Nazi Bears?

Now this is a weird one I came across by accident:

Apparently, early German war efforts had something to do with bears. It is unclear whether or not the bear was some sort of mascot for the burgeoning Nazi party or if it had to do with Russia (as in representative of the nation). What is certain is that a whole lot of pictures featuring young, German soldiers and bears exist.

Maybe someone has the answer, but given the fact that few people who were alive during that era still exist, the mystery surrounding "Nazi bears" may persist...

© C Harris Lynn, 2008