Figure 1.--Here an enthralled Hitler Jugend boy has found a perch high up on a street sign to watch a Berlin parade with Hitler as the star attraction. We can see street signs, which is Wilhelm Strasse--obviously a major avenue--which intersects with Wilhelm Platz. The still comes from German film footage probably dates from the late 1930s just before World War II.

There is not doubt, however, that there is one group in particular to which Hitler appealed--young Germans. Again it is not clear what young Germans saw in him. I am not sure that any author has really explained this. Perhaps it ws the highly nationalistic environmrnt at the time. Young highly idealistic people saw Hitler as reversing what Hitler called the "shame of Versailles". Perhaps it was the freedom that the Hitler Youth program offered young people in a still very conservative society. Perhaps it was Goebbels effective mass media. Or perhaps it was Hitler's interest in youth. No German politican either before or after Hitler has given such attention to youth. He of course did it because he realized the benefits to the NAZI state. But for young people in a conservative society it was exhilerating. Certainly the Hitler Youth program played a critical role in building Hitler's relationship with youth. Wether Hitler could have built his hold on German youth without the Hitler Youth we are not sure. Young people of course were an eaier mark intelrctually. They had fewer experiences and educational experiebces which could have countered the NAZI appeal. But his appeal was of course not intelectual, it was emotional. Despite the massive defeats, many young people still believed. There were many instances of Hitler Youth boys continuing to fight when Wehrmacht soldiers were only interested in surrendering to the Western Allies.

Created: 3:51 AM 2/21/2009
Last updated: 3:51 AM 2/21/2009