The "Alt-Wandervogel" saw itself as the only legitimate inheritor of the original movement, as it was under the responsibility of Karl Fischer, now "Großbachant". But after a new leadership crisis emerged in 1905, Fischer left both the movement and Germany during the following year. He eventually came back to his home country only 15 years later. After his departure, the "Alt-Wandervögel" quickly abandoned the previous authoritarian structure centered around Fischer to adopt an organization closer to the Steglitz group's. It experienced from then on a strong rise in membership.