Hitler Youth
“These boys and girls enter our organizations [at] ten years of age, and often for the first time get a little fresh air; after four years of the Young Folk they go on to the Hitler Youth, where we have them for another four years . . . And even if they are still not complete National Socialists, they go to Labor Service and are smoothed out there for another six, seven months . . . And whatever class consciousness or social status might still be left . . . the Wehrmacht [German armed forces] will take care of that.” --Adolf Hitler (1938)
Hitler was able to influence German youth through Nazi established youth organizations, known as the Hitler Youth, started in the 1920's. By 1936, it grew to 5.4 million children because membership became required of all children. They joined at age ten and stayed a part of it until age seventeen.The children participated in camps, rallies and after school activities that were sponsored by the Hitler Youth and the League of German Girls. These groups combined paramilitary training and skills with racial and political teachings and indoctrination.
“These boys and girls enter our organizations [at] ten years of age, and often for the first time get a little fresh air; after four years of the Young Folk they go on to the Hitler Youth, where we have them for another four years . . . And even if they are still not complete National Socialists, they go to Labor Service and are smoothed out there for another six, seven months . . . And whatever class consciousness or social status might still be left . . . the Wehrmacht [German armed forces] will take care of that.” --Adolf Hitler (1938)
Hitler was able to influence German youth through Nazi established youth organizations, known as the Hitler Youth, started in the 1920's. By 1936, it grew to 5.4 million children because membership became required of all children. They joined at age ten and stayed a part of it until age seventeen.The children participated in camps, rallies and after school activities that were sponsored by the Hitler Youth and the League of German Girls. These groups combined paramilitary training and skills with racial and political teachings and indoctrination.