The LookBack
Libby A Greenlaw
June 1, 2017
DEVOTED TO HITLER
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Libby A Greenlaw
June 1, 2017
HITLER YOUTH The Fighting Force of WWII
Girls in Nazi Germany While girls were not on the front lines they still were involved in Hitler Youth. For girls Hitler Youth was the League of German Girls (BDM). They were raised as the “comrades of the political soldiers”. Their job was to be good wives and to breed the next generation of Germans. Children, church, and kitchen, they were not encouraged to hopes and
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Young boys in Hitler Youth uniforms organized in rows. Hitler Youth modeled war, each boy was part of a platoon, one boy the commander. The main goal was to imitate war and create perfect soldiers.
Devoted to Hitler Thousands of boys, from ages 10 to 18, learning how to shoot a gun or throw a grenade, their minds filled with thoughts of impurity and death. Slogans of the honor of being a German and the need for the extermination of Jews. This was Hitler Youth. Thousands of boys and girls rushed to join this new age in the history of Germany, to eat, sleep, and breath Hitler. This was the reality for many children who lived in Germany during WWII, if you weren’t a jew you were part of Hitler Youth. Hitler Youth played an important role in Germany's strength during WWII because it corrupted young boys, supplied soldiers for the war, and disrupted family and social life. As Hitler Youth brainwashed these kids, it built the perfect soldiers who were devoted to Hitler’s ideals and greatly affected family and social life, as the thoughts of the nation changed. 1
Libby A Greenlaw
June 1, 2017
Bright Minds Corrupted Hitler Youth brainwashed thousands of children even before the war started. Hitler was determined to build a strong Germany, as he said himself to Hitler Youth, “‘Before us lies Germany, in us marches Germany, and behind us follows Germany!’” Nazis rewrote German history books, changed what was taught in school, and trained young boys to be soldiers. Children were taught that because they had German blood they were above others and blamed Germany’s troubles on jews. In the words of Henry Metelmann, “‘They told me that because of the German blood in my veins I was a superior human being,’” he said. Hitler Youth corrupted the minds of children so that they were ready to die for Germany and would sell out their own parents if it meant recognition from Hitler, creating the perfect soldiers.
The Source of Germany’s Strength Hitler Youth created the perfect soldiers; even though their army was smaller than the other nations they had the drive, and determination, and devotion to win. Hitler Youth had summer camps where boys poor and rich could come and experience what it would be like to fight for your country. They gave poor people holidays and showed city kids the countryside but their main function was basic military training. According to BBC History File the boys learned how to throw hand grenades, dig trenches, and
A Hitler Youth poses for a photograph in the Rhineland city of Bruehl, 1934. In 1939, membership in Nazi youth groups became mandatory for all boys and girls between the ages of ten and eighteen.
The map to the left shows the lang Germany had invaded in June 1944 at the height of their power. In red is the areas Germany occupied, in blue is the area the Allies occupied and brown is neutral countries.
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they would go on large hard marches to strengthen them. They would divide the boys into two groups the blue and reds, one group defending an area while the other attacks. One man who was in Hitler Youth as a child stated, “‘In the beginning I hated it all, but I got used to it. I think what it did was develop the aggression we would all need to help Germany fight the war.’” When the Nazis brainwashed these young men, they developed a strong army. The passion and devotion to Hitler and Germany made one German soldier worth ten other soldiers. They taught boys that dying for their country was better than living. That your family was less important than Germany.
June 1, 2017
Historical Events of Hitler Youth March 1922 Hitler officially created the very first Nazi Part Youth Group,though it was not well received until 1926
1926 Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth) formed, with Kurt Gruber as its leader. 1929 Hitler Youth is declared the official youth group of the Nazi Party.
Fight or Family April, 1933 Hitler Youth raid Berlin Headquarters As Hitler Youth corrupted young boys it also corrupted of German Youth Association. families. Although the minds of children were easily infiltrated by Hitler, their parents were not. Many children would go home and find conflict in beliefs of December, 1936 Hitler Youth Law makes what's right and wrong. Henry Metelmann confesses, membership compulsory for all eligible youth, ages “For me it was all very confusing, everything I heard at 10-18. home was the opposite of what they taught me at school and in the Hitler Youth. And it bothered me a great deal. I wanted my loved ones to be right.” While some boys felt March, 1939 Hitler conscripts remaining eligible youth. the conflict of their duty to Germany or to their family, some did not. Henry remembers his parents telling him to never repeat what they had told him at home. “We were August, 1940 Artur Axmann succeeds Schirach as encouraged in our Hitler Youth meetings to tell tales if we Hitler Youth Leader. ever heard grown-ups talk against Hitler, against the regime. And there were children so passionately Nazi that January, 1943 Antiaircraft batteries manned solely they turned in their own parents!” Children were by Hitler Youth. brainwashed by Hitler Youth to point where they would do anything for their country. They would spy on their neighbors and friends, determine who was a jew and report it back to the Hitler Youth. There are many stories of children losing friends and hurting those around them with their words and beliefs. One woman originally part of League of German Girls, (Hitler Youth for girls) admitted to spying on one of her best friends for Hitler. It came to the point where parents were scared of their own children, where people would not walk on the street in fear of being arrested. Hitler Youth greatly affected society in ways that can never be healed.
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Libby A Greenlaw
June 1, 2017
A War Worth Fighting For Hitler Youth greatly impacted Germany’s strength in the war, although they had fewer soldiers they had a greater fighting spirit. As Hitler Youth brainwashed these young boys they saw no future besides fighting and building their country. They would give anything to receive recognition as a true soldier, a true German. This fight and determination made Germany one of the greatest fighting forces we have ever seen. Hitler Youth made a huge impact on WWII. Without it, history would not be the same.
Works Cited: "The Nazi Party." Hitler Youth. Jewish Virtual Library, n.d. Web. 31 May 2017. "Indoctrinating Youth." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, n.d. Web. 31 May 2017. "What Was Life like for Young People in Nazi Germany?" YouTube. BBC-History File, 16 Jan. 2011. Web. 31 May 2017. http://655e823511e%289952c-e82553a271b6cfdf0ae0f84b730ab65e.r82.cf2.rackcdn.com/ 6C50BF73-363D-4B76-81D3-5F1A65F06C07.jpg http://www.history.ucsb.edu/faculty/marcuse/classes/133p/133p04papers/133p04papimg/ HitlerYouth.jpg http://spartacus-educational.com/00womenHit1.jpgq2 https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/media_ph.php?ModuleId=10007820&MediaId=7397
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