| > | | | | More than 4.5 million overnight stays took place. But at |
| How youth hostels provide the magic power to | | | | the end of the twenties in further countries, like Poland, |
| surprise almost everybody. Here is the little known (yet | | | | Holland, France, England, and Switzerland, more than |
| true) story of the origin of hostels. | | | | 600 youth hostels were already opened. |
| In August 1909 the German teacher Richard | | | | On October 20th, 1932 in Amsterdam in presence by |
| Schirrmann had been caught in a violent thunderstorm | | | | land agencies from Switzerland, Czechoslovakia, |
| on an eight day migration with his pupils and found | | | | Poland, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Great |
| accommodation in a barn by a farmer. | | | | Britain, Ireland, France, and Belgium, the International |
| While the pupils were sleeping, Schirrmann was laying | | | | Youth Hostel Federation (IYHF) was created. |
| awake the whole night. | | | | The federation has its seat today in Welwyn Garden |
| The thought attacked him suddenly, One would | | | | City near London. Richard Schirrmann was selected |
| have to create places, at which move-joyful young | | | | as the president. Conference language was German. |
| people and pupils receive a safe and inexpensive | | | | On the following conference in 1933 also Isabel and |
| overnight stay. | | | | Monroe Smith from the USA participated. Within one |
| He published this idea for the first time in 1910 in an | | | | year they could open thirty youth hostels in the United |
| essay about Voksschuelerherbergen | | | | States. Also in 1933 the national socialists arrived in |
| ("elementary school pupil lodgings"), | | | | Germany at power. |
| "
also the boys and girls of the common man must | | | | All political and religious youth combinations were |
| practice fresh merry moving as counterweight for the | | | | dissolved and replaced by a system of obligatorily |
| room stool time of their school years... how do I | | | | university-formed youth organization, under the line of |
| imagine now appropriate and sufficient lodgings for the | | | | the "realm youth guidance". Richard Schirrmann must |
| enormous army of the elementary school pupils?... | | | | withdraw as a chairman of the German youth hostel |
| each city and nearly each village has an elementary | | | | factory. |
| school, which almost waits in holidays with empty | | | | He let himself impress by the idealistic elements of the |
| areas for it, into a sleep and a dining hall for | | | | new movement and became honorary president of |
| move-merry children to be transformed. Two | | | | the realm federation for German youth hostels. A |
| classrooms are sufficient, one for boys, one for girls. | | | | decision which he should bitterly repent later. |
| The banks are set partly one above the other. That | | | | In 1936 for political reasons it had come to the break |
| gives free area for the list of 15 beds. ... each camp | | | | with the international youth hostel federation. In 1947 |
| place consists of a tautly with straw plugged bag and | | | | after the end of the world war, 247 youth hostels with |
| cushion, 2 sheets and a blanket... each child is stopped | | | | 1,158,500 overnight stays were counted again in |
| to bring its camp place back in order finely neat... " | | | | Germany. |
| After publication of this essay in the "Koelnische | | | | From 1949-1990 also in the GDR were an extensive |
| Zeitung (Cologne Newspaper) numerous money | | | | network of youth hostels developed. Initially still led as |
| and gift contributions in kind and support offers came | | | | federations, these later had become to state led |
| from whole Germany. | | | | institutions of the youth. The existing federations were |
| <b>In 1912 the first youth hostel was opened in the | | | | dissolved. In 1960 were the most youth hostels in the |
| Altenia Castle, Germany</b> | | | | Federal Republic. More than 720 houses realized |
| The first youth hostel was arranged according to | | | | 11,300,312 overnight stays. |
| Schirrmann’s plans: 2 sleeping halls with | | | | In 1990 after the end of the GDR also in the new |
| 3-storied solid wood beds, a dayroom, kitchen, wash | | | | Lands of the Federal Republic youth hostel federations |
| and shower rooms. First hostel warden was Richard | | | | were created. In November these federations joined |
| Schirrmann. He lived directly above the hostel rooms. In | | | | the German youth hostel association. |
| the same year Schirrmann also published the first | | | | Youth hostels today |
| hostel listing with approximately 140 addresses. | | | | World-wide there are more than 4,000 youth hostels in |
| In many of these lodgings however were not even | | | | 65 countries, whereby more than 600 alone in |
| basics of accommodations, e.g. for girls were nothing | | | | Germany. |
| at all. | | | | The youth hostels in Germany offer to their guests far |
| In 1913 were already 301 youth hostels in cities and | | | | more than an inexpensive overnight stay. Beside small |
| villages. One year later one counted already 535. | | | | cosy old buildings or the experience in castles and |
| In 1920 the first expenditure of the "youth hostel" | | | | residences you also find many houses in scenic |
| magazine appeared, and with approximately 700 | | | | delightful environments as well as in large cities. For |
| addresses the first manual with addresses by youth | | | | more details go to |
| hostels were published. | | | | This true story was published in German language by |
| From 1924-1929 with the first lottery in favour to the | | | | the German Youth Hostel Association, and translated |
| youth hostels 1.5 million realm Marks were gained. In | | | | by Marcus Hochstadt. |
| 1932 had already been 2,123 youth hostels in Germany. | | | | |