Name: ________________________________________ Class: ___________________________ The Hitler Youth In 1922, an organization for children called the Hitler Youth was formed in Germany with very few members. By the year 1940, membership had risen to eight million. These children were trained to be soldiers who would give up their lives for the Nazi cause. As you read the article below, take notes in the margins and look for evidence to answer several important questions: Why did children join the Hitler Youth, and what happened when they did? What are the effects of following the crowd? Background The Hitler Youth was established in 1922 as an organization in Nazi Germany for children ages 10 to 18. All German children between these ages whom Adolf Hitler1 considered to be “pure blooded” were required to join, and parents who stopped their children from joining could be sent to prison for a long time. In order to get rid of any distractions or other groups that might keep children from being involved with the Hitler Youth, all other youth groups and clubs were banned. The purpose of the Hitler Youth (or Hitler-‐Jugend in The Hitler Youth wore uniforms that closely resembled those German) was to train children to accept values such as duty to the Nazi Party and to Hitler, and to of the adult military group called the brownshirts. teach them to be prepared to give their lives for their country. The Hitler Youth also prepared boys for the army and taught them to use weapons. Many Hitler Youth activities closely resembled military training, including weapons training and lessons in basic military tactics. The Hitler Youth wore uniforms very like those of an adult military group called the “brownshirts” known for its violence against Jewish citizens. Some cruelty by the older boys toward the younger ones in the Hitler Youth was tolerated and even encouraged, since it was believed this would weed out the weak and harden the rest. The Hitler Youth was organized into “cells” or groups under adult leadership. Some cells had weekly meetings in which various Nazi doctrines2 were taught by adult Hitler Youth leaders. Regional leaders organized rallies, an exercise in which several dozen Hitler Youth cells would participate. The largest Hitler Youth gathering took place each year at Nuremburg, where millions of members from all over Germany would come together for the Nazi Party rally. Boys in the Hitler Youth were trained to be fighters in World War II. Many of those who fought died. 1
Adolf Hitler: the leader of the Nazi Party doctrines: principles, policies 2
Membership Membership in Hitler Youth grew to be widespread. In 1923, the organization had a little over 1,000 members. By the end of 1932 (a few weeks before the Nazis came to power) it was at 107,956. At the end of 1933, the organization had 2,300,000 members. In 1936, Hitler Youth membership stood just over five million. That same month, membership in the organization became mandatory by law for all German “pure blood” children. By 1940, when Hitler was at the height of his power in Europe, the Hitler Youth The Hitler Youth gathers at a huge rally in Nuremburg to celebrate the rise of had over eight million members. Adolf Hitler and the downfall of the Jewish race in Germany. Virtually every young male in Germany was in some way connected to the Hitler Youth. Children in Germany had little choice in the matter of whether to join the Hitler Youth or not. Only about 10 to 20% were able to avoid joining. There were a few members of the Hitler Youth who privately disagreed with Nazi ideologies3. However, those who resisted the Hitler Youth represented a small minority of German children, who had little choice in the matter. Those who publicly disagreed with Nazi ideology were sent to prison or killed. Several additional reasons help explain the popularity of the Hitler Youth. First of all, the organization was also seen as an important stepping stone to future membership of the elite “SS,” a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler. Moreover, the children in the organization were viewed as the future of the German nation. They were told they represented the “Aryan4 supermen” and were indoctrinated in anti-‐Semitism5. The Hitler Youth in the War By 1943, Nazi leaders began turning the Hitler Youth into a military reserve or backup force to replace the German men who had been killed fighting in World War II. One division of boys ages 16 to 18 were deployed to fight in the Battle of Normandy against French and Canadian forces. During the following months, the division earned a reputation for ferocity. Near the end of the war, in 1945, Hitler Youth boys as young as 12 years were drafted to fight as the last line of German defense and were reportedly among the fiercest fighters. Many children died in these battles. When the Allied Forces won the war, the Hitler Youth was disbanded. Some Hitler Youth members were suspected of war crimes but since they were children, no serious efforts were made to prosecute these claims. While the Hitler Youth was never technically considered a criminal organization, its adult leadership was considered at fault for corrupting and damaging the minds of young Germans. 3
ideologies: beliefs Aryan: Caucasians of European and Western Asian heritage 5
anti-‐Semitism: prejudice, hatred of, or discrimination against Jews 4
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What was the Hitler Youth? Why did children join the Hitler Youth? What happened when they did? Did the children of the Hitler Youth have a choice? Explain and support your answer. What are the effects of following the crowd? Use evidence from this text, your own experience, and other literature, art, or history in your answer.