Figure 1.--This is Hans-Jörg's primary school class in Lichterfeld. He is not identified in the photographwhich would have been taken about 1919. Notiuce the male teacher. The children look to be the 1st year class, about 6 years old. He went on to the Gymnasium Lichterfelde.

Hans-Jörg reveived a classical education. German children attended primaru=y school together. There were few private schools. After primary school, German education became highlky selective. After the local primary school he was attended classes away from home: the Gymnasium Lichterfelde, Katharineum Lubeck, and the Oberrealschule Schwerin. These are selective secondary schools. Germany had one of the finest education systems in the world. Hitler and the NAZIs did not trust the schools. This is one reason such an emophasis was polaced on the Hitler Youth. The NAZIs launched a major effort too NAZIfy the schools. Not only were there many anti-NAZIs in the school system, but Hitler and the NAZIs had no real respect for intelectuals--exceopt for the weaons they coukd produce. Not only did the secondary schools have very high standards. but many of the universities were among the most higly regarded in the world. One might have thought that educatiin would have limited the appeal of NAZIism. Actually, the university were hotbeds of NAZI support. One result was an exodus of anti-NAZIs, especially Jews forced from the universities, in many cases violently. Many came to America making huge contributions not only to American universities, but to natioanl life. It showed up dramatically in American Nobel Prize Awards. Hans-Jörg did not attend university. It is very likely that if the NAZIs had not seized power, he annd his brother would have gone to university. We are not sure about their sister. Their family could have afforded it. Instead becoming involved in the SA and SS. Great things were happening and they wanted to be oart of it, not studying books. He transferred from the SA to the SS adter the Night of the Long Knives. We are not sure what influenced him. We are unsure if he understood that there was no real future in the SA or if something else attracted him to the SS. Perghaps his father advised him.

Created: 12:41 PM 9/17/20200
Last updated: 12:41 PM 9/17/2020