Short Note on Role of Youth in Nazi Germany

Short Note on Role of Youth in Nazi Germany

Youth in Nazi Germany were subjected to intense Nazi ideology (hatred, aggression, violence, etc.) both in and out of school and in youth organisations which they were forced to join.

i. The 10-year-olds had to join ‘Jungvolk’ and 14-year-olds ‘Hitler Youth’.

ii. Children were segregated from ‘undesirables’, school textbooks were rewritten and racial science introduced to justify Nazi ideas on race.

iii. Children were taught to be loyal, submissive, hate Jews and worship Hitler. Stereotypes about Jews were popularised through various subjects and deceptive use of propaganda.

iv. In youth organisations, youth learnt to glorify aggression, worship war, condemn democracy, and hate the ‘undesirables’.

v. At 18 years, they had to join compulsory military service, were recruited into labour service and required to enroll in one of the Nazi organisations.

vi. The Nazi hold on the youth was total and fanatical in its makeup.