▁early ▁cont ender ▁for ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁the ▁far ▁right ▁youth ▁in ▁We imar ▁Germany . ▁ ▁Born ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁a ▁priv y ▁coun c ill or ▁in ▁K ass el , ▁Mah ra un ▁became ▁a ▁career ▁soldier ▁with ▁the ▁Pr uss ian ▁Army ▁when ▁he ▁en list ed ▁in ▁the ▁Pr uss ian ▁Infantry ▁Regiment ▁No . ▁ 8 3 ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 8 . ▁He ▁served ▁with ▁distinction ▁on ▁the ▁Eastern ▁Front ▁during ▁First ▁World ▁War . ▁ ▁Like ▁many ▁of ▁his ▁contempor aries ▁he ▁became ▁involved ▁in ▁Fre ikor ps ▁activity ▁after ▁the ▁Arm ist ice , ▁forming ▁his ▁own ▁group , ▁the ▁Offiz ier kom pag nie ▁K ass el ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 9 . ▁The ▁group ▁was ▁rest ruct ured ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 2 0 ▁when ▁the ▁Jung do ▁was ▁adopted ▁and ▁by ▁ 1 9 2 1 ▁Mah ra un ▁could ▁call ▁on ▁ 7 0 , 0 0 0 ▁follow ers . ▁A ▁strong ▁bel ie ver ▁in ▁law ▁and ▁order , ▁he ▁rejected ▁revolution ary ▁activity ▁and ▁instead ▁called ▁for ▁Germany ▁to ▁recon cile ▁with ▁France ▁and ▁re build ▁her ▁prest ige ▁through ▁Franco - G erman ▁co - operation . ▁At ▁its ▁peak ▁Mah ra un ' s ▁movement , ▁which ▁sought ▁a ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁W ander v og el ▁spirit , ▁could ▁call ▁on ▁as ▁many ▁as ▁ 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁follow ers . ▁After ▁meeting ▁Adolf ▁Hitler ▁during