Union of Pioneers of Yugoslavia

Union of Pioneers of Yugoslavia (Serbo-Croatian: Савез пионира Југославије / Savez pionira Jugoslavije; Slovene: Zveza pionirjev Jugoslavije (ZPJ); Macedonian: Сојуз на пионери на Југославија) also known as Tito's Pioneers (Титови пионири / Titovi Pioniri) was the pioneer movement of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Its members, basically all children of age seven and older, attended an annual ceremony and wore uniforms.

Union of Pioneers of Yugoslavia Савез пионира Југославије Savez pionira Jugoslavije
Emblem of the Pioniri
Founded	27 December 1942
Dissolved	1992
Headquarters	Belgrade, SFR Yugoslavia
Ideology	Communism Marxism–Leninism Titoism Yugoslavism Anti-fascism
Mother party	League of Communists of Yugoslavia

The uniforms consisted of red scarves as well as navy blue hats called Titovka. These hats were sometimes white, and bore a red star on the front. A white shirt was often worn with the Pioneer scarf (marama) and the Titovka, although this varied depending on which part of Yugoslavia the particular pioneer was from. Boys often wore navy blue shorts or pants, and girls wore skirts in the same colour, along with white stockings and black shoes. On special occasions, such as a visit from Josip Broz Tito, Pioniri sometimes wore traditional costumes from their native regions of Yugoslavia.

Pioneers at the 1961 1st of May parade in Ljubljana

The organization was founded on December 27, 1942. It was a substructure within the League of Communist Youth of Yugoslavia. It published Male novine. The organization was divided into younger pioneers (7–11 years) and older pioneers (11–15 years).[1]

Unlike other pioneer movements the full military salute was used, honoring the children and youth who fought as part of the Yugoslav Partisans of the Second World War.

Induction and pledge

Typically, the induction ceremony took place in school for children aged 7 in the autumn of their first year in school, as part of the Republic Day celebrations. Following the ceremony, the children would be given a red Pioneer Booklet, similar to a communist party membership booklet. The booklet was signed by the "President of the Pioneer Committee", a senior pioneer and served as evidence of membership. The youngest generation that undertook it was born in 1982, which occurred during the 1989–1990 school year. The text of Yugoslav Pioneer pledge (pionirska zakletva) may have varied slightly from one school to another. Reconstructed from imperfect recollections, in Serbo-Croatian (Ekavian and Ijekavian pronunciations):

Danas, kada postajem pionir,

dajem časnu pionirsku riječ/reč

da ću marljivo učiti i raditi,

poštovati roditelje i starije,

i biti vjeran/veran i iskren drug,

koji drži datu riječ/reč,

da ću voljeti/voleti našu domovinu,

samoupravnu Socijalističku Federativnu Republiku Jugoslaviju,

da ću razvijati bratstvo i jedinstvo

i ideje za koje se borio drug Tito,

da ću cijeniti/ceniti sve ljude svijeta/sveta koji žele slobodu i mir!

In Slovene:

Danes, ko postajam pionir

dajem častno pionirsko besedo

da se bom pridno učil in delal,

spoštoval starše in učitelje,

da bom zvest in iskren tovariš,

ki drži svojo obljubo,

da se bom ravnal po zgledu najboljših pionirjev,

da bom spoštoval slavna dejanja partizanov,

in napredne ljudi sveta,

ki žele svobodo in mir,

da bom ljubil svojo domovino

samoupravno Socialistično Federativno Republiko Jugoslavijo,

njene bratske narode in narodnosti

in gradil novo življenje, polno sreče in radosti.

In English:

Today, as I become a Pioneer,

I give my Pioneer's word of honour -

That I shall study and work diligently,

respect parents and my seniors,

and be a loyal and honest comrade/friend.

That I shall love our homeland, self-managed

socialist federal republic of Yugoslavia.

That I shall spread brotherhood and unity

and the principles for which comrade Tito fought.

And that I shall value all peoples of the world who respect freedom and peace!

Across the former-Yugoslav territory (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia), many remember their days as Pioneers, and as a result, it is not uncommon to hear people refer to themselves as "Titov(a) pionir(ka)", meaning "Tito's Pioneer".[2][3]

Function

The social function of becoming a pioneer in communist countries was similar to that of First Communion in Roman Catholic Church. In both cases, a child at the critical age of around seven is initiated as a member of a group within which the individuals share certain values and culture. This early initiation increases the likelihood that, once the child becomes an adult, it will identify with the group.

Children were high on Tito's agenda. Everything was invested for them – from education to their careers. Children were taught to be responsible and respectful, were asked to study hard and were considered the future generations of the nation. The hat is still used today.

See also

• Pioneer Movement
• Young Pioneer organization of the Soviet Union
• Young Pioneer camp
• Indoctrination

References

1. Lexikon – Bund der Pioniere der SFRJ
2. "I ja sam bio ranjeni partizan". Jutarnji list (in Croatian). 2009-11-11. Retrieved 2010-12-07. Prvi put Delićev film "Sutjeska" gledao sam kao Titov pionir u rodnoj Požegi u kinu Central. Svi učenici OŠ "Jovo Milanović Crnja" tog dana išli su u kino i gledali ovaj film, kao uostalom sve partizanske filmove.
3. "1980.: Pamti se samo ovo: 'Umro je drug Tito!'". Jutarnji list (in Croatian). 2010-07-15. Retrieved 2010-12-07. Mi smo bili njegovi pioniri: svi imamo doma one crnobijele fotografije s plavom titovkom i crvenom zvijezdom na glavi, s crvenom maramom zavezanom preko platnene, bijele košulje, ispeglane na pruge.