INDOCTRINATION Means teaching someone to accept a set

INDOCTRINATION Means teaching someone to accept a set of beliefs without questioning them.

HI 031: UNIT 1 AOS 2 LEARNING INTENTION: Describe how young people were trained to become NAZIs.

LEARNING INTENTION: Describe how young people were trained to become NAZIs. Paraphrase the term ‘indoctrination’ Identify the different phases of Hitler Youth Explain how and why is grew over time Describe the principle and ideology of the Hitler Youth Describe the sorts of things German youth may have been required to do at school during this time • Predict how important the Hitler Youth was for the development of Germany in the 1930 s and 40 s. • • •

The Hitler Youth Movement succeeded in mesmerizing an entire generation of idealistic German boys with the NAZI ideology of racial and national superiority. These boys were the ones who carried out without question the barbarities of aggressive war and the Holocaust.

Today: 1. Background: The Development of Hitler Youth 2. Membership 3. Principles and ideology 4. Activities/Programs 5. What was it like?

BACKGROUND • Can be seen in four phases 1. Predecessors (1923 – 1926): Small numbers 2. Early years (1926 – 1932): had to compete with other youth groups but developed in organisation and numbers 3. Government years (1933 – 1939): when other independent youth groups were suppressed and young Germans were indoctrinated in preparation for the War 4. War years (1940 – 1945): played an important part, including the formation of combat units.

Membership "The future of the German people depends on its youth. Therefore, all of the German youth must be prepared for its future duties“ (Hitler 1939). • Membership increased from about 1, 000 boys in 1923 to nearly 8 million in 1939 when Hitler launched World War II. • Membership for 1933 onwards was more or less voluntary. The passing of various laws in 1936, 39, and 41 (among other matters) made membership compulsory for all German children beginning at age 10 years.

Principles and Ideology • Hitler was very serious about the Hitler Youth program: it was so useful for his regime • Hitler couldn’t convert all Germans to National Socialism. Many saw through the official propaganda. The younger generation was a different matter: They were much more vulnerable to ideological manipulation. • Hitler was sceptical about the schools he inherited in 1933. The Hitler Youth was a program that the NAZIs could completely control.

Principles and Ideology • Superiority of the German nation and Aryan race • The need of the German people for Lebensraum ("living space") in the east. • Anti-semitism • The recovery of territory lost in Wold War I and of Germany's overseas colonies.

Activities/Programs • • • Ø Ø Ø Intellectual pursuits were NOT encouraged Physical, rather than mental development 0 utdoor activities dominated the program-indirect or direct value to the military. Marching Camping games labor service assisting the Getstapo helping with various aspects of the war effort.

Activities/Programs What about the girls? • Indoctrinated with the values of: - Obedience - Duty - Self-sacrifice - Discipline - Physical self-control - Prepare women for motherhood - Raise children who would be educated in the ways of National Socialism - Avoid any contact with Jews

• In a paragraph, explain why Hitler made such an effort in developing he youth of Germany