Gallery

These photographs of the New Crowd in 1920-21 were taken by Julius Groß, a 29-year-old professional photographer from Berlin who specialised in documenting the activities of youth groups. He was in Kronach in May 1920 to record the reunion meeting of the Wandervögel from which the New Crowd emerged.

<p>One of the many trains on which they travelled to Kronach from all over Germany.</p> — One of the many trains on which they travelled to Kronach from all over Germany.

<p>One of the many trains on which they travelled to Kronach from all over Germany.</p> — One of the many trains on which they travelled to Kronach from all over Germany.

<p>The Wandervögel made their way from the railway station to the grounds of Kronach castle, where many members met up for the first time since the start of the World War. Groß titled this photograph ‘The joy of reunion.’</p> — The Wandervögel made their way from the railway station to the grounds of Kronach castle, where many members met up for the first time since the start of the World War. Groß titled this photograph ‘The joy of reunion.’

<p>The Wandervögel made their way from the railway station to the grounds of Kronach castle, where many members met up for the first time since the start of the World War. Groß titled this photograph ‘The joy of reunion.’</p> — The Wandervögel made their way from the railway station to the grounds of Kronach castle, where many members met up for the first time since the start of the World War. Groß titled this photograph ‘The joy of reunion.’

<p>Another view of the Kronach reunion. Note the large swastika flag in the centre. Its use here predated Hitler’s adoption of the symbol.</p> — Another view of the Kronach reunion. Note the large swastika flag in the centre. Its use here predated Hitler’s adoption of the symbol.

<p>Another view of the Kronach reunion. Note the large swastika flag in the centre. Its use here predated Hitler’s adoption of the symbol.</p> — Another view of the Kronach reunion. Note the large swastika flag in the centre. Its use here predated Hitler’s adoption of the symbol.

<p>The Wandervögel paraded through the streets of Kronach in carnival fashion. Some groups made rough music with fiddles, guitars and dustbins….</p> — The Wandervögel paraded through the streets of Kronach in carnival fashion. Some groups made rough music with fiddles, guitars and dustbins….

<p>The Wandervögel paraded through the streets of Kronach in carnival fashion. Some groups made rough music with fiddles, guitars and dustbins….</p> — The Wandervögel paraded through the streets of Kronach in carnival fashion. Some groups made rough music with fiddles, guitars and dustbins….

<p>Others made humorous tableaux that they paraded through the streets Here, young ex-soldiers have covered a farm wagon with a tarpaulin painted with the words Tank Rheinland and a skull and crossbones.</p> — Others made humorous tableaux that they paraded through the streets Here, young ex-soldiers have covered a farm wagon with a tarpaulin painted with the words Tank Rheinland and a skull and crossbones.

<p>Others made humorous tableaux that they paraded through the streets Here, young ex-soldiers have covered a farm wagon with a tarpaulin painted with the words Tank Rheinland and a skull and crossbones.</p> — Others made humorous tableaux that they paraded through the streets Here, young ex-soldiers have covered a farm wagon with a tarpaulin painted with the words Tank Rheinland and a skull and crossbones.

<p>One tableau was led by Muck-Lamberty (left) and former comrades from the German Imperial Navy. They are pulling a handcart labelled Nordsee (North Sea). The cap on Muck’s head is that of a sailor on the SMS Emden. There is no evidence that Muck had anything to do with the Emden while he was in the Navy, and the cap is surely not his as it is clearly too small for his large head. The purpose of the tableau seems to have been to make fun of the German Navy, whose ships were mostly now sunk in Scapa Flow.</p> — One tableau was led by Muck-Lamberty (left) and former comrades from the German Imperial Navy. They are pulling a handcart labelled Nordsee (North Sea). The cap on Muck’s head is that of a sailor on the SMS Emden. There is no evidence that Muck had anything to do with the Emden while he was in the Navy, and the cap is surely not his as it is clearly too small for his large head. The purpose of the tableau seems to have been to make fun of the German Navy, whose ships were mostly now sunk in Scapa Flow.

<p>One tableau was led by Muck-Lamberty (left) and former comrades from the German Imperial Navy. They are pulling a handcart labelled Nordsee (North Sea). The cap on Muck’s head is that of a sailor on the SMS Emden. There is no evidence that Muck had anything to do with the Emden while he was in the Navy, and the cap is surely not his as it is clearly too small for his large head. The purpose of the tableau seems to have been to make fun of the German Navy, whose ships were mostly now sunk in Scapa Flow.</p> — One tableau was led by Muck-Lamberty (left) and former comrades from the German Imperial Navy. They are pulling a handcart labelled Nordsee (North Sea). The cap on Muck’s head is that of a sailor on the SMS Emden. There is no evidence that Muck had anything to do with the Emden while he was in the Navy, and the cap is surely not his as it is clearly too small for his large head. The purpose of the tableau seems to have been to make fun of the German Navy, whose ships were mostly now sunk in Scapa Flow.

<p>The New Crowd enters a village in Thuringia in June 1920. Muck-Lamberty is on the left, blowing the hunting horn that he used to announce their arrival in every town and village on their long march.</p> — The New Crowd enters a village in Thuringia in June 1920. Muck-Lamberty is on the left, blowing the hunting horn that he used to announce their arrival in every town and village on their long march.

<p>The New Crowd enters a village in Thuringia in June 1920. Muck-Lamberty is on the left, blowing the hunting horn that he used to announce their arrival in every town and village on their long march.</p> — The New Crowd enters a village in Thuringia in June 1920. Muck-Lamberty is on the left, blowing the hunting horn that he used to announce their arrival in every town and village on their long march.

<p>One of the leaders of the New Crowd, 18-year-old Erich Geyer, announces the ir arrival in a town in Thuringia.</p> — One of the leaders of the New Crowd, 18-year-old Erich Geyer, announces the ir arrival in a town in Thuringia.

<p>One of the leaders of the New Crowd, 18-year-old Erich Geyer, announces the ir arrival in a town in Thuringia.</p> — One of the leaders of the New Crowd, 18-year-old Erich Geyer, announces the ir arrival in a town in Thuringia.

<p>Another young leader of the New Crowd was its secretary, Fridolin von Spaun, who would go on to become a lifelong admirer of Adolf Hitler.</p> — Another young leader of the New Crowd was its secretary, Fridolin von Spaun, who would go on to become a lifelong admirer of Adolf Hitler.

<p>Another young leader of the New Crowd was its secretary, Fridolin von Spaun, who would go on to become a lifelong admirer of Adolf Hitler.</p> — Another young leader of the New Crowd was its secretary, Fridolin von Spaun, who would go on to become a lifelong admirer of Adolf Hitler.

<p>Julius Groß does not seem to travelled with the New Crowd on their long march. The next photographs in his collection were taken at the end of the journey in the town of Eisenach. This one shows the people of Eisenach dancing around the blue flag of the New Crowd in October 1920.</p> — Julius Groß does not seem to travelled with the New Crowd on their long march. The next photographs in his collection were taken at the end of the journey in the town of Eisenach. This one shows the people of Eisenach dancing around the blue flag of the New Crowd in October 1920.

<p>Julius Groß does not seem to travelled with the New Crowd on their long march. The next photographs in his collection were taken at the end of the journey in the town of Eisenach. This one shows the people of Eisenach dancing around the blue flag of the New Crowd in October 1920.</p> — Julius Groß does not seem to travelled with the New Crowd on their long march. The next photographs in his collection were taken at the end of the journey in the town of Eisenach. This one shows the people of Eisenach dancing around the blue flag of the New Crowd in October 1920.

<p>This is the man leading the dancing in Picture 10 - Heiner Rösner, the tallest member of the New Crowd.</p> — This is the man leading the dancing in Picture 10 - Heiner Rösner, the tallest member of the New Crowd.

<p>This is the man leading the dancing in Picture 10 - Heiner Rösner, the tallest member of the New Crowd.</p> — This is the man leading the dancing in Picture 10 - Heiner Rösner, the tallest member of the New Crowd.

<p>A traditional round dance of the kind favoured by Muck-Lamberty (centre, wearing his ‘hiking suit.’)</p> — A traditional round dance of the kind favoured by Muck-Lamberty (centre, wearing his ‘hiking suit.’)

<p>A traditional round dance of the kind favoured by Muck-Lamberty (centre, wearing his ‘hiking suit.’)</p> — A traditional round dance of the kind favoured by Muck-Lamberty (centre, wearing his ‘hiking suit.’)

<p>There are no documented photographs of Käthe Kühl, whose accusations of sexual misconduct against Muck-Lamberty led to the break-up of the New Crowd, but it is possible that she is the young woman sitting next to him in this picture taken in Eisenach. She was, in Lisa Tetzner’s words, ‘The little, dark, bossy one’, ‘restless and agitated,’ who Muck ‘took with him in the last village and kept her by his side.’</p> — There are no documented photographs of Käthe Kühl, whose accusations of sexual misconduct against Muck-Lamberty led to the break-up of the New Crowd, but it is possible that she is the young woman sitting next to him in this picture taken in Eisenach. She was, in Lisa Tetzner’s words, ‘The little, dark, bossy one’, ‘restless and agitated,’ who Muck ‘took with him in the last village and kept her by his side.’

<p>There are no documented photographs of Käthe Kühl, whose accusations of sexual misconduct against Muck-Lamberty led to the break-up of the New Crowd, but it is possible that she is the young woman sitting next to him in this picture taken in Eisenach. She was, in Lisa Tetzner’s words, ‘The little, dark, bossy one’, ‘restless and agitated,’ who Muck ‘took with him in the last village and kept her by his side.’</p> — There are no documented photographs of Käthe Kühl, whose accusations of sexual misconduct against Muck-Lamberty led to the break-up of the New Crowd, but it is possible that she is the young woman sitting next to him in this picture taken in Eisenach. She was, in Lisa Tetzner’s words, ‘The little, dark, bossy one’, ‘restless and agitated,’ who Muck ‘took with him in the last village and kept her by his side.’

<p>Also taken in Eisenach, this photograph of Muck-Lamberty shows him wearing the blue smock for which he was famous.</p> — Also taken in Eisenach, this photograph of Muck-Lamberty shows him wearing the blue smock for which he was famous.

<p>Also taken in Eisenach, this photograph of Muck-Lamberty shows him wearing the blue smock for which he was famous.</p> — Also taken in Eisenach, this photograph of Muck-Lamberty shows him wearing the blue smock for which he was famous.

<p>Muck playing with children in a garden in Eisenach.</p> — Muck playing with children in a garden in Eisenach.

<p>Muck playing with children in a garden in Eisenach.</p> — Muck playing with children in a garden in Eisenach.

<p>This undated photograph shows Lisa Tetzner, the travelling children’s story teller who broke off her tour to join the New Crowd.</p> — This undated photograph shows Lisa Tetzner, the travelling children’s story teller who broke off her tour to join the New Crowd.

<p>This undated photograph shows Lisa Tetzner, the travelling children’s story teller who broke off her tour to join the New Crowd.</p> — This undated photograph shows Lisa Tetzner, the travelling children’s story teller who broke off her tour to join the New Crowd.

<p>Taken in the previous year, at a conference of the Young Germans in Lauenstein in August 1919, this photograph shows Muck’s clownish side.</p> — Taken in the previous year, at a conference of the Young Germans in Lauenstein in August 1919, this photograph shows Muck’s clownish side.

<p>Taken in the previous year, at a conference of the Young Germans in Lauenstein in August 1919, this photograph shows Muck’s clownish side.</p> — Taken in the previous year, at a conference of the Young Germans in Lauenstein in August 1919, this photograph shows Muck’s clownish side.

The book cover of The Other Führer: Muck-Lamberty and Adolf Hitler

Read an extract from the book