The Hitler Youth

    

Introduction

The Nazis made great efforts to attract young people into their ranks.  Girls and boys were indoctrinated (brainwashed) to think like Nazis.

These sources suggest reasons why young people joined the Nazi youth movement.

    

  

  

  

     'Unity of Youth' in the Hilter Youth
This poster shows Jews and Communists running in terror from a drummer of the Hitler Youth.

  

  

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1.  Inge Scholl

Inge Scholl's parents were core members of the anti-Nazi White Rose movement, but Inge was a member of the League of German Maidens (BDM – the Nazi youth movement for girls).  This is an extract from her book The White Rose (1961).

We heard a great deal of talk about Fatherland, comradeship, and love of homeland...

But one more thing that attracted us with a mysterious force and pulled us along – namely, the compact columns of marching youths with waving flags, eyes looking straight ahead, and the beat of drums and singing...

In the evenings we met at the den, and someone would read, or we sang, or played games and did craft work.  We heard that we should live for a great cause.  We were taken seriously.

   

Interrogating the source:

For this source – looking at all the details of its provenance – how true do you think its account is likely to be? 

  

 
 

2.  'Adolf Goers'

Hitler Youth (1940) by Hans Siemsen, tells the story of Adolf Goers, a timid boy who ended up in a concentration camp in Berlin.  Siemsen was a novelist, and it is uncertain how much of the book is fiction, and how much was personal testimony.

One day the head of the firm drew me aside.  "Adolf", he said, "do me a favour and join the Hitler Youth.  It'll be better for you and better for the firm.  You know, of course, that every firm has its SA man.  We haven't one.  Moreover, we're Jewish.  Please join the Hitler Youth.  Then at least we shall have a Nazi on the premises."

   

 
 

3.  A Catholic priest

This source is a letter of complaint from a Catholic priest to the district leader of the Nazi Party.

In the class which is taught by teacher A there are ten members of the [local Catholic] Youth Club...  Teacher A exerts such pressure on the members of the Youth Club that it is almost unbearable for the boys.  For example: a member of the Hitler Youth had come back to the Catholic Youth Club.  When Mr A heard of this he threatened he would set him forty sums every time he stayed away from the Hitler Youth parade.  This was made even worse by his threat of a beating as well.