Boys And Girls Of The Hitler Youth example essay topic

By ilham Mukhtar Introduction Germany was left in an awful state after World War One. Suffering from the depression, having extremely high unemployment rates, street battles against communism, and occupation in most of its territories- the German Youth Movement went through a revival and many new youth groups were formed. Some of them were similar to our modern boy scouts, while others were nature or hiking clubs. Youth Groups played an important role in the National-Sozialistische Deutsche Arbeiter Parte i (NSDAP), the Nazi party, as well. The Hitler Jugend, Hitler Youth, became active as early as 1923 it started out with few members but as the time passed by they soon gained popularity and their numbers grew. After their male counterparts began to get organized, female groups soon followed.

Once female groups started forming, they became known as Hitlerjugend Schwesternschaften, or Hitler Youth Sisterhoods. The male Hitler Jugend was officially founded as the party's youth organization at the 1926 party congress (14th July), the National Party Day. The League of German Maidens, Bund Deutscher Maedel (BDM), meanwhile, remained widely overlooked. It was founded in 1930 and became the official part of Hitler Jugend in 1932.

Although it was now active and the activities conducted were attractive to the young females, membership was much lower than in its male counterpart, and the BDM would never be able to reach the same numbers, but also did not enforce membership in the same ways that the male Hitler Youth did. From the official beginning of the Hitlerjugend in 1926, and the Bund Deutscher Maedel in 1932, Baldur von Schirach was the head of the organization with the title of Reichsjugendfuehrer, Reich's Youth Leader. Von Schirach reported directly to, and was responsible only to Hitler. Hitler Jugend Purpose: The main purpose of the Hitler Youth was to indoctrinate young people with important Nazi ideas and values, therefore duty, obedience, honour, courage, strength, and ruthlessness were stressed, whereas peace, kindness, intellect, individuality, and humanity were despised.

' We older ones are used up... We are cowardly and sentimental... But my magnificent youngsters? Are there finer ones anywhere in the world? Look at these young men and boys.

What material! With them I can make a new world... A violently active, dominating, intrepid, brutal youth -- that is what I am after. Youth must be all those things. It must be indifferent to pain. There must be no weakness or tenderness in it.

I want to see once more in its eyes the gleam of pride and independence of the beast of prey... I intend to have an athletic youth -- that is the first and the chief thing... I will have no intellectual training. Knowledge is ruin to my young men. ' -- Hitler In Hitler's mind, young Germans were the key to the success of the nation and he declared this in speech after speech to persuade the youth to join his youth organizations. In the youth organizations, the children were prepared for the future.

Hitler was in need of an army. He required an army to fight against the Allies and win back all that it has lost. He had plenty of time to prepare. The purpose of the Hitler Youth movement was educating them in mind, spirit, and morals toward National Socialism, and toward the selfless and loyal service to the German people. Hitler believed in the power of the young people in ensuring the continued strength of the 'Thousand Year Reich.

' 'My program for educating youth is hard. Weakness must be hammered away. In my castles of the Teutonic Order a youth will grow up before which the world will tremble". -- Hitler By their usual activities, one would think they were no more than a 'Boy Scout' organization: their meetings were often and regular, they learned inspiring songs, went camping, had field trips and activities and met for large rallies. The 'Hitlerjugend', or 'Hitler youth" Party was far more than just a wholesome young people's activities agency: it was the Para-military training bed for a generation of soldiers and 'True Believers' for the Third Reich. Both boys and girls were taught loyalty to Hitler, indoctrinated in Nazi ideas and policies.

Acceptance of Hitler Youth: Many Young people were attracted by the exciting and interesting activities of the youth movements-camping, hiking, weapons, etc. Some enjoyed the military aspects of the youth movements; they liked the feeling of importance; the uniforms, the marching, the adoration and the discipline. Other young people like the music that was the frequent part of cultural activities or military parades. For many young people the arrival of the Hitler youth meant access to leisure activities for the first time. Their weekend trips allowed them some space and time away from parents and were made more attractive by the presence of girls. To join the Hitler Youth they had to be 'Swift as a greyhound, tough as leather, and hard as Krupp steel.

' Not every German adolescent was allowed to become a member of the Hitler Youth. Each boy or girl had to meet certain standards to join. Standards for admission were strict, but the National Socialists were insistent that every child who qualified should join the Hitler Youth. The 10 year old had to take an oath on entering the Deutsches Jungvolk: "In the presence of this blood banner which represents the F"uh rer, I swear to devote all my energies and my strength to the saviour of our country, Adolf Hitler. I am willing and ready to give up my life for him, so help me God. One people, one Nation, One F"uh rer".

The members of the youth organizations had to take the Pledge of Alliance:" I promise to do my duty in love and loyalty to the F"uh rer and our flag " Jews were not allowed to join the youth organizations. All Aryan boys could join the DJ and become HJ boys. These were children with one or two Jewish grand parents. Children with three Jewish grandparents were classified as Jews and could not belong to the DJ and HJ. Hitler Youth songs which contained anti-Semitic lyrics including one song that said: 'Yes, when the Jewish blood splashes from the knives, things will go twice as well. ' '... when I reached ten years of age in 1943 I like any other child had to report ready to join the junior version of the local group of the BDM... I had to fill in a form containing amongst other details who were my parents, grandparents, great grandparents and their religious beliefs.

Now my great grandparents were Jews and as soon as this was noticed I was told that I was not good enough to join up... I was somewhat upset by this because it made me different from the other kids my age. ' -Evans, Mischling Second Class (with two Jewish grandparents) Many Hitler Youths regarded Hitler as their F"uh rer-god and even recited prayers to him such as: 'F"uh rer, my F"uh rer, give me by God. Protect and preserve my life for long. You saved Germany in time of need.

I thank you for my daily bread. Be with me for a long time, do not leave me, F"uh rer, my F"uh rer, my faith, my light, Hail to my F"uh rer!' Erika Mann, a German who opposed the Nazis, wrote a book called School for Barbarians. It explained to Americans how the Nazis tried to carry out Hitler's ideas:' Every child says 'Heil Hitler!' from 50 to 150 times a day... if you meet a friend on the way to school, you say it; study periods are opened and closed with 'Heil Hitler!', 'Heil Hitler!' says the postman, the street-car conductor, the girl who sells you notebooks at the stationery store; and if your parents' first words when you come home to lunch are not 'Heil Hitler!' they have been guilty of a punishable offence, and can be denounced. 'Heil Hitler!' they shout, in the Jungvolk and Hitler Youth.

'Heil Hitler!' cry the girls in the League of German Girls. Your evening prayers must close with 'Heil Hitler!' "The children were asked to spy on their teachers and parents. They made sure that they were behaving and speaking in a way the Nazis would approve of. They Hitler youth also had spies in the buildings:" You leave the house in the morning, 'Heil Hitler' on your lips; and on the stairs of your apartment house you meet the Block wart. A person of great importance and some danger... a Nazi guardian. He controls the block, reporting on it regularly, checking up on the behaviour of its residents.

It's worth it to face right about; military style, and to give him the 'big' Hitler salute, with the right arm as high as it will go". -Erika Mann " These young people will learn nothing else but how to think German and act German... And they will never be free again, not in their whole lives. ' -- Hitler Not everyone welcomed the Hitler youth, though. Many young dislike the strict regimentation- being told what to do and when to do. Lots of the young children wanted to listen to jazz, try out new fashions and hair styles, smoke and drink alcohol.

All of these activities were banned in the Hitler Youth. Many young resented the fact that their old clubs and youth groups were banned. Far from universal enthusiasm, some young people rejected the Hitler young. Many young people formed independent gangs and fought the Hitler Youth Patrols. The "Edelweiss Pirates" and "Swing Jugend" are examples of this type of gangs. They conducted everything the Hitler youth didn't.

They went with the trend and wore fashionable English looking clothes; they danced and sang in parties and they also accepted the Jews. These cultures show that even after years of power the Nazis still did not have a grip on German society. Structure: German youth could join the Hitler Youth beginning at the age of 10. The organization was divided into three categories; one for boys aged six-10, pimp f, other for members aged 10-14, Deutsches Jungvolk- DJ, and the last one was for members' aged 14-18, the Hitler Jugend-HJ. Deutsche Jugend (10-14): Boys at the age of 10 were conscripted into the DJ. The boys had to swear an oath.

Social pressure was put on the boys in a number of ways. Some parents did not approve. Often boys did not understand their parent's disapproval. Hitler Jugend (15-18): This was really only applicable to older teenagers (15-18 year olds). Boys stayed in the HJ until they were 18 years of age, then were encouraged to enter the army or forced to enter the labour service. The Hitler Youth was organized upon military lines with military-looking uniforms, ranks, and titles and the organizational structure was based on a military model, as well, with squads, platoons, and companies.

The companies were within territorial formations based on the Gau. A Gau was the NAZI Party territorial divisions of the Reich. There were both Untergau (Lower Gau), and the Obergau (Upper Gau). They were all organized into the Gauverband (Association of Gaue) and subject to the authority of the Reichsjugendfuhrung (Reich Youth Leadership). BDM affairs were handled by the Reichsreferentin BDM (Official in Charge of the BDM), who was given broad authority. Part of the Reason the HJ was successful was that youth led youth.

Boys were taught to both follow and lead. The opportunity to lead other boys was highly prized and there was considerable competition. The HJ youth leaders were very tightly controlled by adult leaders who made sure that the youth leaders conformed with the NAZI Party program. Indoctrination: The Nazis mainly used education to influence, to manipulate and to control German children. Indoctrination became rampant in all subjects. At every opportunity, teachers were expected to attack the life style of the Jews.

Children at German schools were taught a very carefully planned timetable which emphasised racism, German nationalism, physical fitness, militarism (pride in the military) and obedience. They were thought ideas of Nazism so that they would grow up and be unquestioningly obedient to the regime. Children were taught and encouraged to believe that Hitler and Nazism was absolutely correct. The children disobeyed their own families, they reported on their parents for anti-Nazi ideas or anti-Hitler jokes. "In the schools it is not the teacher, but the pupils, who exercise authority. Party functionaries train their children to be spies and agent provocateurs.

The youth organizations, particularly the Hitler Youth, have been accorded powers of control which enable every boy and girl to exercise authority backed up by threats. Children have been deliberately taken away from parents who refused to acknowledge their belief in National Socialism. The refusal of parents to 'allow their children to join the youth organization' is regarded as an adequate reason for taking the children away". -- Schoolteacher, letter to a friend (December, 1938) Physical fitness, according to Hitler, was much more important for his young people than memorizing 'dead facts' in the classroom. In his book Mein Kampf, he stated that '... a less well-educated, but physically healthy individual with a sound, firm character, full of determination and willpower, is more valuable to the Vol kish community than an intellectual weakling. ' He viewed education as a means of raising nationalist enthusiasm in German boys while teaching them to be ready to sacrifice themselves for the Fatherland.

Special assemblies were often held in school halls featuring themes of heroism and readiness to die for 'the cause. ' Maths problems made the children calculate bombing ranges and the cost of keeping the mentally ill alive. A typical maths question:' A bomber aircraft on take-off carries 12 dozen bombs, each weighing 10 kilos. The aircraft takes off for Warsaw the international centre for Jewry. It bombs the town. On take-off with all bombs on board and a fuel tank containing 100 kilos of fuel, the aircraft weighed about 8 tons.

When it returns from the crusade, there are still 230 kilos left. What is the weight of the aircraft when empty?" History was based on the glory of Germany. It concentrated on the rise of the Nazi Party and the injustices of the Treaty of Versailles. Biology became a study of the different races to 'prove' that the Nazi belief in racial superiority was a sound belief.

Pupils were taught how to measure their skulls and to classify racial types. They were told that Aryan was superior and it should not marry inferior races. Hitler himself had decreed that 'no boy or girl should leave school without complete knowledge of the necessity and meaning of blood purity. ' The problems of inter-racial marriage were taught with an explanation that such marriages could only lead to a decline in racial purity. Geography taught pupils about the land Germany had taken away from her in 1919. Religious studies became less important and by 1937 pupils were allowed to drop it.

Science had a military-slant to it. The curriculum required that the principles of shooting be studied; military aviation science; bridge building and the impact of poisonous gasses. PE became a very important part of the curriculum. PE took up 15% of a school's weekly timetable.

Boxing became compulsory for boys. Pupils had to pass examination and unsatisfactory performance could lead to being expelled. German taught pupil to be conscious of their national identity by reading about German heroes of HJ and WWI. The sole purpose of this educational structure was to create a future generation that was blindly loyal to Hitler and the Nazis.

For those who were not Aryan, particularly Jews, life in school became difficult. They were discriminated and insulted by the German staff members. Kart Hartland, son of the Jewish Banker, was one of the many children who received offensive words from their teacher:" The new school was not a happy place. Karl's new teacher... he wore a button with a swastika on it. He asked.

".. Hartland, the Banker? Are you Jewish? When he replied yes the teacher said: "What a pity. I hoped for a completely Aryan class".

-A boy in your situation, 1988. Activities: The basic motivation of the Hitler Youth was to train future 'Aryan supermen' and future soldiers who would serve the Third Reich faithfully when they grew up. Physical and military training took precedence over academic learning in all Hitler Youth organizations. Youths in HJ camps stressed physical conditioning- rather than mental superiority, skill training, especially military or Para-military raining and ideological preparation.

They learned to use weapons, built up their physical strength, learned war strategies, and were indoctrinated into anti-Semitism. They participated in parades, parents and public events. The colourful banners, status and sense of purpose were all aspects of the organization that the youths bought into and encouraged them to join. They did sports, went on long marches in the countryside and attended weekend camps. Boys spent much of their time doing military training (drill, war games and learning to use weapons). Some of the Hitler Youth activities were similar to Scout groups but most were not commonly pursued by the Scouts.

The military training was preparing them for their future role as soldiers. The military training included skills of direct value, including firearms training, laying communication cables, and many other activities. In the years before war the Hitler youth incorporated more military style drill in the training of its members. They did mock funeral for fallen heroes, fire arms and jumping over the bonfire to test their jumping skill on the Sorts Festivals". A twelve-mile march was considered a mere nothing for boys who are trained until they can make a march of fifty miles without other food than the concentrated ration they carry in their packs".

-- Anna Rausch ning, No Retreat (1939) They also ran a full psychological program to prepare the youth for the war. The plan was to build a much greater base of support for the Nazi Party and German Program for the Hitler Youth. Mein Kampf was considered as their Bible. The other activities that they did included hiking, singing and surprisingly sewing.

An important part of their program was the summer camp. These camps toughened boys both physically and mentally. Due to the hot weather the children were allowed to remove their shirts. According to Richard Wind mark, American Movie Actor, the boys were being lined up in military ranks by "bullies" but the boys were enjoying it.

He was there with a friend to spend the summer. The Hitler youth after the outbreak f the war in 1939 began a variety of work. Works like home front duties, collecting scrap metals, preparing warm clothing for soldiers on the Easter Front, Charity donations, or other similar activities. The also actually saw military service.

Some boys actually participated in the war as active HJ members. Whole military unit were formed from Hitler Youth boys. The Hitler Youth were extensively used to collect funds. The children were a common site on street corners shaking cans to receive coins. The funds did not supports the youth organizations but the Nazi party. The following reading introduces Al fons Heck.

Heck talks about the importance of peer pressure and propaganda to Hitler's ability to recruit eight million German children, including some as young as twelve, to participate in the 'war effort. ' "Precision marching was something one could endure for hiking, camping, war games in the field, and a constant emphasis on sports... To a degree, our pre-war activities resembled those of the Boy Scouts, with much more emphasis on discipline and political indoctrination... One of the first significant demands was the so-called Mut probe: 'test of courage,' which was usually administered after a six-month period of probation... were required to dive off the three-meter board-about 10 feet high-head first in the town's swimming pool. There were some stinging belly flops, but the pain was worth it when our Fahnleinfuhrer, the 15-year-old leader of our Fahnlein (literally 'little flag'), a company-like unit of about 160 boys, handed us the coveted dagger with its inscription Blood and Honour. From that moment on we were fully accepted".

-Diary of a Hitler Youth Uniform: Uniform was one of the features that attracted the youth to the Hitler Youth. They enjoyed the respect and the feeling of importance the uniform gave them. They were not only equipped with a uniform, but with a bayonet as well. In Deutsche Jungvolk, the summer uniform was just the basic light brown shirt and black shorts.

This was the classic uniform that the Hitler Youth portrayed. It was worn with a black scarf under the collar with the shirt unbuttoned. It was worn with grey knee-socks and shoes or boot-like shoes. For dress occasions the, the boys were allowed to wear white knee-socks. At times, the boys did not wear socks, especially at camps. There were a variety of footwear and socks.

There were no regulations for the footwear. They also wore a single arm band on the right shoulder. The summer uniform for the Hitler youth was the one most associated in the public minds. Their uniform was similar to the one of the Strom Troopers, Hitler's private army, a standard brown shirted uniform showing their origin as a junior auxiliary of the Strom Troopers. The brown shirts were worn with black shorts. They wore a black kerchief under their collar.

They wore a red swastika armband with a white strip and a black swastika similar to their flag. Sometimes the HJ boys wore white knee socks with their uniform and black leather shoes completed the outfit. Along with all this, they wore a cap through out the time. The winter HJ uniform was quite similar to the DJ winter uniform.

The most obvious difference is that the older boys wore pants during the winter. The winter uniform was less readily organized than the summer uniform. They wore a black ski cap as the official uniform cap. The boys wore dark blue or black jackets with their uniform as well. The pants they wore were matching to their jacket. Most of the accessories were the ones that could be worn with both the uniforms.

The boys wore a swastika belt buckle. All the members wanted the same thing and which was this dagger that was an award given to the boys with the motto "Blut und E hre" ("Blood and Honour") engraved on it. Arm badges, in the shape of a triangle, were worn on their shirts which showed their names on it. All the Hitler youth members were given short bladed knifes, a travelling knife. This was the most prized possessions for many of the boys. Bund Deutscher MadelGirls were taught the 3 mainstays of German womanhood, 'Kinder, Kirche, Kuche' or 'Children (raising and nurturing), Church and Kitchen'.

Hitler Youth Party hardly engendered feminist attitudes towards young girls. This training reflected the goals of the 3rd Reich: fertility and child-bearing among women, increasing the Aryan bloodline and foster a firm family-base in nazi ideology Gender differences provided the erase old ideologies and other political ideologies. The Hitlerjugend went far in completing their goals. Membership: Membership in the early years of the organization was strictly voluntary for all girls and young women who were over the age of 10, provided they were eligible to join. A member could remain in the BDM past the age of 21, if she did not have children and was not married. If she married or became pregnant, she was no longer considered 'youth' and had to leave the BDM.

The majority of BDM leaders were ladies with a university education and finished job training who were in their twenties and thirties. Membership requirements were simple - prospective members had to be female Germans citizens who were of pure blood - no more than one-eighth Jewish -, and both physically and mentally sound. Unlike the male Hitler Youth, the females did not have special sections for the blind or deaf. However, in 1936, membership officially became compulsory under the Hitler Youth Law.

An aspect that appealed the most to the German Girls was that the Hitler Youth was going against the tradition of those times, openly advertised jobs for women in its publications, which made the organization appear progressive and, in a way, emancipating. In the Hitler Youth, the girls could partake in many of the same activities their male counterparts participated in, such as travelling, sports, and vocational training; which placed them in a position of equality to their male counterparts that was unheard of in everyday German life back then. Only few activities, such as the motorized Hitler Youth, remained closed to girls. Purpose: Young German women were indoctrinated with the values of obedience, duty, self-sacrifice, discipline and physical self-control.

The goal of girls in the BDM was to prepare women for motherhood and raise children who would be educated in the ways of National Socialism. They were indoctrinated with 'racial pride' and told to avoid any contact with Jews. They were told that they also had to serve for the country but by their own ways. The woman provided the Nazis with children that they could use as soldiers, They were told that they would have to make a number of sacrifices fir the country and that it was a proud thing to do as by doing this they are helping their country win the war. They were taught moral values and about the jews. The Nazis needed pure Germans.

Thus they were told to stay away from any non-Aryan and have self control over themselves. The more traditionally female roles were the ideal for the German girls of the BDM, although the training and vocational programs still offered them opportunities outside the mother and wife roles. Activities: The BDM did some activities quite similar to the Hitler Youth but most were not. Two - thirds of the time the girls spent in the BDM was taken up with sports, and one - third with ideology. The main goal for which the girls were trained was to become mothers of genetically healthy children, whom they would in turn educate in the spirit of National Socialism.

Big importance was also placed on finishing school and getting training in a profession, something that was almost entirely unheard of for other women of the time who most often worked as untrained help and secretaries. Many of the ladies who later became BDM regional and national leaders were successful women who held degrees and doctorates, and were meant to serve as a positive example to the girls they led. BDM leaders were supposed to always set an example, and were, for example, never to be seen drinking or smoking in public, since Hitler Youth members were discouraged from 'indulging'. Besides preparing the young women for what were supposed to be their future tasks within the overall Nazi community, the BDM also offered a wide variety of activities that were attractive to potential members, and that were not unlike the things offered by many youth organizations today. They had one weekly sports afternoon. This was usually held at the same time and day each week and under instruction of the group's leaders.

The physical training didn't play as important a role in the BDM as it did in the male Hitler Youth, but regular sports were still an integral part of the program. The afternoon generally included athletics, such as track and field, but also calisthenics, gymnastics, and assorted other sports programs. It also conducted one weekly group meetings. These were called the Heimatabend, home evening, and was held separately from the sports afternoon on an evening, generally on Saturdays. Here, the girls would get together and play games, do arts and crafts, or sing songs. It also organized trips and this was probably the most attractive part of the BDM.

People back then did not have the ability to just get into their car and drive across the countryside to see the sights, and organized day trips to local, as well as national, sights were a big hit with the girls. Many of the trips included a short bus ride to get to other transportation such as ships (trips on the Rhine and Mosel by boat were especially popular) or trains, or to get to the countryside and hike. If the trips lasted more than one day, the girls usually spent the nights at youth hostels, or slept in the hay loft of local farmers. Similar to the Hitler Youth, the BDM held summer camps as well. This gave the girls an opportunity to spend time away from their parents and to meet new people of heir same age groups. In those days young girls were not allowed to travel around without their parents but the BDM gave them the opportunity to experience this as well.

Girls could also earn proficiency badges if they performed well, and there were plenty of opportunities to prove themselves in the structure. Youth festivals and sports competitions were held regularly on local, regional, as well as national levels. One of the main activities of the BDM was collecting the winter relief, which provided poorer families with supplies of winter shoes, warm clothing, and heating materials to help them through the winter. BDM girls collected money on the street, but also through the sale of goods, such as little flags.

The BDM also placed importance in job training, and many girls had opportunities to learn jobs that they found through their organization that would not otherwise have been offered to them. Some groups had BDM orchestras, or dance groups, others offered first aid training, and training in job skills. Some would allow you to fence, or ski, or even fly glider planes or sail boats. Much of the time, such additional activities were dependent on the area a girl lived in - in the mountains, more skiing and mountain climbing would be done; on a river, girls could join a rowing or swimming team, and on the coast girls were more likely to be offered sailing. Both the Hitler Youth and the Bund Deutscher Maedel had their own ceremonies.

The most important of which were the annual membership ceremony which was held on April 20th, the day of Hitler's birthday, and the Jugendbekenntnis. The Jugendbekenntnis, or Youth Ceremony of Affirmation, was considered a rite of passage within the Hitler Youth and was often held in conjunction with (or, as some suggest, preferably in lieu of) the Christian religious rite of Confirmation. At the age of 10, girls were systematically drafted into the Jungmaedel. At the beginning, I was very impressed by the uniform that we wore.

The dark blue wool skirt made for a very nice contrast to the white blouse. The brown jacket with its epaulettes and the many pockets looked a lot like a real uniform. I loved the way I looked in it. The black beret, pulled down over one ear, looked very smart. Once or twice a week we had to attend group meetings and that was the end of my 'free' Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. During our meetings, two or three of the older girls taught us about the ideals and beliefs of national socialism.

They painted the most beautiful pictures of its goals for us. Youth is so easily excited and misused. Exercise played a very important role in the Jungmaedel as well. When it was nice and warm outside we played ball games, ran, and did a number of other athletics and sports, including javelin throwing. During the winter months we usually stayed indoors and learned songs, particularly those that had a political message. Even though I was excused from sports due to my poor health for a long time, I had to attend the sports afternoons.

I either watched in boredom, or chatted with the other girls who were excused from it as well. One Wednesday afternoon we appeared right on time at the Herder Platz, a sports facility in the western part of our town. -- Ruth Reibnagel. Structure: The national youth leadership was headed by national youth leader Baldur von Schirach he had its seat in Berlin and oversaw all regional groupings of the BDM. The head of the BDM was the national speaker of the BDM, the BDM Reichsreferentin. The BDM Gauverband, regional group, was made up of five Gaue, regions, and encompassed between 375,000 and 400,000 girls, depending on the region's size.

The Obergau, region, was a grouping of five districts of BDM girls and comprised about 75,000 girls. A Gau, district, included five lower districts, and had a membership of about 15,000 BDM girls. An Untergau - a lower district, or sub-district - was made up of five regional circles, or about 3,000 girls. Please note that the nomenclature of Untergau and all of the regions above Untergau remain the same for both the Bund Deutscher Maedel, and the Jungmaedel. Maedel Ring, This small regional grouping was made up of four girls' groups and included between 600 and 800 members. The smallest of the regional groupings was the Girls' Group (or Young Girls' Group) in a town or village.

Each of the groups included three troops, or between 150 and 200 members overall. S char is best translated as an equivalent of a modern-day Girl Scout troop. Each troop is made up of three squads (or Girl Scout dens) and includes between 50 and 60 girls. A Maedelschaft, which is the smallest unit within the BDM, can be thought of along the terms of a Girl Scout den, and included about 15 girls. Personal Testimony The Hitler Youth organizations were a compulsory thing for every German child during that time. The children considered it as the best thing that would ever happen to them.

It was very honourable for those children who got admission in the first go. It was portrayed as the turning point in the fate of the fatherland. Hitler Youth sure was a very exciting experience with many different aspects. It was primarily used as a training bed for young boys to serve in the army.

For the girls it was an educational centre teaching them the ideal lifestyle of a German Woman. They were taught advantages of being a mother and who heroic it was to do something for the country. The mothers were given medals for the number of children they gave birth to. For those who found these organizations utterly rubbish, they were forced to join the club.

The BDM taught the girls how to make sacrifices for their country. Hitler was investing in a generation that would do his bidding. They a result of these organizations was a confused generation at the end of the war: the promises had not held; Germany was in ruins, Anti-Semitism continued to run widespread and the effects of blind obedience produced a schism in German society: some abandoning all respect for authority and others continuing in the training of their youth. Baldur Von Schirach used to praise the organization at the beginning and was proud of the youth and claimed that it was his duty to teach the youth.

But as soon as Germany faced the defeat in the war, his view completely changed. Tried at Nuremberg for his war crimes of raising a generation to hate and kill, he expressed his regrets, and even deep remorse. ' It is my guilt,' said Schirach, 'which I will have to carry before God and the German nation, that I educated the youth of that people; that I raised the murder youth for a man who, for many years, I considered impeccable as a leader and as a head of state; that I organized youth just as I did. It is my guilt that I educated German youth for a man who committed by the millions"I personally think that these organizations were just completely not useful. I mean, despite the extra hard work they did in making these organizations reach the skies and recruiting about 9 million young, the still lost the war.

I being a girl had to join the BDM, where I would be taught how to be an ideal wife was simply not attractive but looking at the provided details I had at that time, I would have had no other choice but to join the BDM. I would not be aware of the fact that girls were later going to be used as a mother for the nation. I would just be told that it's an exciting, adventurous and hilarious experience for every youth and like every one else I would be eager to join the organization. The one thing that I would dislike would be the leaders commanding me on my actions and the fact that I was being controlled by some one the same age as me. I would rather like to b open to freedom and have the right to choose for myself instead of the others choosing me. Another thing that would have attracted me to the organization was the week-end Trips.

What I must say is that the recruitment campaign for the young was very effective and this made it easy for them to gather about nine million young "pure Germans". By 1939, about 90 percent of the 'Aryan' children in Germany belonged to Nazi youth groups. The girls were given the sake of the duty and responsibilities towards the Fuhrer and the Fatherland. They were, at a very young age, prepared for motherhood and once they got married and had children, their membership from the BDM expired. Women were fighting their part of the fight with each child she brought into the world, as in Hitler's view. Old men gave ads in the newspaper in search of young beautiful virgins and their advantage was that they were pure Aryan.

Jutta Rdiger, head of the German Girls' League, was shocked when she heard a speech given by Heinrich Himmler in 1939". He said that in the war a lot of men would be killed and therefore the nation needed more children, and it wouldn't be such a bad idea if a man, in addition to his wife, had a girlfriend would bear his children. And I must say, all my leaders were sitting there with their hair standing on end". The men were allowed pre-marital relationships. Looking at all these aspects I would rather like to be in one of the forbidden groups, the groups that were not allowed to join the Hitler Youth organizations. The women in the German society were given equal right to men but that does not mean that we do whatever they want us do.

A man was allowed to keep more than one wives. What Hitler wanted were children because they were easy to control than the adults. And also because they would help him in carrying on his thousand year Rich. They did not really care what the women thought. What they wanted was children and more children. The Hitler Youth Laws The First Hitler Youth Law, which was passed on 1 December 1936, made membership in both the male Hitlerjugend as well and the female Bund Deutscher Maedel compulsory for all German youths over the age on 10 years and who were suitable for membership".

The future of the German people depends on its youth. Therefore, all of the German youth must be prepared for its future duties. The nation's government has therefore decreed the following: 1. All German youths within the borders of the German Reich will be incorporated into the Hitler Youth. 2.

All German youths are to be educated in the Hitler Youth, as well as in their parents' homes, and in their schools, physically, mentally, and morally in the spirit of National Socialism, to the service for people and community. 3. The task of raising the German youth in the Hitler Youth will be given to the Reich Leader of the NSDAP. He is therefore the Youth Leader of the German Reich. He holds the position of a high government office with location in Berlin, and he is directly under the command of the Fuhrer and Reich's chancellor. 4.

The laws and general administrative regulations necessary to the implementation and correction of this law are governed by the Fuehrer and the Reich's chancellor. Berlin, 1 December 1936 the Fuehrer and the Reich Chancellor Adolf Hitler " The second law was passed in 1939 and setting down harsher punishment for those who had not yet joined or whose parents had kept them from joining. The "Second Hitler Youth Law" was passed on 25 March 1939. The laws were as follows: 1.

All juveniles from the 10th to the end of the 18th year of age are obliged to serve in the Hitler Youth, and namely Boys between the ages of 10 and 14 in the Junior Hitler Youth (DJ) and 14 and 18 in the Hitler Youth (HJ), Girls between the ages of 10 and 14 in the Junior Hitler Youth (JM), the ages of 14 and 18 in the BDM. 2. All boys and girls of the Hitler Youth are subject to a public legal educational authority according to the provisions of regulations, decreed by the Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor. 3. The juveniles that Commit dishonourable acts, Were dismissed from the Hitler Youth, before this law came into effect, because of dishonourable acts, Who cause offence by their moral behaviour in the Hitler Youth or in public, and thus injure the Hitler Youth are unworthy of membership in the Hitler Youth, and thus are excluded from the community of the Hitler Youth. 4.

Juveniles, who have been found, in the opinion of a medical officer of the HJ or of a physician, commissioned by the HJ, to be unfit or only partially fit for service in the Hitler Youth, must be relieved altogether or partially from service in the Hitler Youth according to the medical decision. 5. Jews are excluded from the membership of the Hitler Youth. 6. Juveniles of German citizenship, who reside abroad, and who are only temporarily in the German Reich, are not obliged to serve in the Hitler Youth. 7.

Juveniles, after the expiration of the period (sated in the first law), and girls who marry will be discharged from the Hitler youth. 8. The membership in the Hitler Youth becomes inactive for the duration of active military service. 9.

Whoever malevolently prevents or attempts to prevent a juvenile from serving in the Hitler Youth, will be punished with prison and fine, or with one of these punishments. Berlin, 25 March 1939 The Fuehrer and Reich Chancellor Adolf Hitler The Deputy of the Fuehrer. Hess The Reich Minister and Chief of the Reich Chancellery Dr. Lammers Facts 1. Hitler knowledge considered as 'ruin for my young men.

' 2. The commitment to the F"uh rer is the commitment to Germany. 3. The abbreviation for Hitler youth is HJ 4. The aim of the Hitler Youth was to prepare boys for military service and to be strong future leaders of Germany 5. Emphasis in the HJ and the BDM was placed upon physical fitness, group activities and obedience to the Nazi Party.

6. The aim of the BDM was to prepare girls from motherhood. 7. By 1939 there were 7.3 million members of the Hitler youth. 8. The total number of 10-18 year olds in Germany in 1939 was 8.9 million.

9. The Hitler youth law was passed in 1936 and the Second Hitler youth Law was passed in 1939.10. The First law stated that all youths should belong to the Hitler Youth. 11. The Second Hitler youth Law made membership compulsory.

12. By 1932 there were 108,000 members in the Hitler Youth. 13. At the age of 14, the girls joined the League of German Maiden- BDM. 14. Swearing an oath of allegiance to the Fuhrer was compulsory.

15. The member of the HJ must not be seen in Uniform with the girls (HJ Law). 16. Members of HJ must not by things from Jewish stores (HJ Law). 17. HJ member must ignore friends and parents whilst marching along (HJ Law).

18. The leaders of the Youth movement were Baldur Von Schirach and Gruber. 19. Was found on the National Part Day, in 1926.20. It had 14 Regional offices. 21.

In 1933 all Jewish teachers were banned from teaching 22. In 1934 all German schools were put under control of the Reich Ministry of Education and Science so that local government couldn't interfere. 23. The books German children were given to read and the stories and information they contained supported Nazi ideas. 24. By 1935, the HJ consisted of 60 percent of the country's youth.

25. Under the Jugenddienstpflich, the first Hitler Youth Law, all other youth groups were banned and their membership was merged into the Hitler Youth. 26. By 1939, Hitler Youth membership comprised 90 percent of the country's youth. o web web web web j source / Holocaust/ web o web web web web web web Germany 1918-1945 by John Murray o Nazi Power in Germany by Greg and Jean Thie, Hutchinson, 1089 o Germany 1918-1945 by J A Cloak eby ilham.