Hitler Youth Movement

During World War 2 there was a movement from Adolf Hitler to make use of the generation to come. He wanted the youth to grow into strong individuals that would promote his ideals and passionately die for them, if necessary. I have chosen to research more into this youth movement. I want to find out more about the Hitler Youth. How it began, how it developed, how they were managed, as well as its ultimate demise nearing the end of World War 2 are all facets I would like to know. Let’s begin with the first showing of a youth movement in Germany.

Around the year of 1890 there was a boys-only group that focused primarily on living off of the surrounding land and wilderness. This group of boys was called the Wandervögel. They were similar to that of the American Boy Scouts. What they wanted was separation from the industrial movement that was taking place in Germany under Kaiser Wilhelm. Wilhelm represented large corporate greed, which the Wandervögel detested at its roots.

The garments the boys wore as uniforms included shorts and hiking boots, which was contrary to what many young boys would be found wearing. Middle class kids their age, twelve years old or so, would be seen with a collared shirt and pants. On the weekends they would go out on hiking trips and go camping. They became a band of brothers that began greeting each other by promoting the power of individuality. “Heil,” they would say, meaning hail to you. (INSERT CITATION)

After WWI, the Wandervögel was gone. An entire generation of German youth had been decimated due to a national pride to fight for their country, but the trail they left behind had not been forgotten. The influence of the Wandervögel had created a wave of new youth organizations. Some were led by relig...

... middle of paper ...

... separate division for girls. The League of German Girls is formed to guide young girls into their roles as women. To become good wives to their husbands and to raise children. Their slogan was Kinder, Küche, Kirche (children, kitchen, and church). Though the part about church was not part of the League of German Girls creed, it was purely for public relations. (INSERT CITATION) “Girls had to be able to run 60 metres in 14 seconds, throw a ball 12 metres, complete a 2 hour march, swim 100 metres and know how to make a bed.”(INSERT CITATION) Later on during WW2 some of the girls went to fight in the Nazi’s last defense in Berlin, but is had been determined that they were never cleared to do so (INSERT CITATION). Another department that came to be at the meeting was a news service set up to produce propaganda to combat the “Jewish monopoly of news.” (INSERT CITATION)