recycling, such as paper and metal, East Germany being notoriously short on natural resources. For Wilhelm Pieck's 80th birthday, for example, children collected 1.5 million Ostmark worth of waste materials and the money went towards the building of a merchant ship, called the "Thälmann Pioneers". In 1957 stones were collected all across East Germany to build a new jetty at Rostock harbour. In 1962 the first "Week of Socialist Pioneer Aid" took place, during which the pioneers collected enough recyclable materials to pay for 900 km of the "Friendship Line"(Trasse der Freundschaft) petroleum pipeline. In 1980, 3,307,585 Ostmark was collected for the children of Cambodia, and in 1983, toys were collected for the children of Nicaragua. Awards One distinction for favoured pioneers was the awarding of medals of all kinds, such as the silver "decoration of merit for the fatherland" (Vaterländischer Verdienstorden) given to the Thälmann pioneers on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the founding of the GDR in 1959. In 1968 the same award was presented in gold in honour of the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Thälmann pioneers. Other symbols were also used to give pioneers a feeling of accomplishment or pride, such as the wearing of a red necktie, which was approved officially by the Central Committee of the pioneers in 1973. See also Ernst Thälmann Pioneer Organisation session Free German Youth, the parent organization FRÖSI Pioneer movement Young Pioneer organization of the Soviet Union Young Pioneers of China National Front (East Germany) Further reading Hensel, Jana (2004) After The Wall: Confessions from an East German Childhood and the Life that Came Next by Jana Hensel, 2004 Weyer, Jochen (1974) Youth in the GDR: Everyday life of young people under socialism. References External links Picture archive of the German Museum of History Youth Movement: German Democratic Republic Education in East Germany Pioneer movement 1948 establishments in Germany Youth organizations established in 1948 1990 disestablishments in East Germany Organizations disestablished in 1990 Mass organisations of East Germany Historical youth wings of political parties in Germany