Hitler and Nazi Germany Nazi youth education policies

Hitler and Nazi Germany Nazi youth & education policies

Youth and education policies In today’s class, I am learning to: • Describe the school system in Nazi Germany • Describe the work of youth movements in Nazi Germany

Youth and education policies When Hitler took power he promised to build a ‘thousand year Reich’, and as such he needed to ensure the Nazis had the support of young people.

Youth and education policies Young people Nazi school system

Youth and education policies The Nazis aimed to use Germany’s school system to gain the support of young people, making them Nazis then and in the future. Swastikas and pictures of Hitler were placed in classrooms to remind the children to support their national leader.

Youth and education policies Germany’s lessons fitted with Nazi beliefs. The glory of Germany was portrayed in History textbooks. In Maths children might count the number of bombs a plane could carry. Science lessons had a military theme, such as examining poison gases.

Youth and education policies School lessons also taught young Germans that they were superior. Biology lessons taught that the Germans were a pure ‘master race’, and the Jews and other groups were genetically inferior to them. Jewish children were even used as examples in class.

Youth and education policies Boys and girls were also divided in their lessons. Boys learned to be workers and soldiers, for instance taking part in PE activities to improve fitness. Girls were taught to be good wives and mothers, learning skills such as sewing and cooking.

Youth and education policies Teachers also had an important role to play. 97% of them joined the Nazi Teachers’ League, and they could be sacked if they were disloyal to the Nazis. Teachers also often ignored the bullying of Jewish children, or even encouraged this to happen.

Youth and education policies Young people Nazi youth movements

Youth and education policies Nazi youth movements (outside of school) tried to create future Nazis that would lead Germany in the years, decades and centuries ahead. Boys and girls had different groups, reflecting the Nazis’ views on the role of men and women.

Youth and education policies Boys and girls were encouraged to join Nazi youth groups, but in 1936 it was made compulsory that they do so. Attendance could be poor at meetings (as low as 25%) so young people and their families often had to be threatened to attend.

Youth and education policies Boys’ groups There were different groups for boys depending on their ages, but they were expected to get involved from the age of six and up. At younger ages they mostly engaged in sporting activities designed to improve fitness.

Youth and education policies At age 13, boys would join the Hitler Youth. They continued to engage in sporting activities, although these often had a fighting element, such as wrestling. Boys that were weaker were often bullied – including by leaders - to encourage them to become tougher.

Youth and education policies Boys also learned skills that would be useful in the military, such as map reading and shooting. Boys in the Hitler Youth learned about Hitler and Nazism, and were given a special dagger (‘Blood and honour’) if they passed a test on these issues.

Youth and education policies Girls’ groups Like boys, there were different groups for German girls depending on their age. Girls also had a strong focus on fitness, partly to fit with the idea of a ‘master race’ but also to ensure the girls were healthy enough to have children.

Youth and education policies Girls aged 14 joined the League of German Maidens. In this group they learned the skills needed to be good wives and mothers, such as cooking and sewing. Girls were encouraged to have as many children as they could, even outside of marriage.

Youth and education policies Nazi girls’ groups also engaged in public activities, such as parades, marches and festivals. There were also subsidies given to the families of girls that took part in the Nazi Youth activities to allow them to go on holidays or other days out.