Jeugdstormers op een podium 1934 - 1940

This photograph shows members of the Jeugdstorm, the youth movement of the Dutch National Socialist Movement (NSB). Note the flags and the distinct symbol of the NSB - the wolfsangel. This symbol, resembling a stylized wolf trap, carries a complex history. While originally a heraldic symbol, it was appropriated by various European groups, including Nazi organizations. Its adoption by the NSB places it within a lineage of symbols used to evoke ideas of strength, order, and national identity, albeit through a distorted lens. The photograph's composition and the children’s uniformed appearance, resonate with a desire for unity, discipline, and ideological indoctrination. The symbolic power of such images lies in their ability to tap into collective desires for belonging and purpose, while simultaneously manipulating these desires for political ends. These symbols have a non-linear cyclical progression. Surviving, evolving and resurfacing with new meanings in different historical contexts.