The Association
Information about the Pfadfinderschaft Grauer Reiter – history, values and activities.
Who are we?
We are the Graue Reiter, a bündisch scout association that seeks to offer young people a space for community, responsibility and personal growth. Within our association, our members shape their life together largely on their own responsibility, in small, self-chosen groups. We provide a place for free development and inner truthfulness. At our camps and on our trips, singing and music as well as craft and play come first.
As part of the German youth movement, we continually look for a contemporary path – one that combines an awareness of our traditions with a view to the future. In doing so, we place genuine shared experiences, creative and musical expression and a responsible sense of togetherness at the heart of our work.
We understand our scouting community as a Lebensbund – a bond for life. For us that means a community of young and old who support youth work together, in which the generations learn from one another and friendships for life come into being. In this form we are both special and unique.
What we do
The Pfadfinderschaft Grauer Reiter currently consists of six Stämme (tribes) and four Horten – our local groups – spread across the whole of Germany. All in all we are around three hundred members.
Once a year we all come together for our large national camp at Whitsun, which is organised each time by a different group and in changing locations.
Our association’s centre is Hohenkrähen Castle near Lake Constance, comprising two castle houses and a campsite. We meet there several times a year for craft work, handicrafts and music, or simply to enjoy the outdoors. We also maintain the youth houses, which are available to rent.
As part of the RjB, we regularly take part in events with other associations and so keep up our friendships with other small scout groups. The Ring junger Bünde Baden-Württemberg e.V. (RjB) is an alliance of autonomous and independent youth associations in Baden-Württemberg, which also represents them in youth policy matters.
What matters to us
As Graue Reiter we adhere to the scout laws and stand on the ground of the democratic constitutional state, without denominational or party-political ties.
For us, scouting means actively and sustainably helping to shape society and the environment. We stand up for social justice, tolerance and a living democracy. Everyone is welcome with us, regardless of origin, gender, sexual orientation, skin colour, religion, social status or physical and mental abilities. There is no place in our association for exclusion, discrimination, hatred, right-wing populism or far-right ideologies.
Jabonah!
This is how we greet one another in the Graue Reiter. The word means “to set out” and stands for the start of new adventures, trips and shared journeys.