Hitler Youth
The Hitler Youth was an organization in Nazi Germany for boys from ages 10 to 18. The boys split off from the Hitler Youth when they were 14 to join The League of German Men. All German boys between these ages whom Adolf Hitler considered to be "pure-blooded" Germans, were required to join, and parents who stopped their children from joining could be sent to prison for a long time.[1] In order to get rid of any distractions or other groups that might keep children from being involved with the Hitler Youth, Hitler banned all other youth groups or clubs.[2] The League of German girls was the Girls branch of the Hitler youth and taught girls how to raise families and run fundraisers and metal drives for the Reich Government.
The purpose of the Hitler Youth was to train children to accept values such as duty to the Nazi Party and to Hitler, and to teach them to be prepared even to give their lives for their country. Many young boys would become solders shortly after their time in the Hitler youth. Even though Hitler youth members had higher ranks than some of the other older soldiers, they could still get heavily reprimanded by the Allied forces. As the war became more desperate many Hitler youth members were pulled out of school to fight as solders, they were often put on suicide missions.
Hitler Youth Media
Hitler Youth members give the Nazi salute at a rally at the Lustgarten in Berlin, 1933
Hitlerjugend camp in China in 1935, with permission of the Government of the Republic of China
16-year-old Willi Hübner being awarded the Iron Cross in March 1945
Baldur von Schirach (in second row, second from right) at the Nuremberg Trials seated with other high-ranking Nazis
"Leistungsbuch" (Performance booklet) of a Hitler Youth / Deutsches Jungvolk member. The symbol in the upper right, based on the Sowilo rune, reads "For accomplishments in the DJ (Deutsches Jungvolk)". The symbol in the lower left, based on the Tiwaz rune, reads "For accomplishments in the HJ (Hitler Jugend)".
References
- ↑ "Americanchronicle.com". www.americanchronicle.com.[dead link]
- ↑ "The History Place - Hitler Youth: Road to Power 1923-1933". www.historyplace.com.