Deutsche Pfadfinder*innenschaft Sankt Georg

The Deutsche Pfadfinderschaft Sankt Georg (DPSG, German Scout Association Saint George) is the largest of Germany's many Scouting organizations. The Catholic association has about 95,000 members of both genders. Via the Ring deutscher Pfadfinder*innenverbände it is a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement. The DPSG is also a member of the International Catholic Conference of Scouting (ICCS) and of the Bund der Deutschen Katholischen Jugend (BDKJ). History The DPSG was founded in 1929. In the preceding years only a few Catholic Scout groups were active, since most German bishops saw Scouting as a Protestant or secular movement. In the beginning the DPSG did not count more than 800 members. After 1933 membership rose noticeably: Most competing youth organizations were disbanded by the Nazi-authorities or incorporated in the Hitler Youth while the DPSG still enjoyed some degree of protection under the Reichskonkordat. In 1935 membership stood by 16,000 boys in 457 local groups. This development lasted until 1938 when all religious youth organizations were banned.