Hitler Youth Of Germany example essay topic

"The German people want to be led - this is shown by our history - but our experience in the party has made us realise that a bit of a push from behind does no harm. Indeed we national socialists would not have been in power today had we not be willing and able to use our considerable force of persuasion, by word and by fist, in the streets throughout Germany during our national period of struggle. Its because part of our creed as national socialists demands that we mobilise the population towards and ideological goal that we are so eminently successful in this". Josef Goebbels 1941 Good morning Students and Miss... I am here today to discuss the impact of Nazism on German social and cultural life. During the nazi's time in power, they succeeded in coercing many to adopt certain ideologies in the future of A new beginning as many Germans believed.

One of the first real identifications of the impact of nazism on German social and cultural life starts with the implementation of the emergency decree in February 33 and the enabling act in March 33. With this newly found power the Nazi Regime began their process of "Coordination of all aspects of the German State" or commonly known as Gleichschaltung. Also these new powers, Hitler was able to exploit, indoctrinate, and underpin the ability to take control of the German State and its population. With Hitler's chancellorship appointment in January 33 one of his first crucial orders was the creation of the ministry of public enlightenment and propaganda in June 33. Hitler un doubtfully believed that strength lay in loyalty to the leader. All where to conform to nazi ideals.

All forms of entertainment and culture where changed to traditional nazi ideology. A Reich chamber of culture was established in September 33 Under Dr. Joseph Goebbels, and intellectual who masterminded public enlightenment. The purpose of this chamber was to spread nazi beliefs through literature, broadcasting, theatre, music, art and film. It addressed certain themes for example the need for racial purity, fear and hatred for the Jews and promotion of Hitler and the Fuhrer myth.

This enormously impacted upon the lives of all Germans socially and culturally. With Hitler's becoming Fuhrer of Germany in August 1934 he transformed Germany into a totalitarian state. This is a form of government Subordinates all aspects of its citizens lives to the authority of the state, which a single leader with the utmost supremacy. In short, the state is the master and the individual the servant. This form of governing was totally different to the Republic days. Some Key features of a totalitarian state include a single mass party; a police based unit solely for maintaining total control and terror.

The nazi's controlled all means of mass media. Much of the press had to show pictures glorifying the regime. Education was another means of social control and pure indoctrination. Under the nazi regime education standards fell, Jews were no longer aloud to attend school and humiliation towards them was gone unpunished, school textbooks were rewritten to perpetuate nazi's ideals. University professors were required to take an oath of allegiance to Hitler and were to wear swatiska's. The use of the Hitler's Elite bodyguard The SS or schuetzstaffeln was created in 1934 after the so-called "Bully Boys" SA were no longer useful to enforce Hitler's rule.

This impacted upon the German social life as it depicted a clear message of aboslute control that the nazi's possessed in their limits. With the enabling act, Hitler was able to make his own forms of legislation without appealing to the Reichstag. One of his most famous was the Nuremberg laws which was passed on the 10 of September 35. These series of laws that were passed stripped all Jews of their civil liberties and rights. These laws also forbade that Aryan Germans from marrying Jews and for ones that were already married were to have divorces.

The purpose of these laws set the boundaries of what the Nazi party considered acceptable. These laws also to "assure the purity of German blood and German honor". The 36 Olympic games had been handed over to Berlin before the nazi's came into power. To Hitler it was the perfect opportunity and staging ground to impress the world of Nazi Germany. It too was also a propaganda exercise, a great scenario for Goebbels propaganda ministry. Deprivation of the Jews was reduced to a certain scale.

Posters spreading anti-Semitism were removed. Everything was ensured so that the games were to be run efficiently. Racism was apparent, especially for many Negro's such as the inferior Jesse Owens who Hitler refused to hand over his gold medals. This particular event impacted on Nazi social and cultural life as it reflected Germany's ever-growing power.

The Hitler Youth of Germany was and logical expression that the future of nazi Germany was its children. Hitler made clear how he wanted the future of Germany to be: "the weak must be chiseled away. I want young men and women who can suffer pain. A young German must be swift as a greyhound, as tough as leather, and as hard as Krupp's Steel". The Hitler youth organizations were seen as important to a child as school. They were established in the 1920's as one of the nazi's policy of appealing to special interest groups.

Through education Hitler sought to occupy the minds of the young in nazi Germany. In 36 Hitler youth membership stood at 4 million members. By 1936 it became compulsory to join the Hitler youth. There were separate organizations for boys and girls.

Boys were trained in military athletics were they learned many skills such as marching, trench digging, map reading and pistol shooting. Girls were trained in first aid and in making beds. They were also required to run 60 m in 14 secs and to throw a ball 12 metres. The Hitler youth was used also as propaganda and forced children to report any anti-nazi sediment within their families. The emphasis of the Hitler youth was more on discipline rather than leisure which angered many youths, especially the ones that didn't want anything to do which Hitler.

It was here which sparked several uprisings and resistance within the youth of Germany. Resistance to the nazi's began early and continued up until the fall of Berlin in 1945 and changed dramticatlly as the nazi's gained more control of all aspects of life from 1933. Most of the resistance was led through leaflets, strikes, sabotage, candle stine organizations, newspapers, pamphlets, and on the streets. Many people from different type organizations resisted Nazism. Churches and Christian minorities associated with the church, political parties such as Rote Ka pelle (red orchestra) used radio contacts with the Soviet Union, provided military information. Resistance even reached as deep into the Wehrmacht itself.

The July bomb plot of 1944 which had help from Nazi officers such as Claus Von Stauffenberg chief of the general staff of the reserve army. In this failed attempt on Hitler's life 5000 conspirators (among them 2000 officers) were killed. Nazism impacted upon German social and cultural life immensely through indoctrination, exploitation and terror to instrument the nazi visionary for a new beginning in Germany. In all their extreme efforts in public persuasion succeeded to an extent, but not all wanted to conform to Hitler's drastic measures..