Hitler Youth
Edward Behrendt (edsdanzig@WORLDNET.ATT.NET)
Thu, 13 Nov 1997 13:41:47 -0800
Let me respond, at least briefly, to Melinda's question for some details
about the
Hitler Youth. Incidentally, my information does not come from the movies
or books or just
talking to a couple of people about it. It comes from actually being there
at the time
and physically being involved and seeing what went on.
The severity and dedication of members or groups of Hitler Youth varied
somewhat,
depending upon the area or part of Germany involved. This was because of
the different
feelings and ideas of the adult leadership. The stricter or meaner the
leaders were,
the worse the Hitler Youth group thought and behaved. It was very much a
"follow the leader"
type organization, which was typical, at that time, of German behavior. In
general, the very
name of the organization will tell you that they existed in order to follow
Hitler, and to carry out
his ideas and commands. It was a very structured organization, with orders
originating at the top
in Berlin. Local youth groups carried out those commands and, in many
cases, behaved even
more drastically in order to show how good and dedicated to Hitler's cause
they were.
Like many dictators, Hitler and his immediate cohorts believed that it was
vital to convert
young children to their cause and believes. Basically that theory still
holds true today. If you
can capture the minds of young children and persuade them to become
dedicated to
your cause, your theory of the truth and your theory of what is right and
wrong, then you can
hold the whole country captive and you have complete control. That is what
the Nazis were
after in establishing the Hitler Youth.
In trying to capture the minds, hearts and souls of young children, the
Nazis at first
offered many incentives. Things that would fascinate and attract children,
such as uniforms,
knives, drums and bugles and much more. The next step was peer pressure.
Telling them
"your friends are members, why aren't you?", " You can't belong to our
social group and have
fun like we do, if you are not a member", "You have to sit at the back of
the class or isolated
in school somewhere if you are not a member". etc. etc.
Later, far different motivations and persuasions were used, and the Hitler
Youth soon were no
longer real children, but more or less belonged to the State. It was not
that unusual for kids to
turn their own parents in to authorities if they caught them doing
something not approved by
the State. Many parents were severely punished and some sent to
concentration camps and
then death because their own children had turned them in to authorities.
Toward the end of the war, shortly before Germany lost, they had
practically run out of adult fighting
men, and so Hitler and his immediate group started using Hitler Youth
members as soldiers, and
these kids then found themselves on the front line. Not only far too
young, but little training,
no experience, few weapons left, and facing an allied army that was
determined to win regardless
of the lives it might cost. It was suddenly tough on the kids, the glamour
of being a member
was gone, and many perished on the front lines.
Hope the above explanation helps a little, but if there are more questions,
just ask.
Eddy Behrendt