Hitler Youth Activities: Ideological Preparation--Schooling


Figure 1.--

A reader tells us, "As for the male Hitler Youth, they did receive quite a bit of intellectual schooling as well. Baldur von Schirach, after meeting a group of HJ leaders, once remarked, that if there was any opposition to the regime, it was in the room he'd just come from because the leaders both got a chance to and used it to speak their minds, talk about politics, and make suggestions." [Crawford] Here we have a range of questions as to HJ schooling conducted outside of the state school system. For many this was primarily lectures at the HJ meetings and summer camps. The schooling was much more elaborate for HK leaders. Various observers report discussions among leaders. We are not sure about the range of these discussions and to what extent discent was permitted. The NAZIs did establish their own leadership schools.

Political Component

An observer tells us, "Political lessons with the actual HJ groups were mainly up to their leaders. Some leaders were "believers" and managed to push National Socialism down the throats of his group at every meeting. Some leaders didn't care too much for politics and pursued other things when the groups met. Overall, the political side of HJ schooling was much less than anything else, for example, teaching shooting. In addition, you have to take into account that the children got plenty of political "schooling" at their own schools in the mornings as well since most teachers by mid-1930 were members of the National Socialist Teachers' Union and many of those who weren't had either been fired or driven out of their jobs." [Crawford] HBC has developed some infomation about teachers in NAZI Germany.

Discussions

There certainly were political/social discussions, at least at the leadership training level. We know very little about these discussions and to what extent discent was tolerated. An observer writes, "Discussions were allowed and for older boys - such as those at leadership courses - encouraged. From sources such as Baldur von Schirach nd Jutta Ruediger's writing, there was quite a bit of "dissent" going on during discussion period after lessons or when leaders came to visit. I'm trying to find you the quote from the Jutta Ruediger book but it's been awhile since I've read it, so it may take me a bit to locate that passage." [Crawford]

NAZI Elite Party Schools

The NAZI Party established secondary schools for carefully children. The were primarily for boys, but a few were also for girls. The schools were to train the Party elite. The major program was the Nationalpolitische Erziehungsanstalt (NPEA or NAPOLA). The other kind of secondary schools created by the NAZIs were called the Adolf Hitler Schulen (AHS--Adolf Hitler Schools). The AHS were founded because the SS essentially seized control of the NAPOLA. Reichsorganisationsleiter Dr. Robert Ley (DAF leader of the DAF) and Baldur von Schirach (Hitler Youth leader) agreed to set up the new schools in January 1937. The schools as far as we know were very similar. The primary difference was simply who controlled them

Langemarck Scholarships

An observer tells us, "One of the things available to Hitler Youth boys was the Langemarck Scholarship. In order to be eligible they had to also enroll into the Nationalsocialist Student Union. The scholarship program provided university tuition for young men between the ages of 17 and 25 who excelled in academics but were otherwise unable to afford going to university. The scholarships usually went for technical courcses such as chemistry, physics, applied mathematics, etc." [Crawford]

Sources

Crawford, Chris. E-mail message, June 5-7, 2005.






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Created: 5:56 PM 6/7/2005
Last updated: 5:56 PM 6/7/2005