Hitler's Success in Winning the Hearts and Minds of Youths

Hitler's Success in Winning the Hearts and Minds of Youths

During Hitler’s rule, he attempted to gain as much support as possible

and impose Nazi values into everyday life. Hitler aimed a large amount

of propaganda at women but he also targeted at the youth generation.

Similarly to women, it’s very difficult to determine their true

feelings or if the evidence obtained is genuine. It is also debated

whether or not Hitler actually won over the hearts and minds of the

youth or if he only controlled them. This essay will consider whether

Hitler ‘won’ the hearts and minds of German youths, or if he just

controlled them. Another interpretation could be that he did not win

over the hearts and minds of the youth at all.

In order to begin to win over the ‘hearts and minds’ of German youths,

Hitler introduced Youth Groups which attracted children with

adventurous activities. Initially, groups such as Hitler Youth and

League of German Girls proved to be a success with large numbers

joining. However, this gradually declined which meant pressure to join

increased until membership became compulsory by 1936. Showing that the

numbers of hearts and minds Hitler had ‘won’ did not satisfy as he

felt the need to take away the choice to join the groups. By taking

away the liberty to make their decisions, Hitler showed that he wasn’t

succeeding in his Youth campaign.

Other evidence that implies Hitler did not successfully win over the

hearts or minds of all youths is the youth organisations set up to

rebel against Nazi ideology. An example of this kind of organisation,

are the Edelweiss Pirates who objected to Hitler’s rule. During the

Second World...

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of Hitler’s rule he was successful in winning over the minds from

children of the age of four. Although as they grew up they began to

rebel with Swing Groups that resisted Hitler’s rule. In schools it can

be said that Hitler won over minds by manipulating school subjects to

comply with his ideology, but the hearts were not won because as they

grew, youths did not all want to become housewives or military men.

Hitler had not successfully installed in them his own beliefs. In some

cases Hitler only controlled the heart and minds of the youths, this

was done through indoctrinating what pupils were taught into Nazi

ideology. The establishment of the rebellious youth organisations such

as the Edelweiss Pirates and the White Rose provides evidence that

Hitler did not control he hearts or minds of all German youths.