcloth of the tent and thus sort of seal the tent to the ground or you can take square flat chunks (tiles or shingles)of dirt out of the ground then digging the rain trench and place these on top of the sodcloth. If you do it this way, you can put the dirt shingles back in place when you strike the tent.

Don''t think it''s a German invention, though. I think it''s even described in Scouting for Boys.

 

Greetz

Volker

[epalmer84]

>in our gang, we dig a trench along the edges of the tent so in case of heavy rains, water will be directed away from the tent and if possible downhill.

 

We call it "ditching". I last did this in Cub Scouts in 1969. As part of our Leave No Trace program, the BSA does not ditch tents. Even before LNT, the BSA discouraged this practice.

 

Ed

[Slouchhat]

Hi Ed,

that''s why the real digging is considered the "dirty" way of doing it. If you want to leave no trace, the shingles are much better and can be put back so that you leave no trace of where your tent stood.

In our troop, it is important to check out with the owner of the site what he allows and what not.

There are troops over here who believe in "wild" camping without asking permission first, but in a country where basically every piece of woods, field and stream belongs to somebody (and often enough a private person) and is looked after very well or hunted on, this practice just leads to a load of trouble.

 

best regards,

Volker

[Ms Cyndy]

I too lived in Neu-Ulm as well as Worms, Mannheim, Ich....for 10 yrs. I have such fond memories of cub scouting in Germany with my brothers, of course. Both of my parents went to Wood Badge in Germany. Currently I am living in Az as well as being actively involved in scouts as a District Committee Member, Cub Master, & Day Camp Program Director for 2008.

[Gold Winger]

People like to point to "ditching" as a reason that we oldsters shouldn't pine for the old days. However, ditching isn't necessary with a modern dome tent with a floor.