The first youth centre that was opened was the "Mitte" (German for middle or central) in the Hohestreet. When it opened its gates in 1952, its staff counted up to 1000 visitors per day. They developed an extensive program to offer the youth, that would stand in the street several hours waiting, a wide variety of leisure activities.

But until that was to happen, the founders of the club, which was registered in October of 1950, had a long way to go. The only thing that was agreed upon, was that the youth needed a place to meet in the war stricken city of Stuttgart.

The American military administration coordinated the build-up of constitutional structures. They were keen to avoid national socialist tendencies amongst the youth. This is why they refused to put the children and youth under the supervision of the country. They supported the idea that the city administration and the citizens ought to form a club together. In 1953 they left the 3 youth centres to the Stuttgart youth association to be used to re-educate the German youth.

The relationship between the youth, the city administration and the club was not always as good as in the beginning. "During the fifties, the youth was politically very withdrawn and had more of a "wanting stay out of things" point of view regarding questions of rearmament or the atom bomb", remembers Walter Häbe, staff member from the very beginning and club manager up until the nineties. "Mostly items of utility were made in the workshops due to the great need. Chairs, water jugs or clothes. The get together was most important to the youth, similar to a dance or sports."

Towards the end of the sixties a new feeling of life emerged. In the youth centres, by now there were nine, the open areas and the catering facilities had been expanded, the workshops had been shrunk. Out of rebellion against the parents evolved a rebellion against the establishment. Many of the youth met at the youth centres to hold discussions and to experiment with "their" beat music. Handcrafting was out; art was created in the workshops.

A resistance against traditional parenting evolved during the seventies. The word self administration stood for adults supporting children in developing their own ideas opposed to educating them.

Several youth centres and the first youth farms developed outside the youth association. This motivated the local council to allow the financing of more centres. In the seventies alone nine new children and youth centres were opened. Work with children was also freshened up by the toy mobile "Mobifant". Since then, the small truck, filled up to the top with material for creative play, drives up to several play grounds in undersupplied areas.

In the beginning of the eighties, the members of the club noticed during a survey, that the youth centres had been mainly boys clubs. Therefore they developed programs that would only interest girls. Other groups also posed new challenges to the educators: a lot of children of families of foreign ancestry visited the clubs that also needed special programs.

The first youth centre built by the youth themselves was assembled in Wangen: by students of architecture under the instruction of and planning of the youth and financed by donators.

Where groups of youth used to met, celebrated and held discussions, now they developed their own personal program from the complete offers. Dances with live music turned into discos and Hip-Hop parties. Up until today Stuttgarts youth centres are a place where talents for trendy bands are created. Where one once used to do pottery and carpentry there are now computers. The first non-commercial internet-cafe of the city was opened at the youth centre "Mitte". The youth centres change with the times and have an impact on the times.

Dear Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear friends of the Registered Stuttgart Youth Association,

The founders of the Stuttgart Youth Association intended to involve the youth in the reconstruction of the city after the war from the beginning and therefore offered their homes as meeting points and for leisure time activities. No one imagined at the time that this idea would turn into such a story of success. The first centre was opened in Stuttgart "Mitte" in 1952, only 2 years after the founding of the association and many facilities followed. Today we are proud to be able to offer a facility to the youth in almost each and every district. Many have copied the unique initiative of the Stuttgart youth association, it is acknowledged nationwide and an innovative institution of open work with children and youth. Almost all of Stuttgart's citizens were visitors of our centres during their youth. We also like to remember doing pottery in our workshops, using up countless tennis balls, endless browsing and playing for hours. Certainly the focus has now changed. Next to sports and play the child and youth centres have continued to be the meeting point in the district. But also the computer has moved in and we now offer multimedia applications, internet courses, job search training, photography and creative arts.

The Stuttgart Youth Association sees itself as an offer to the youth that can be accepted. Whoever finds his way to our facilities meets a diversity of visitors and an enthusiastic staff. The youth centres are a place to meet and a trigger for several activities, but also a place to go for advice and help.

The Youth Association has had its ups and downs in its 50 years of existence. Yet it has never forgotten its important function in our town. Co-workers, management and members, and everyone else that have accompanied us along the way can look upon this association with pride. It is hard to imagine our town without the Stuttgart Youth Association. It has become significant to the open work with children and youth.

The management