The Indoctrination of Nazi Propaganda and Ideology of the Hitler Youth
By:
K. Craig Mckenney
The Hitler Youth was an essential part of the Nazi’s party’s Youth Movement. Not just a mere German version of the American Boy scouts, the Hitler Youth movement emphasized activism, physical training, Nazi ideology with a strong emphasis on nationalism and racial concepts with absolute obedience to Hitler and the Nazi party. Knowing that these young men were the future of the “Thousand Year Reich”, Hitler and the government made the Hitler Youth the dominate and encompassing youth movement, and indoctrinating children in National Socialist ideology was a key goal of the Nazi party. Within the same year that the Nazi party came into power, the Hitler youth came full circle and divided into two branches; one group for the boys and another for the girls. Hitler and the Third Reich knew from the beginning, that in order to ensure the continued vitality of the “Thousand Year Reich”, an indoctrination of Nazi ideology would needed immediately. The Nazi party saw the Hitler Youth not only as the future of the “Thousand Year Reich”, but also as a way to express and expand on the spirit of National Socialism consequently subjecting these young men and women to an intensive indoctrination of Nazi propaganda and ideology.
Hitler, and the Third Reich, knew that the future of their empire rest primarily in the hands of the youth. This was made obvious when Hitler spoke to a youth group on May 1, 1938 stating, “This unification is no gift of chance, it is the result of a systematic education of our people by the National Socialist Movement…And this education begins with the individual at an age when he is not already burdened with preconceived ideas. The youth is the stone which is to go to the building of our new Reich! You are Greater Germany! In you is being formed the community of the German people. Before the single leader there stand a Reich, before the single Reich stands a people, and before the single people stands German youth!”[1] Accordingly, Hitler believed that the older Germans were corrupted and set in their ways by Weimer. Consequently, Hitler saw the youth movement as the only resource untainted by the Weimer Republic Germany Germany
As the Hitler and the Nazi’s came into power the youth movement had an every alternating purpose. Being that it only encompassed about a quarter of the German youth, the youth movement was primarily focused on competing with other youth groups. Once Hitler and the Nazi were in power, Schirach, who had joined the Nazi party in 1925, was well aware that the youth movement needs to eventually would eradicate all other youth groups. Hence, once the Nazi party and Hitler sized full control of the government the youth movement became the one and only state sponsored event. Eventually the Youth Service Law or “Jugenddienstgesetz” was passed in 1939. This law made membership a required service for every male child between 10 and 18 and every female child between 10 and 21. In the war years the youth movement primarily focused on contributions to the war effort.
Membership to the Hitler Youth was something that was not merely forced upon the individual or family; for the most part it was embraced and loved by all members associated with the organization. This attraction or embracing of the Hitler Youth was a direct result of successful Nazi propaganda. A key goal and a strategic propaganda tool employed by the Hitler Youth was the participating in parades, pageants and other public events. Associated with these events were grand displays of youth involvement and organization which offered not only a sense of belonging, but as well as a place where there voice could be heard. Secondly appealing uniforms were another key component to recruitment. Lastly, the organization contributed in such activities as camping and hiking and the very popular summer camps became a very appealing and positive propaganda tool for the organization. All in all these activates with the uniforms, camps and parades became an overwhelming propaganda tool for the Third Reich. These activities were not only to teach these young men physical toughness but a chance to enforce Nazi ideology through elaborate propaganda.
There are numerous accounts of this loyalty can be found throughout the Third Reich control. Within the last months of the war this loyalty was proven as the young men took to arms and filled in the depleted ranks. In the last days snipers and young men defended Berlin
The Nazi Party in order to obtain there goal of indoctrination began to supplement the school system by training the youth through the Hitler Jugend. Hitler believed that this was vital to the success of the “Thousand Year Reich”. This is verified with his statement in “Mein Kampf”, “The racial State will have to see to it that there will be a generation which by a suitable education will be ready for the final and ultimate decision on this globe. The nation which enters first on this course will be the victorious one.”[4]
Believing that the school system was not on par with the National Socialism Ideology, the Hitler Youth movement assumed control of its member’s education. The Nazi party realized and expressed the importance of controlling the education and the training of the youth. This was the apparent by Hitler as he wrote in “Mein Kampf”: “It is precisely our German people, that today broken down, lies defenseless against the kicks of the rest of the world that need that suggestive force that lies in self-confidence. But this self-confidence has to be instilled into his young fellow –citizen from childhood on. His entire education and development has to be directed at giving him the conviction of being absolutely superior to others. With the physical force and skill he has again to win the belief in the invincibility of his entire nationality. For what once led the German army to victory was the sum of the confidence which the individual and all in common had in their leaders”.[5]
One of the essential aspects of Nazi ideology is belief in the racial superiority of the Aryan race. The Nazi party held the belief that Germans were Aryans and considered themselves the master race. Not only were the youth, but society were taught that the Aryan German race was the ultimate race. Ironically enough, most German’s were not the ideal Aryans with the blonde hair and blue eyes. This combined with anti-Semitism created the ideal environment for the Third Reich’s ethnic, economical and social cleansing of the German state. Of course not all German accepted this; hence Hitler knew the youth would be a key facet in the Reich survival. Eventually Nazi ideology was imprinted upon these young individuals and the Hitler Youth often resulting in an intense hatred of the Jews. Being of non-German decent was very difficult for most children of this time. The Jewish boys and girls were allowed attend school during the beginning of the Third Reich, but as the indoctrination of Nazi ideology began to take its effects these children became more and more detested. Those that were brave enough to attend school were often taunted and bulled, while German’s who befriended a non Aryan were often ostracized The Hitler Youth and frequently participated in the rounding up of Jew for the Ghetto’s and the occasional others went as far as the killing of Jewish people.
The Hitler Youth, like most party organizations, was organized on a militaristic model. Like the military, the Hitler youth wore brown uniforms similar to the Storm Troopers (SA). Hitler knowing that one day these youth would become a vital role in his future plans for a unified and pure German Nation, began to incorporate more military-style drills in the training of it members. A large emphasis was placed on camping and outdoor skills which would prove essential in the days to come. For example, all the boys began firearms training, starting with small caliber rifles and then moved into regular infantry pieces as they become more proficient. Eventually, those that excelled in these classes were enrolled in sniper school. Those boys that were eventually able to obtain sniper status were placed in reserve units as they came of age. It is easy to see the military importance of the skill that these young German were learning. Some skills learned were very direct, like camping and firearm’s training, while others like the laying of communications cables and fund-raisers were not as apparent. Nazi indoctrination went as far as having mock funerals for there fallen brothers. All in all, Hitler and the Third Reich knew that these youth were a vital part of providing Germany
Like all military branches the Hitler Youth were broke into different branches in order to maintain the interest of the boys as well as to specialize their individual skills. The largest of these units was the Air branch. These special formations were called the Flieger-HJ or Flying Hitler Youth. Their purpose of the Flying Hitler Youth was to learn the basic art of flying, starting with the theory of flight and building wooden gliders. As the progressed they would eventually moved into real gliders. Those members who excelled in the program were made officer cadet in the Luftwaffe. Second largest of these groups were the Motorized units. Boys that reached the age of 16 and were able to obtain a driver’s license could petition for entrance. Like most units certain criteria had to be reached in order for continued membership. Like pilot’s members hat to log their driving hours, with a minimum or Eighty hours a year, like a pilot. Further more that had to have 105 hours of mechanic experience as well. Hitler and the Third Reich, realizing that their modern military was very mobile, special attention was given to these units. The third branch and smallest of the major units was the Naval units. These boys were taught basic naval training with the hopes that one day they would fill the ranks of the Navy. The last remaining youth movements were divided into several different specialized units. One group was for future medics, another for cavalry and lastly the anti-aircraft helpers.
While this was the plan the “Third Reich” had for its young German men, the German women were indoctrinated with slightly different forms of Nazi ideology. The “Bund Deutscher Maedchen” or BDM played a significant role in roles of young women during this time. The role of the BDM was to instill the young ladies, starting at the age of 10, with the values of obedience, duty, self-sacrifice and discipline. The women role in Nazi Germany was to produce strong pure Aryan boys for the future of the “Thousand Year Reich”.[6] Not joining this party as in the boys normally resulted in consequences for not only the young girl but the family as well. For example in the book, “Facing the Lion: Memoirs of a Young Girl in Nazi Europe” Simone Arnold Liebster provides personal accounts to what happened to nonconformist. Simone, like all other children were expected to join the Hitler Youth groups. Being a Jehovah Witness and believing she was French, Simone rebuffed all Nazi traditions and refused registration to the Bund Deutscher Madchen (BDM). Consequentially, her parents were sent to concentration camps, while she was sent to a reformatory school. Both Simone and her parents were subjected to hard labor, malnutrition and physical punishment.[7] Interestingly enough, all Jehovah Witness were released if the signed a paper denouncing there beliefs. Intriguingly, Hitler’s as he rose in power, his polices and beliefs toward women as inferior beings and having their place at home became more apparent. Moreover, women were not to wear revealing clothing or makeup. Hitler was a firm believer that women belonged in their traditional roles as housewives and mothers. Hitler passed policies that not only encouraged women to stay home; he went as far as to have them removed from their jobs so that men would be able to provide for their wives and children. Ironically enough, once all the able bodied men were off at war Hitler was forced to ask for their help in keeping the economy running.
As expected, the film, “Triumph of the Will” was to be a propaganda piece for Nazi Germany during the World War II. The film depicts the rigid regimen of soldiers, mass discipline, marching and parading, stiff salutes and most of all politic antics in which certain shots of the film appear almost serene. This film, made by Leni Riefenstahl, with its twisted portrayal of reality has a significant effect on society. The film was made in order to glorify the Third Reich with the pictures of the demagogue and staged beauty of dictatorship. . The entire film is obviously staged and cleverly edited to create an emotional context, to glorify its contents and to lure people, ultimately disguising the horrors beneath. Reifenstahl’s skillful artistry completely captured the theme of Nazi propaganda and ideology which are ever present throughout the film
The connotation of this film is very important to any individual who wishes to understand the mindset of Hitler and the Third Reich. In order for an individual to fully grasp the true underlining meaning of the film the viewer must know the time period, location and initially purpose of the film. First of all, “Triumph of the Will” set during the 1934 Nazi Party Nuremberg Rally. The film in which depicts the scenes of thousands of troops massing to greet their Fuhrer, the hysteria in the streets, of Hitler flying in a small plane through billowing clouds on his flight to destiny.[8]
Any individual that has trouble understanding how an entire country got gripped by the evil of Nazism only has to watch this movie to understand the grip that Hitler and the Third Reich had over its people. The narrative of “Triumph of the Will” surveys the ecstatic exultation in the Party, and by extension the charisma of Adolph Hitler. This was the first Nazi rally since definitive accession of Hitler to the unified leadership of Germany Nuremberg S.A. S.A.
After viewing “Triumph of the Will” the viewer is most likely to realize that for a propaganda film, there are hardly any obvious ideas in it. For example, the film is based mainly on emotional references to an undivided Germany
To the unsuspecting viewer “Triumph of the Will” is a rather innocent film. The film is filled with Nazi propaganda and ideology throughout its entirety. Starting with the first scene, Hitler descends from the clouds god like in a plane and is greeted by an adoring public. The second theme that comes to mind is the old city of Nuremberg Nuremberg Germany Germany
For the most part everyone seems happy and dedicated. Being that we have the hindsight of half a century now, the viewer is able to realize how subtle the film is at saying things and not saying things at the same time. It’s not until the viewer is able to realize the emotional Eisenstein Ian editing technique being used, that you realize that you are being manipulated.[10] For example, in an early scene, Hitler is reviewing a group of farmers celebrating the produce harvested in fall. There is a recurring scene of one beautiful farm girl looking rapturously at Hitler. This moment is meant to show not only how much they love Hitler but that their infatuation of him as well. The question is the girl even looking at Hitler at the time, was he even in the area? “Triumph of the Will” does not try to “convert” anybody to anything, and as such it is not typical propaganda. Rather, this film is preaching to the converted. It wallows in the strength of numbers at the Nuremberg Rally, but it also attempts to scare the all the other political dissidents. It is often hard for an individual to have a true understanding of the National Socialist Movement and the Hitler Youth. Boys for the most part were very enthusiastic and fully participated in the Youth movement. Due to successful Nazi propaganda, the boys were fascinated with the Hitler Youth boys with their uniforms and comradey. Nazi Germany was a very inimitable country under Hitler’s rule and the Third Reich. The German youth, were seen as key components to the ultimate survival of the National Socialist Movement. Consequently, the Third Reich, subjected the youth to intense Nazi propaganda and ideology from a very young age. The Hitler youth, both boys and girls, epitomized all the beliefs of the Third Reich. The Hitler Youth emphasized Aryanism and the Superiority of the German race. Secondly the represented the unification and conformity of the German nation in militaristic type fashion. And lastly, the Hitler Youth represented the essence of the Third Reich and the Nazi Propaganda by showcasing the spirit of National Socialist Movement. This was all a direct correlation of Hitler and the Third Reich’s indoctrination of Nazi propaganda and Nazi ideology to the youth at a young age.
[1] Homepage. Hitler's Speeches 1 Dec 2004
[2] Baldur Von Schirach. Von Schirach and the 'Mission of the Younger Generation' 1 Dec 2004
[3] Wagner, Christopher. Historical Boy Uniforms. 1 Dec. 2004
[4]Hitler, Adolf. Mein Kampf. (Munchen: 1941)
[5] Hitler, Adolf. Mein Kampf. (Munchen: 1941)
[6] Koch, H. W. The Hitler Youth: Origins and Development 1922-1945
(New York: Cooper Square Press 1975)
[7] Liebster, A. Simone. Facing the lion: Memoirs of a Young Girl in Nazi Europe New Orleans
[8] Giesen, Rolf. Nazi propaganda films: a history and filmography / Rolf Giesen. ( New York
[9] Goebbels, The Goebbels Diaries: 1942-1943. trans. Louis P. Lochner (Garden City: Doubleday, 1948).
[10] Giesen, Rolf. Nazi propaganda films: a history and filmography / Rolf Giesen. ( New York
