Analysis Of Hitler Youth: Growing Up In Hitler's Shadow '

Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitler’s Shadow Book Critique

Hitler Youth was an organization that Hitler created for young children and teenagers of Germany to join to help him create solutions to Germany’s problems. In order to become a part of the Hitler Youth, one had to provide the proof that they were not in any way, shape, or form have a Jewish ancestry. This organization also gave some children an opportunity to rebel against their parents views of how the Hitler Youth organization was too militaristic for them. The main character in this book is named Sophie Scholl. Sophie was a German girl who had joined the Hitler Youth organization at a young age and was excited to meet new friends and learn new tactics on how to fight in the

war. Eventually, she learned that the organization was very bad and did not accept the ways of Nazism. She often attempted to rebel against the program, because the Nazis did not allow freedom nor civil liberties, which were two main ideas that she believed in. Throughout the novel, Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitler’s Shadow written by Susan Campbell Bartoletti, the concept and story was told of children following the National Socialist (Nazis) group.

Susan Campbell Bartoletti successfully argued in the novel, Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitler’s Shadow, that although most of the children in the Hitler Youth program were awful and helped the mass murder of millions of Jews, some including Sophie Scholl and Hans helped spread the idea that the Nazis and Hitler were horrible and that they were all being brainwashed.

The main structure for this book is divided into ten chapters. The first chapter is the introduction of the beginning of the Holocaust and the day in the life of a normal Hitler Youth child. It then describes the actions of the Scholl children and the affects of everyone in the organization in chapters two through nine. In chapter ten, there is a conclusion which talks about the outcome of the war, the death of Hitler, the Nuremberg Trials, and all of the other affects.

The structure of the book reinforces its larger argument, because it provided the reader with background information and context so that it is easier to understand the complicated concepts and views of the Hitler Youth organization. By doing this, the harsh stories told of the cruel actions that some of the children have partaken in was much more effective. This structure was organized in a fashion that was easy to understand and grasp.

Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitler’s Shadow is mainly written in third person with first and second hand accounts.

Bartoletti uses the main character’s experiences and witnessing to show how awful the Hitler Youth organization is and their terrible views and behavior is. The author speaks about how the campaign put in all of their efforts to help support Hitler and the Nazi regime in any way possible. Bartoletti states, “Throughout 1932, the Hitler Youth campaigned heartily to get Nazis elected to the Reichstag, the legislative assembly or parliament of Germany. All over Germany, they organized rallies, publicity meetings. Propaganda marches, and parent’s meetings to inform voters about the Nazi party” (Bartoletti 13). This is one example of how the Hitler Youth program was bad, but Sophie Scholl did not agree with their unrealistic and extremely irrational ideas so she tried to stand up to them by rebelling as shown on page sixty five. Bartoletti writes, “Sophie detested camp life. In her letters home, she complained about the work, the food, and the mice. Quiet by nature, she lamented the lack of privacy in the dormitory she shared with ten other girls. In the evening, “I often have to shut my ears to their gossip. If I join in, I feel as though I’m condoning them and I feel bad.” Like a prisoner, Sophie counted the days until she would be free” (Bartoletti 65). Below is evidence that Bartoletti left that says, “Sophie Scholl’s opinion of Reich Labor Service

camp life seems obvious in this photograph, taken around 1942. Looking unhappy, she is seated in the first row on the right” (Bartoletti 65).

Overall, Bartoletti concludes that the Hitler Youth organization was very bad and all of the children in the organization are brainwashed to think Hitler is helping Germany. Although the author wasn’t there for the terrifying experiences of the Holocaust, she is not biased because she understands how terrible this event was.

This book is very persuasive, because it gives several instances of experiences on how the Holocaust had such a huge impact on the vast majority of Europe and other places too negatively. Bartoletti gives real life examples of what some children’s lives are like as a Hitler youth member. This puts everything in perspective for the reader and it forces them to have to comprehend how tragic the Holocaust truly was.

In conclusion, Bartoletti wrote a truly amazing book on the lives of former Hitler Youth children and all of the experiences that they encountered along their lifetime. This novel depicts the true meaning of sacrifice and loyalty. Nationalism also plays a big role in this book along with militarism. The book written by Susan Campbell Bartoletti titled, Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitler’s Shadow proves how few people can have a large affect on others.