MODERN HISTORY The Role of Youth Organisations in Nazi Germany: 1933-1939 It is often believed that children and adolescents are the most impressionable and vulnerable in society. Unlike adults, who have already developed their own established social views and political opinions, juveniles are still in the process of forming their attitudes and judgements on the world around them, so can easily be manipulated into following certain ideas and principles. This has been a fact widely taken advantage of by governments and political parties throughout history, in particular, by the Nazi Party under Adolf Hitler’s leadership between 1933 and 1939. The beginning of the 1930’s ushered in a new period of instability and uncertainty throughout Germany and with the slow but eventual collapse of the Weimar Government, as well as the start of the Great Depression, the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP) took the opportunity to gain a large and devoted following. This committed and loyal support was gained by appealing primarily to the industrial working class and the rural and farming communities, under the tenacious direction of nationalist politician Adolf Hitler. Through the use of powerful and persuasive propaganda, the Nazis presented themselves as ‘the party above class interests’1, a representation of hope, prosperity and unyielding leadership for the masses of struggling Germans. The appointment of NSDAP leader, Adolf Hitler, as chancellor of Germany on January 30th 1933, further cemented his reputation as the strong figure of guidance Germany needed to progress and prosper. On March 23rd 1933, the ‘Enabling Act’ was passed by a two thirds majority in the Reichstag, resulting in the suspension of the German Constitution and the rise of Hitler’s dictatorship. The autocratic leadership of Hitler’s Nazi Party was now well underway, however, beyond simply gaining power, the NSDAP sought to completely transform German society in a period of ‘Gleichschaltung’, or a ‘process of coordination’2. This ultimately meant implementing Nazi Party ideology into every aspect of German life, to create a ‘Volksgemeinschaft’, a racially unified and hierarchically organized society in which the interests of individuals would be strictly subordinate to those of the nation3. This Nazified4 totalitarian society was achieved most effectively through the foundations of the Hitler Youth movement, which aspired to educate the children of Germany on Nazi Party philosophy and principles, as well as gain their loyalty to maintain future control. The Hitler Youth movement (Hitler-Jugend) was originally established in February 1922 as the ‘Youth League’ of the early NSDAP, however, was renamed in 1926 under Hitler’s influence and his ideas on encouraging a greater following of young Germans. Once the Nazi Party assumed power, all other youth organisations including Scouts, sporting clubs and religious groups were eventually outlawed. It was even legislated in December 1936 that membership of the Hitler Youth for all boys between 14 and 18 would be compulsory. Numbers gradually increased, by more than 2.1million for boys and more than 2.8million for girls between 1933 and 19395, as more children wanted to ‘serve their Fuhrer’ through participation in activities like distributing propaganda material, and partaking in Nazi marches and gatherings. The Hitler Youth was divided into different organisations based on gender and age, separating the boys from the girls and the younger children from the adolescents. However, not all children could join as you were required to be healthy, athletic, free of any handicaps, and able to prove your 1 Mason, K.J., Republic to Reich: A history of Germany 1918-1939, McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd, 2007, 106. 2 Ibid, 118. 3 ‘Volksgemeinschaft’, Encyclopaedia Britannica Online, 2009 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/632308/Volksgemeinschaft> 4 Mason, K.J., Republic to Reich: A history of Germany 1918-1939, McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd, 2007, 118 5 Ibid, 150 Aryan race-that there were no Jewish connections in your family. Boys between the ages of 6 and 10 were urged to join the Pimpf, or ‘Little Fellows’, and boys aged 10 to 14 would join the Deutsches Jungvolk, or ‘German Young People’, from where they would graduate to become fully fledged members of the Hitler-Jugend. During these formative years of membership, boys would engage primarily in physical activities like hiking, marching, camping trips, athletics and fitness training exercises to build endurance and maintain a ‘strong and beautiful’6 youth. This emphasis on physical fitness rather than academic education was an important principle of the Youth movement, as Hitler believed it would produce bold, tough young men, ready to fight for the good of the nation, and healthy young mothers ready to produce strong future Aryan generations. In fact, Hitler had disliked the idea of formal education since his own schooling years and upheld a contemptuous attitude towards enhancing the scholastic knowledge of Germany’s youth, saying ‘I do not want any intellectual education. With knowledge, my youth will be spoiled’7. The female organisations of the Hitler Youth movement included the Jungmädelbund, or the ‘League of Young Girls’, for those between the ages of 10 and 14, the Bund Deutscher Mädel, or the ‘League of German Maidens’, for girls aged 14 to 18, and at the age of 18 girls were able to join Glaube und Schönheit (‘Faith and Beauty’). Unlike the male organisations that emphasised training in physical fitness, the girl’s factions intended to teach young women all the necessary skills, such as cooking and sewing, which they would require to fulfil their sole objective as accomplished, subservient wives and mothers. Aside from established youth organisations, the NSDAP’s reformed education system was an essential tool in enforcing Nazi ideology upon German children. Prior to 1933, Germany was regarded as having one of the world’s best schooling systems, with consistent high quality and reputation from kindergarten through to university. However, under Nazi leadership, indoctrination and the teaching of traditional German values were classed as being of the highest educational importance. Under the new curriculum, school enrolments declined, the number of women attending universities decreased and the overall quality of German education rapidly deteriorated. A new, compulsory subject called ‘Science of the Races’ was introduced to teach students the ‘necessity and meaning of blood purity’8 and learning materials were revised with a new focus on nationalist and militarist ideals. All Jewish teachers and students were removed from mainstream schools and new institutions were developed, including Adolf Hitler-Schule (Adolf Hitler Schools), specifically for the nurturing of future Nazi Party leaders. The role of youth organisations in Germany between 1933 and 1939 was imperative in promoting Nazi ideology among children and adolescents, however, not all young Germans willingly supported the Fuhrer’s values and principles. There were youth organisations that strongly opposed Nazi ideals and rejected the conformity and rigid policies of the NSDAP. These resistance movements included the Edelweiss Pirates, the Swing Movement and The White Rose. The Edelweiss Pirates were an organisation of mainly 16 to 18 year old working class boys who openly defied Nazi policies by avoiding obligatory service in the Reich Labour Service and the German Army, displaying public anti-Nazi slogans, and aiding people escaping from authorities. The Swing Movement was composed of young, middle-class Germans who also explicitly defied Nazi Party regulations by embracing swing and jazz music (which was highly frowned upon), and rejecting traditional German ideals. Perhaps the most well known of the Nazi resistance youth organisations was The White Rose, started by Munich University students who demanded an end to Hitler’s regime. Although most of the members and indeed leaders of these youth resistance organisations were eventually arrested and killed, seen as Volksschädlinge, or ‘enemies of the people’9, their role was significant 6 Ibid, 153 7 Ibid, 153 8 Ibid, 153 9 Ibid, 190 in that they exposed the sentiments of disillusionment and discontent that began to emerge in German society at the time-not all German youth were loyal supporters of the regime. Nazi Germany in the period from 1933 to 1939 was characterised by a heavily regulated and strictly controlled society dominated by a totalitarian political system. Youth organisations played an integral role in this authoritarian society as they manipulated the impressionable future generations into upholding Nazi ideals and values. The NSDAP knew that gaining the support of the German youth was essential for the success of the party, Adolf Hitler himself stating that “He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future”10. However, as effective as the Hitler Youth Movement was, the Fuhrer could never completely ‘own’ the German youth. Organisations of young people openly opposed to the dictatorship made their own impression on society, and although not as prominent, still played a vital role in exposing a cruel and oppressive regime. BIBLIOGRAPHY Mason, K.J., Republic to Reich: A History of Germany 1918-1939, McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd, 2007 Booklet – The Hitler Youth, The Experience of Nazism, 1933-1945 (source unknown) Booklet - The Nazis and Young People, Nazi Rule in Germany 1933-1945 (source unknown) Booklet – The Rise of Hitler to 1933, How did Hitler seize his Opportunity? (source unknown) The Wiener Library, Institute of Contemporary History, ‘Childhood Under the Swastika’, http://www.wienerlibrary.co.uk/wls/stories/childhood/thehitleryouth.aspx The Future of Freedom Foundation, ‘How Hitler Became a Dictator’ http://www.fff.org/freedom/fd0403a.asp Scholastic Booktalk, ‘Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler’s Shadow’ http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=1144_type=Book_typeId=4100 10 ‘Hitler Youth’, 1998 <http://histclo.com/Youth/youth/org/nat/hitler/hitler.htm> .