Download Hitler Youth - University Writing

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The Lost Generation:
Hitler Youth
(Rice)
Writing 150
Winter 2016
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Thesis and Outline
Understanding the history of Hitler Youth before, during, and even after World War II,
reveals that the devotion many German youth had for the war stemmed from patriotism, and not
from Nazi beliefs.
I. Hitler Youth before World War II
A. Aftermath of World War I
1. Reaction of German populace/ difficulties
a. Patriotism
B. Formation of Hitler Youth
1. Membership requirements and activities
C. Nazi usage
1. Nazi Education/ beliefs and reactions to them
2. Propaganda/ brainwashing
II. Hitler Youth during World War II
A. Public Perception and Reaction to the War/ Hitler
1. Propaganda/ Discouragement of unpatriotic or anti-Nazi actions
2. Opposition
B. Continued training
1. Further reception and indoctrination of Nazi beliefs
2. Fȕhrer, Vaterland und Volk
C. Usage in the War
1. SS-HJ; Acts of Valor
2. Usage at home/ different deployments of youth
III. Hitler Youth after World War II
A. Aftermath of World War II
1. “De-nazification”
B. Current Reception
1. Germany Today
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“What can happen to a people whose youth sacrifices everything in order to serve its
great ideals?” (Hitler qtd. in Bartoletti 13). An eager Adolf Hitler offered such phrases of
encouragement to the impoverished citizens of Germany early into his reign of tyranny and his
reprehensible actions against the sanctities of human life. Among the many crimes against
humanity propagated by the Nazis, one of the more heinous and overlooked crimes was their
misuse, abuse, and brainwashing of Germany’s youth. This was achieved by Adolf Hitler’s
prized Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth): a Boy Scout program of sorts that used principles of
comradery, patriotism, and discipline to turn the children of Germany into a powerful tool. This
tool was then used for whatever purpose their Fȕhrer (Leader) needed. Nazi Germany was
composed of many patriotic German youth who were enthusiastic about improving their country.
Hitler manipulated that zeal to accomplish the designs of his totalitarian dictatorship. Hitler
Youth became instrumental not only in Hitler’s take-over of Germany, but also in Hitler’s war
efforts. Children became accomplices to a mass murder. The enthusiasm of these youth came
from ideas of patriotism which became tainted with Nazism. Understanding the history of Hitler
Youth before, during, and even after World War II, reveals that the devotion many German
youth had for the war stemmed from patriotism, and not from Nazi beliefs.
In the wake of World War I, Germany was hurting. The people were down-trodden,
angry, and economically suffering. The Great Depression affected many countries, but Germany
struggled especially hard. Many Germans blamed the Allies for this. After having lost WWI,
harsh conditions and reparations were placed on Germany by the Allies. This led to the economic
crisis and thus left Germany in ruins. Alfons Heck was a German youth and later a devoted
Hitler Youth member during this time and his experiences are recorded in the book Parallel
Journeys. Speaking of the state of Germany’s economy before Hitler rose to power, he said,
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“Money had become so worthless that people carried it around in wheelbarrows just to do their
daily shopping. It took 4.2 billion German marks to equal a single American dollar” (qtd. in Ayer
3). Jobs were hard enough to find, and whatever money was earned was worth about as much as
dirt. The other conditions the Treaty of Versailles imposed on Germany included massive
territory loss, hefty reparations to pay for damages to the Allies, a mandate for Germany to
disarm and severely reduce its military, and, worst of all, being forced to take full responsibility
for WWI. This responsibility included being blamed as the instigators of WWI.
The Treaty of Versailles became the scapegoat for all of Germany’s problems. According
to the accounts in Susan Bartoletti’s book, Hitler Youth: Growing Up in the Shadow of Hitler,
many Germans and especially the teachers when they spoke to the youth, “called the Treaty of
Versailles a ‘shame’ and an ‘outrage’” (62). The youth saw the frustration of their parents at the
“outrage” of the Treaty of Versailles and quickly learned the negative effects it had on their
country. Having to accept responsibility for the war may have hurt some of their pride, but it
became a catalyst to instigating efforts to make Germany great again. Patriotism was coursing
through the people’s veins and it required some way to satisfy its insatiable desires.
One outlet for children was joining youth groups. Youth groups before WWI facilitated
enthusiasm in the war and encouraged independence based on great German thinkers such as
Nietzsche. This gave the youth an opportunity to feel unified and proud of their people again. In
the wake of WWI, the Bȕnde (leagues) took over the organizing and managing of these youth
groups. Based off of the information found in Michael Kater’s book, Hitler Youth, these groups
were hostile to the mandated form of government established by the Treaty of Versailles, the
Weimar Republic, and its entailing politics (9). Out of this struggle between the youth and a
dislike of the Ally-imposed politics, Hitler was able to forge the Hitler Youth.
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Hitler Youth originates back to 1922 as a young, alluring Adolf Hitler was gaining
support for the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP). Hitler recognized the
usefulness of the country’s youth and formed a youth organization to support the NSDAP called
the “Jungsturm Adolf Hitler.” His initial youth group dissolved when he was sentenced to jail in
1923. The group reorganized after Hitler’s release in 1925. This time, the group was named
Hitler Youth. This group was for boys, but the equivalent organization for girls called the Bund
Deutscher Mȁdel (BDM) was under similar leadership and was therefore closely tied to Hitler
Youth. The accounts found in Guido Knopp’s book, Hitler Children, show that under the
guidance of Baldur von Schirach, along with Adolf Hitler’s scheming, the group was successful
this time (26). The Hitler Youth grew as Hitler became a more prominent political figure.
The Hitler Youth ensured that Hitler’s career would continue to improve. Hitler Youth
campaigned for the NSDAP, passed out flyers, and went door-to-door. Membership began to
sharply increase after stories of martyrs for the cause began to spread around. The story of a boy
named Herbert Norkus had a huge impact. He was stabbed to death by a communist gang while
distributing flyers door-to-door. Baldur von Schirach took advantage of this incident to start
playing on the country’s patriotism and the Nazis inscribed “He Gave His Life for Germany’s
Freedom” on Herbert’s grave. “Inspired by Herbert Norkus, thousands more young people were
drawn to the movement” (Bartoletti 13). Stories of heroism began to surround the Hitler Youth
and youth were eager to join. Hitler Youth started becoming the powerful tool to control
Germany’s youth like Hitler had hoped that it would.
In order to join the Hitler Youth, one had to prove that he or she was of Aryan descent,
that his or her parents were supportive of the NSDAP, pass a physical test, pass a written test,
and pass a courage test. Boys were forced to dive into a pool from ten feet up to prove they were
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brave enough to join the Hitler Youth (Ayer 72). A boy could enter the Jungvolk division of
Hitler Youth when he was 10, which would then prepare him for the tests to advance in Hitler
Youth. This was the dream for most youth. F. Enzio Busche, an emeritus member of the LDS
Quorum of the Seventy, was born three years before Hitler came to power and shared his insights
in Yearning for the Living God, showing that the children were taught that in Hitler Youth they
would become “part of something bigger—even… saviors of the decadent world” (8). The youth
were eager to meet any requirement in order to join this prestigious group. The requirements
became more and more controlling during the lifespan of the Hitler Youth program. The Nazis
wanted to ensure that they were recruiting devout Germans. Hitler Youth maintained a policy of
youth led by youth and had its slightly older teenage members be in charge. Nazi party members
retained higher positions of power. Many parents were eager for their kids to join and the kids
felt the pressure and the thrill of joining as well. Dr. Hans-Wilhelm Kelling, a professor of the
BYU German Department, was 14 years old when WWII ended. He was an avid member of
Hitler Youth at the time and shared some of his experiences in a personal interview. Speaking of
the people’s reception of Hitler Youth he said, “Hitler Youth taught children discipline and
participated in fun activities. They were led by other youth. That was very attractive, and so was
the possibility to move up as you got older” (Kelling). The Hitler Youth offered hiking, camping,
uniforms, parades, comradery, songs, weapons, stories of heroes, and a deep sense of patriotism.
Subdivisions in the Hitler Youth provided specialized training in mechanic work, sailing, and
flying planes.
The uniform was of particular interest to most youth and it was deeply coveted. “The
spirit of unity was in the uniform” (Kelling). This was also a tactic by Hitler to begin suppressing
the children’s individuality and gain their loyalty. Thanks to heavy campaigning from the Hitler
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Youth, Adolf Hitler was voted to be Chancellor of
Germany in 1933 along with the Nazi party becoming the
largest political party in Germany. Popularity of the group
and the closely tied support to Hitler both grew. Hitler
Youth membership quickly inspired respect and honor
from their communities (Ayer 1). The parents who didn’t
support Hitler were “terribly old-fashioned” and their
children had troubles understanding why someone would
not follow Hitler. He was an energetic, charismatic speaker
Figure 1: Hitler with Hitler Youth (Hicks)
who was promising to make Germany great again and to break down social barriers. Youth
“feeling a surge of patriotism” flooded to the group and to Hitler’s cause (Bartoletti 18).
To prepare for future plans, Hitler began to eliminate other youth groups to establish
unity and absolute control and influence over the youth of the country. “Hitler wanted unity, so
he slowly eliminated the other groups. He started off by strongly encouraging, then enforcing”
(Kelling). He knew that by gaining singular control over the youth, he would gain control not
only over the youth’s parents but also the country’s future. He began schools for learning Nazi
ideas and incorporated more military drills into the group. With a combination of Hitler’s
charismatic leadership, strong use of propaganda, Nazi indoctrination of the children, and
support from the people, Hitler was able to successfully start World War II with enthusiasm from
the people and devotion to make Germany great again. Hitler provided strong leadership in
comparison to the newly formed and ineffective democratic German government known as the
Weimar Republic. “Most German people believed in the basic premise of Hitler’s alternative to
the chaos that had occurred in Germany’s past” (Busche 21). Hitler was the hope of a brighter
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future amidst the weary darkness of Germany’s troubled past. Crowds cheered when Hitler broke
the Treaty of Versailles and took lands back that Germany had lost in WWI. After all, Hitler had
come through on all of his promises before. He promised no starvation and a job for everyone.
Upon visiting Germany in 1938, an anonymous American reporter stated “Nobody in Germany
starves. Work and bread for all was the promise of the Nazi Regime when it came to power. The
promise has been fulfilled” (qtd. in Bartoletti 66). Before Hitler could make such acts of
aggression, he had to ensure that he would retain the trust and support of the people so that they
would follow him into battle. This was achieved mostly through indoctrination and propaganda.
Hitler took control of the school system and required Nazi ideals to be taught. Hitler
began the new school system from the very start of a child’s educational career and supplied
steady doses of Nazism until graduation. “From our very first year in the Volkschule or
elementary school, we received daily doses of Nazism. These we swallowed as naturally as our
morning milk. We simply believed whatever was crammed into us” (Heck qtd. in Ayer 1). This
education was supplemented with idealistic visions of a bright future and the role these youth
would play in creating that world. “We were educated to believe that we were going to bring
fulfillment of the dreams of mankind, that we would bring righteousness, honesty, and dignity to
mankind” (Busche 8). These virtues were then fed to the youth along with doses of Nazi
doctrine. Two of the Nazi topics that Hitler added to the school system were theories of Jews
being subhuman and eugenics. Children were subtly taught to follow the Fȕhrer no matter what
and that they were destined to become a master race, superior to all other ethnicities. “The
difference between Nazi ideas and country became blurred. You were to serve your Fatherland,
but the Nazis supported the Fatherland. We weren’t taught to kill Jews but to love and serve our
country” (Kelling). Patriotism was the main focus of most youth. Many youth don’t even recall
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any incitement to anti-Semitism (Knopp 97). The uniforms and the fighting became a higher
priority for many of the youth rather than a deep study of Nazis ideology. School systems
became more geared towards physical preparation and any subject that was seen as unnecessary
by Hitler would end up getting removed (120). The goal of the new educational system was to
create soldiers for Hitler’s militaristic Nazi Germany who would sacrifice anything and
everything for their Fȕhrer, their Fatherland, and their people.
Exact, unquestioning obedience and zeal accompanied with blue eyes and blonde hair
became the new ideal for the German youth. Their time spent at school was to prepare them to
join the SS or be helpful members of the Nazi party. It is shown through the research in Detlev
Peukert’s article, “Life in the Third Reich; Young People for or Against the Nazis,” that despite
this preparation, the youth didn’t tend to know the exact Nazi ideology very well, or at least they
didn’t pay very much attention to it (Peukert 16). They were indoctrinated into Nazism by
degrees to avoid raising alarm and slowly became the malleable tools for Hitler’s lust for power.
Hitler recognized the power of media and propaganda in swaying public opinion. This
was one reason he began to incrementally control what news the public would receive. He could
then concentrate their focus on the war efforts and Nazism. His subterfuge of the people, and
more specifically the youth, was not only diabolical but also remarkable. It was effective and
consistent in increasing conviction. According to an article submitted to the Oklahoma Woman
website called “How Did Hitler Control His Youth,” Hitler often “spun the truth” to make things
look more favorable towards himself (Oklahoma). He used what the German people loved and
valued, contorting traditional values common to the people to fit his agenda. He instigated the
production of films like “Triumph des Willens” (Triumph of the Will) and Jȕd Sȕβ (Jew Sweet)
to increase patriotic urges and acceptance of Nazi beliefs (Kater 64). Hitler Youth did its fair
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share to help with the propaganda by having parades, doing collection drives, and passing out
flyers. “The magic of the music and the uniforms, the philosophy and talks—all were very
powerful and convincing” (Busche 22). This all served to cause the youth and the German
populace to believe everything that they heard. Hitler also used the propaganda to keep the
people ignorant. “When people say now that Germans knew what was happening, it is because
they simply don’t understand how a dictatorship functions” (31). Hitler controlled what the
people knew. He used this power to give the impression that there was complete obedience to the
Fȕhrer throughout the whole country. As far as most youth were concerned “there was no
opposition to Hitler. We never heard of it and couldn’t even conceive it” (Kelling). Hitler was
always right and blind allegiance was to be expected.
Hitler Youth kept the youth organized, easy to manage, and most importantly busy. It
was harder for them to begin resisting when they didn’t have time to. Service on farms or in the
military became required early on and Plichtdienst (duty service) became required after finishing
school. The time spent on this was at the beginning about 6 months and at the end of the war a
year. Many were so inspired by patriotism and what they felt was their duty to their Fȕhrer,
Vaterland (Fatherland), and Volk (people), that they did this willingly. They would move to the
border lands, farm, fulfill tasks for the Nazis, and teach German to ethnic Germans whose
language had become corrupted or forgotten (Kater).
Hitler’s most important tool in propaganda was turning himself into a father figure for all
the youth of Germany. In German culture, it was expected to follow the father with
unquestioning obedience. “By projecting such a ‘father’ image before the children of Germany,
Hitler was able to transfer the power from the institution of the home to his own social and
political institutions” (Oklahoma). This respect for the father figure and then Hitler’s connection
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to that image was the lifeblood that flowed through the Nazi war machine and gave the strength
to complete his every desire. This proved to be true, especially as Hitler called for more support
and soldiers to fight in the war and defend the Fatherland. It developed into a form of Fȕhrer
worship, where the Fȕhrer, Vaterland and Volk all began being worshipped like the trinity in
Catholicism. “Fȕhrer worship was at the center of all Hitler Youth and school activities and in
the average German dwelling there hung at least one picture of Hitler” (Kater 67). Hitler was
infallible and maintained a cult-like following from the German people throughout the war.
This control of propaganda and brainwashing continued throughout the war. Hitler
wanted to ensure that he stayed in control of his people and that they would be willing to die, and
more importantly kill for him. This perpetuated their worship of him. “To us he was like a god.
He was the idealistic figure in charge of everything, and to whom everyone turned” (Kurt
Heindorf qtd. in Knopp 3). The Hitler Youth were taught to trust Hitler above anyone else, even
their own parents. Many parents were turned in or informed on by their children to the SS for
saying something against Hitler which led to a level of distrust even within the family. “My dad
was against the Nazis but I never knew until after the war” (Kelling). Thus, Hitler created his
own league of spies to keep watch on Germany’s home-front while he began to focus on the war.
It was important to keep the populace optimistic about the war and to keep them misinformed.
Hitler took measures to ensure obedience, but such measures also bred disillusionment
among some of the youth. “Dissidence in Hitler’s Germany was the exception”; however, a form
of anti-Nazism began to take rise (Kater 67). Young people started departing from Nazi
allegiance and many youth opted to form illegal, rival gangs rather than join Hitler Youth. This
came about either because of a resistance to the strict uniformity and regimenting of their lives or
because of a recognition of what the Nazis really stood for and a denial of their beliefs. Two of
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the more popular groups that formed were the Edelweiss gang and the Swing Youth. The
Edelweiss gang opposed more of the ideals of Nazism, while Swing Youth embraced western
culture and despised the social atmosphere and regimenting of the Nazis (Peukert 21). The
detrimental nature of these groups was unacceptable to Hitler, so he disposed of the enemy.
Members of these rival groups who were caught, or any individual for that matter, who was
convicted of unpatriotic actions were either jailed, executed, or sent to concentration camps
(Bartoletti 111).
One of the more famous examples of resistance through anti-propaganda against the
Nazis was a group of university students known as the White Rose. They distributed thousands
of leaflets illuminating the public on the truth and the atrocities that Hitler was committing. They
also spoke against the Nazi ideals. Headed by Hans Scholl and Sophie Scholl, both university
students who had earlier in life been fanatical Hitler Youth members but steadily became
disenchanted with it as they saw what it had become, the group took bold stands against the
Nazis and sought to inform the people. Sophie often commented in letters to her boyfriend
serving in the army that Germany needed to lose the war so that the Nazis could be stopped. It
climaxed when both Hans and Sophie were caught, tried, and executed. They stood firm for their
beliefs. Hans shouted, “Long live freedom,” just before being beheaded. Both hoped that their
actions would inspire more dissension among the youth. Sadly, Hitler’s claws were too deep in
the minds of the people and they didn’t respond to the call. Two hours after their beheadings, a
pro-Nazi demonstration was held at their university. Then three days after their execution there
was a rally where a pro-Nazi student leader condemned the White Rose’s actions to the applause
of hundreds of students (Bartoletti 127). The time for opposition would come, but it would have
to weather the war first. Until then, Hitler became fearful of more resistance and took measures
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to quiet rumors of dissension. Throughout the war, at least 162 youths between ages 16 and 25
were executed for opposing Hitler (Knopp 205). He took away the freedom of speech and
regimented German citizens’ lives and activities. This effectively demolished most opposition.
“Children were allowed to hear one view of Hitler— the positive view” (Oklahoma 2). Hitler
ebbed away their individuality and freedoms to act on their own piece by piece until they were
bound by his will and a false perception of his abilities to lead them to victory.
The education that the Nazis imposed on the youth began to be more progressive in
creating zealots and fanatics for Hitler as the war began. Similar to how Hitler began exercising
more power over the German populace, his highly favored youth program began to do the same.
Teachers would be bullied by the Nazis to influence youth to join and blindly follow the wishes
of the Fȕhrer, only to then be bullied by the members of Hitler Youth who realized they could
intimidate their teachers into whatever they wished. One report of an unpatriotic word could land
a teacher in a concentration camp. The youth began to bully many other members of the society,
such as pastors or parents, upon realizing their new-found social standing and power. The police
were not of much help, but leaders in the program discouraged such bullying by increasing
discipline, threatening punishment and dishonor, and regimenting the youth’s time even more
(Bartoletti 38).
The special schools established by the Nazis, that were supposed to be the elite schools,
clearly began to be academically behind the regular schools as the war continued on. Their focus
shifted almost entirely to creating soldiers for Hitler and the Wehrmacht (army). Teachers were
tasked with preparing children to become tools of death to a dictator. “Teachers had to prepare
children for the fact that one day they would go to war, fight the enemy and show selfless
courage, so as to eventually bestride Europe and the world as a Herrenmensch” (Knopp 120).
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Enthusiasm thus increased to join the ranks as soldiers for
Hitler simply because they were taught it. They were
excited to serve their Fȕhrer, Fatherland, and people. The
boys from Hitler Youth were so enthusiastic about joining
and fighting in the war that it stifled “a sense of their own
loss— the sudden death of a comrade or their own war
injuries” (Kater 172). This would be utilized by Hitler to
employ younger and younger youth into his war efforts.
Figure 2: Hitler Youth assembled for a parade in full uniform (Sangkhanet)
Fanaticism was taught in the form of patriotism. The youth were taught that a good
soldier would sacrifice everything for his country and that it was an honor to die in war. This is
how he could prove he was a man. Many youth would count down the days until they could
serve their Fȕhrer, Vaterland and Volk. “I could hardly wait for it to be my turn; I was so
indoctrinated” (Kelling). This was the rallying call. There was no greater cause, no greater ideal
than to defend the godlike dictator who acted as a pseudo Father to many youth, and to fight for
the country that was home to the master-race rich with a history of power, religion, and
philosophical advancement. They fought for their families and friends that they loved and the
Endsieg (final victory) that was certain to come (Ayer 71). Fȕhrer, Vaterland and Volk: a chant,
an oath taken silently and verbally by every youth preparing to put his life on the line defending
Germany.
According to Hitler, the youth were ready for war. More and more youth participated in
the Hitler Youth activities and trainings either out of patriotism, fear, or simply because they
were told to despite the slight increase in youth-opposition gangs forming. “The youth were
ready for active service and sacrifice throughout the war not just because of their conviction but
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because there was no alternative” (Knopp 177). Their service was not required until later in the
war when Germany began losing. Germany started the war off great—defeating most enemies
quickly with its tactic of Blitzkrieg (lightning warfare). This worked until being defeated by
England’s air force and then suffering heavy losses after a harsh winter in Russia, eventually
resulting in a defeat in Stalingrad and a retreat back to Germany. The Wehrmacht’s (Germany’s
army) favorite recruits came from the Hitler Youth due to their training, their enthusiasm in
serving, and their discipline. “Hitler Youth members were used to strict discipline. Their training
taught them to obey an order without thinking” (Heck qtd. in Ayer 113). This provided the
mindless soldiers the Wehrmacht was looking for. When Hitler needed more soldiers to fight his
war, he started turning to the younger members of Hitler Youth and recruiting them. By 1943
even 16 year old Hitler Youth were drafted into the war (Bartoletti 89). However, these youth
quickly became known for their fanaticism as soldiers.
The pride of the Hitler Youth was the 12th SS Panzer Grenadier Hitlerjugend (SS-HJ).
This was a special teenage division of the Wehrmacht recruited exclusively from Hitler Youth.
They proved their valor in many decisive battles such as D-Day and in various fights in France
and the Russian front as the Allies advanced on Germany. In most of these conflicts, the Hitler
Youth had the most casualties but they would still shout, cheer, and sing as they attacked the
enemy (Knopp 168). Hitler remarked that “the youngsters who come from the Hitler Youth,
some only 16, fight more fanatically than their older comrades” (qtd. in Bartoletti 130). The SSHJ fought like lions until the last man. They did whatever they felt was necessary to bring
victory for Germany, many taking on suicide missions that even older soldiers were too scared to
take. Kids would blow themselves up to destroy enemy tanks, often allowing them to roll over
them before blowing the tanks apart. “One boy destroyed four tanks at close range with his
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Panzerfaust (grenade launcher) and captured a fifth tank with only a pistol. He climbed the tank
from the back and ordered the tank crew to surrender” (Bartoletti 136). These youth were
fanatical in every sense of the word and the enemy came to fear and respect them for that. They
were simply astounding. They would do things almost no one thought a sixteen year old was
capable of doing.
Emil Dȕrr, a proud member of the SS-HJ, singlehandedly charged a tank to defend his
camp’s position. After getting blasted by the tank, he kept fighting and used several grenade
launchers to combat the American tank making its way towards his comrades. He eventually
managed to grab a mine and hold it to the tank to blow up the tank and destroy it. He died in his
comrades’ arms afterwards encouraging them to keep fighting (Bartoletti 130). Speaking of the
SS-HJ, their commander Kurt Meyer exclaimed, “The boys have not yet learned how to live, but
by God they know how to die!” (Kurt Meyer qtd. in Bartoletti 137). They inspired the soldiers
around them and actively helped prolong Germany’s defeat. The fear of revenge from their
enemies, especially the Russians, encouraged the boys to fight longer and harder.
As the front-lines came closer to the Fatherland, Hitler’s exploitation of Germany’s
children increased. Recognizing that a lack of soldiers would leave Germany defenseless, by
1944 he called all capable men from ages 10 to 60 that were still in Germany to join the
Volkssturm (a homeland militia). F. Enzio Busche recalled that his “first reaction, as a naïve kid,
was to feel honored” for the call to serve, much like many of the youth (9). Hitler Youth were
put in charge and often were commanding men old enough to be their dad or even their grandpa.
Many boys joined out of patriotism and fanaticism (Ayer 133). This was a last ditch effort to
save the Fatherland. Hitler Youth manned air-raid stations and helped maintain order during airstrikes, especially the bombings on civilian populations. Some of the worst bombings occurred in
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Dresden on February 13th, 1945 as it was completely firebombed to the ground and left in ruins,
resulting in around 125,000 deaths. The asphalt melted from the streets because of the heat of the
fires. The attack on Dresden was meant to break the German spirit and force Hitler to surrender
and quickly end the war. “Many called it merciless, unnecessary, and mass murder by air” (140).
The sheer monstrosity of this event is commiserated in Dresden every year on the anniversary of
the bombing.
The Hitler Youth, some as young as 13, would man the anti-air guns and spotlights to
assist the older men in fighting back to try and defend their mothers, sisters, and their homeland.
These young boys and teenagers would fight with all their energy to defend their towns from
enemy bombers. This made them easy targets for enemy planes. As a result, many were killed
and those who were lucky enough to only get injured would say that their injuries were not
important, “Germany must be victorious” (Bartoletti 89). All of the youth were required to dig
ditches and perform other laborious tasks to help defend Germany for up to 10 hours a day every
day. The Nazis recognized the necessity of the youth’s involvement to help delay their imminent
defeat. Many of the youth were fighting on the front lines, but those not fighting were still put to
use. “In the final phase of the Third Reich some 6 million young people were working in
industry and agriculture, the majority in arms and munitions factories” (Knopp 225). This was
also seen as an opportunity to further brainwash the children while they were in isolation and
under the sole influence of the Nazis (Ayer 85). Every youth was used in whichever way Hitler
thought could save Germany. Hitler encouraged the youth and despite heavy losses, many youth
remained loyal. The youths’ fanaticism and overall zeal for fighting decreased as it became
obvious that Germany would lose the war. Some soldiers from the Hitler Youth even started
refusing to kill enemies in combat despite the threat of being shot for treason. “At that point, we
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still believed in the government but began to have many questions” (Busche 10). This was the
start of the youths’ shaking from the shackles of the Nazi regime. WWII ended May 7th, 1945 as
Germany surrendered, one week after Hitler committed suicide.
Many Hitler Youth were taken as prisoners of war after Germany’s defeat and reeducated to show them the atrocities of the Nazi regime. Thus, the “de-nazification” of Germany
began. Many were unaware of the horrible things done by Germany to its enemies and to the
Jews. “We only saw the bad things the enemies did” (Kelling). Hitler suppressed any information
of the Holocaust or the activities in the concentration camps and Germany’s own bombings and
attacks against Allied civilian populations. The German youth only saw the Allies’ bombing of
defenseless civilians. The Allies tried to teach them what happened and show them a better way
to live in prisoner-of-war camps and in schools. Most youth had trouble believing it and
struggled to adapt to democratic, self-thinking ideas (Kater 252). They had to learn to critically
think and question instead of just accepting what was told to them.
Many of the stories of the concentration camps were dismissed at first by the Germans as
being too terrible to actually be true. Several claimed they thought that the camps had merely
been protection camps. Some Hitler Youth broke down into tears after learning they were wrong;
other Hitler Youth members needed years to accept and understand the truth (Bartoletti 146).
Speaking for the ignorance and innocence of many Germans, Alfons Heck stated, “Despite the
horrible crimes that were committed, most Germans had nothing to do with them. The killings
were done under the cover of war” (Ayer 220). Dr. Kelling also shared his insight in learning
about the truth after the war. He stated:
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We were then confronted with the truth. We also bombed civilians and killed in
concentration camps which they had neglected to tell us. The only pride we had
was building up the country; that is all that remained. Nazi ideals became
apparently bad. We came to realize that the end of the war meant we were being
saved from slavery. (Kelling)
The truth set many Germans free from the mental prison Hitler had put them in. The whole truth
was hard to swallow and it might be hard to believe that so many people knew so little about the
despicable acts being done against the Jews; however, “we have no reason to disbelieve all those
witnesses who tell us they knew nothing about the Holocaust until the end of the war” (Knopp
101). Anti-Semitism had been nothing new—most countries at the time had a healthy amount of
it. Many countries had closed off immigration from Jews by 1941 because they didn’t want more
coming into their country, the U.S. included. But none of the German youth would have dreamed
to what extent Hitler had abused their trust and how misguided their patriotism had been. F.
Enzio Busche shared that the reports of the concentration camps were “first met with disbelief.
Finally, a feeling of indescribable shame came as reports were openly documented over and over
again. With it came the awareness of betrayal—that the best of (their) feelings and desires had
been trampled on and misused.” (31) This feeling of betrayal facilitated the Allies’ ability to
detach loyalties to Nazi Germany and begin the reformations in Germany.
The Allies, much like Hitler, used the youth of Germany to help bring about change. This
was, however, a positive change. Civil rights were reinstituted and children were taught to
participate in democratic activities. They received the rights and education that a whole
generation had lost. They learned to think and act for themselves. Pamphlets and stories of
resistance began to surface encouraging the German people to change and showing them how to
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accomplish that change (Bartoletti 153). Germany became divided between the four Allied
powers. Western Germany became a democratic independent state in 1949 supported by the
USA, France, and England. Eastern Germany was under the communistic influence of the
Soviets and became the German Democratic Republic (GDR). The GDR was forced into
isolation from any true democratic countries and closed its borders. On November 9, 1989, the
impossible happened and the Berlin Wall that had been separating the two countries was brought
down and East Germany’s borders were opened. On October 3, 1990, East and West Germany
became reunited as one country again. Germany is today a democratic country, an economic
powerhouse, and a strong member of the EU, ensuring peace and equality to all European
countries. Nazi beliefs have been utterly renounced and Hitler’s reign is recognized for the
tragedy it was. Patriotism is not as evident as it used to be, but it still shows itself every four
years when the World Cup comes around.
The children of Hitler Youth were pawns that Hitler played with. There was never much
choice for them; most of the choices were made for them. This was easy. To these youth, this
was safe and the way it should be. It was honorable to serve one’s country, and Hitler used that
ideal to further his goals. Many youth didn’t know the truth of Nazism and what it stood for
because of the ignorance instigated by Hitler’s control over the people. “We, the young fanatics
of the Hitler Youth, also became the victims of our Fȕhrer. We were brainwashed by the Nazis
as children, and our love for our homeland was grossly misused” (Heck qtd. in Ayer 219). They
only knew to serve their Fȕhrer, Fatherland, and people. Their patriotism blinded them to the
truth and led them down the dark path that Hitler forced them on. The Hitler Youth were cheated
out of their youth and their sense of patriotism. Many lost their lives, but more lost that fire of
patriotism that had bred the determination and pride to fight for Germany until the last breath.
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The Hitler Youth only knew to serve and fight for their Fȕhrer, Vaterland, and Volk— not the
inhumane ideals of a corrupt political party. Their misled patriotism blinded them to the truth and
led them down the dark path that Hitler forced upon them. They learned through sad experience
the answer to Hitler’s question “what can happen to a people whose youth sacrifice everything in
order to serve its great ideals” (qtd. in Bartoletti 13).
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Works Cited
Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler’s Shadow. New York:
Scholastic Nonfiction. 2005. Print.
Knopp, Guido. Hitler’s Children. Stroud: Sutton, 2002. Print.
Peukert, Detlev J.K. “Life in the Third Reich; Young People: For or Against the Nazis.” History
Today, 1985. Web. 14 March. 2016.
Anonymous. “How Did Hitler Control His Youth?” Oklahoma Woman, 2009. Web. 16 Mar.
2016.
Kater, Michael H. Hitler Youth. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 2004. Print.
Sangkhanet, Siam. N.d Photograph. Hitler Youth Photograph. Oct. 2011.
nazismandindividualism.wordpress.com. Web. 17 Mar. 2016
Kelling, Hans-Wilhelm. Personal interview. 17 Mar. 2016
Rice, Holly. N.d Photograph. Hitler Youth. Oct. 2014. germanpostalhistory.com. Web. 17 Mar.
2016
Hicks, Stephen. N.d Photograph. Hitler 1925. Dec. 2009. stephenhick.org. Web. 17 Mar. 2016
Ayer, Elanor H. Parallel Journeys. New York: Athenaeum Books for Young Readers, 1995.
Print.
Busche, F. Enzio, and Tracie A. Lamb. Yearning for the Living God: Reflections from the Life of
F. Enzio Busche. Salt Lake City, UT; Deseret Book, 2004. Print.
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Works Consulted
Hicks, Stephen. “Nietzsche and the Nazis”. Wordpress. Dec. 2009. Web. 15 Mar. 2016
Jahnke, Karl Heinz. Buddrus, Michael. Deutsche Jugend 1933-1945 Eine Dokumentation.
Hamburg: VSA Verlag, 1989. Print.
Rice, Holly. “The Social Structure of Hitler Youth and its Ideological Effects on Children”
Social Change and the Future, Oct. 2014. Web. 17 Mar. 2016