Freie Deutsche Jugend, FDJ (Free German Youth Organisation)
Socialist youth organisation of the GDR. Founded on 7th March 1946. After an initial phase of a "cross-party, democratic character" (founding resolution), the FDJ became the "socialist youth organisation of the GDR" after successful attempts at conformation. It was intended to be the "reliable assistant and fighting reserve of the Worker's Party", in other words the youth organisation of the SED. In the year 1981, the FDJ has 2.3 million members, which amounted to 77.2% of the population between the age of 14 and 25. The political and ideological goal of the FDJ was to influence every aspect of life of the young people in the GDR, distribution of Marxism-Leninism and the indoctrination with socialist behaviour.
In the months of the changeover, the FDJ went under with the GDR.
On 24th/25th November 1989, the 13th congress of the central Council initially sealed the fate of the former leadership of the FDJ, led by Eberhard Aurich. After the Brandenburger congress on 26th/27th January 1990, the Association was reorganised and called fdj in lower-case letters. It became politically without any influence after the 3/10/1990, and had approx. 850 members in 1992.
