Hitler Youth History: NAZI Suppression of the Independent Youth Movement (1933)


Figure 1.--Here a group of boys from an unidentified incorporates youth group in 1933 is being enducted en msse into the Hitler Youth. We are not sure what group they had belonged to, but yoy can see that they are still weating their old uniforms.

Schirach, on behalf of the NAZI Government proceeded to destroy all independent youth organizations or caused them to be absorbed within the Hitler Youth (Hitler Jugend). THis was done without any legal authority, but the police did not intervene. . After the NAZIs seized political control of Germany, Schirach was aggressive in bringing the entire German youth within the NAZI orbit of control and domination. Attacks on other groups increased. HJ boys attacked other groups in their camps, in the country side on excursions, or even in town centers. These attcks had occured before the NAZI seizure of power, but now increased in intensity abd the police were less likely to intervene. We do not know have specific details that Schirach orcestrated this, but it seems likely. The the major blow fell. A Hitler Youth commando (organized group of older boys)broke into the offices of the German Youth Movement in Berlin (April 5). Schirach explains what happened, "Now the problem was to apply the victory of the movement to the entire youth. Our cabinet ministers were overburdened with their new tasks and were working day and night. We could not wait until they could find time to solve the youth question by their own initiative. Therefore, we had to act ourselves. My co-workers met in my Munich apartment and advised me to occupy the Reichs Committee [Reichsausschuss] of the German Youth Leagues [Jugendverbaende]. I commissioned General [0bergebietsfuehrer] Nabersberg with 50 members of the Berlin HJ to make a surprise raid on the Reich Committee in the Alsenstrasse early the next morning. This was done and at noon the press had the report that the HJ [Hitler Youth] had taken over the leadership of the Reich Committee." At this time he took the first major step toward creating one single youth movenent. He explains, "The Marxist youth as well as all political youth organizations I prohibited after the occupation of the Reich Committee. The one million members of the HJ which we had on 30 January 1933 had grown to a round 3,000,000. Only the two large professional groups, the Protestant and Catholic youth, were opposed to us."

Bauder van Schirach


Immediate Direct Action

Schirach, on behalf of the NAZI Government proceeded to destroy all independent youth organizations or caused them to be absorbed within the Hitler Youth (Hitler Jugend). This was done without any legal authority, but the police did not intervene. . After the NAZIs seized political control of Germany, Schirach was aggressive in bringing the entire German youth within the NAZI orbit of control and domination. THis was the juvenile version of the NAZI Gleichschaltung--enforcement of standardization and the elimination of all opposition within the political, economic, and cultural institutions of a state. Schirach launched a two-fold progrm of 'synchronization' and 'exclusion'. Schirach made 'Totalitätsanspruch' (totlity) an obsession. He proclaimed, "Unification of youth could never follow from an external coalition of partially conflictging groups, but only through an ideological idea, which the young generation had to perceive as a new law of life. Only the Hitler Youth was the carrier of this idea." Schirach saw the Hitler Youth as the crusading element of the NAZI firmament commiting to reversing the German Vereinsmeierei. One crusading NAZI writr wrote, "Knowing the threatening danger of disintegration and being conscious of responsibility, which German youth carries before history, we demand the destruction and dissolution of all still existing youth groups and associations and the comprehension of the entire German youth in that organization, which has risked its goods and blood day and night for the resurrection and rebirth of its people--in that organization, which alone represents the youthful following of the people's leader, Adolf Hitler--in the Hitler Youth." [Fevers]

Attacks

Attacks on other groups increased. HJ boys attacked other groups in their camps, in the country side on excursions, or even in town centers. These attcks had occured before the NAZI seizure of power, but now increased in intensity abd the police were much less likely to intervene. We do not know have specific details that Schirach orcestrated this, but it seems likely thatvthere was at least some direction from the top. But in many cases no direction was needed.

German Police (February 1933)

The Interior Ministry was the key ministry for Hitler when he as appointed CHancellor (January 1933). (Americans should understand that the Interior Ministry in Europe means the police.) Hermann Göring was one of Hitler's earliest and cloest political associates. He is best known today as the head of the Luftwaffe and his role in the Holocaust. Henrich Himmler is generally associated with the Gestapo. It was Göring, however, who laid the foundation of the Gestapo. Hindenburg limited Hitler and the NAZIs to only three ministries. Hitler chose very carefully. Wilhelm Frick was one of those ministers. He was an early Hitler supporter and a career police administrator. Frick was appointed Minster of Interior. The Interior Ministry was not like the American Interior Department, a natural resources agency, but rather the ministry which included the police. He was one of only three NAZIs in Hitler's original cabinet. Frick drafted many of the laws that layed the foundation for the NAZI dictatorship, including the enabling act. Göring was appointed Ministry of Interior for Prussia. While this may seem a relatively minor appointment, it was critical in the NAZI seizure of power. Prussia was the largest German state and the state where Berlin was located. Göring began a carefully orcestrated campaign of dismissing police officials who were known to be NAZI opponents or unwilling to politicize the police. Göring replaced them with NAZI-Party members or supporters, mostly SA officers. He created what he called "honorary commisar" positions. From these posts men like SS Oberführer Daluege soon had effective control of the ministry and Prussian police. Göring ordered the Prussian police to establish coordinating links with nationalist associations (SA, SS, and Stahlhelm) (February 17). Thus within days, the NAZIs had control of the police. And there was considerable support for the NAZIs at the groind level. The number of ctuual party members may have been limitd, but most police officers were of a conservative and nationist disposition and thus sympathetic to many NAZI policies. As a result when NAZI groups like the SA or HJ took direction action, meaning violent illegal acts, the police with rare exceptions refused to intervene.

First Youth Commando: Jugendverbaende (April 1933)

The major blow on the independent German youth movement fell (April 5). A Hitler Youth commando (organized group of older boys and SA men) broke into the offices of the German Youth Movement (Jugendverbaende) in Berlin. The Jugendverbaende was the umbrella group for 135 different youth groups, with a combined membership of more than 5 million H\German boys and girls. An eyewitness account of the incident has survived. Schirach explains what happened, "Now the problem was to apply the victory of the movement to the entire youth. Our cabinet ministers were overburdened with their new tasks and were working day and night. We could not wait until they could find time to solve the youth question by their own initiative. Therefore, we had to act ourselves. My co-workers met in my Munich apartment and advised me to occupy the Reichs Committee [Reichsausschuss] of the German Youth Leagues [Jugendverbaende]. I commissioned General [0bergebietsfuehrer] Nabersberg with 50 members of the Berlin HJ [including SA men] to make a surprise raid on the Reich Committee in the Alsenstrasse early the next morning." [Schirach] Nabersberg posted guards at the doors of the building, and then led the rest of his raiding party into the offices. Behind him was a HJ boy carrying an old carbine. Only a few clerks, mostly women were inside. One of thise Clerks, Frau Gehse, provides an account of wg\hat occurred. Nabersberg demanded in a threatening mannr to speak with Herman Maass, the Executive Secretary. Maass while this was occurring was visiting Major General Ludwig Vogt, the President of the Committee in his home in Wilmersdorf. Maass had been a leader in the Socialist Workers Youth Organization, and like Frau Gehse and other officials of the Committee, he was a member of the Social Democratic Party--a socialist the principal Party that had opposed the NAZIs. When Maass reached the Jugendverbaende office, Nabersberg assaulted him with charges and threats. He attempted to answer, but Nabersberg screamed: "Don't make any of your speeches here! Pack up your stuff and take it home with you." Frau Gehse relayes, "I will never forget the sad and death-like look Hermann Maass cast on Nabersberg.... I myself received the order to stay quietly in my room. A small Hitler Youth was ordered to stand watch over me, but he seemed ill at ease with the situation. In any case, he asked me very shyly if it was all right for him to throw his sandwich wrapper into my wastepaper basket." Nabersberg and his Commando swept through all the rooms. Official publications of the Committee and all the back issues of its magazine, Young Germany were confiscated. In order to do their work undisturbed, Nabersberg sent the five employees home on a 3-day vacation. "When I returned to the office, "Nabersberg called me into his office, lay a pistol on the desk in front of him, and asked me if I was ready to continue to work under his leadership. In the meantime, I had met Hermann Maass, and at his advice I agreed to stay at my job. Maass thought it important for him to be kept informed [through Frau Gehse] of the developments in the office, and especially what activity would be undertaken against the groups of the Reichs Committee." The Jugendverbaende Executive Committee protested the seizure of its property to the Ministry of the Interior, but noting was done. This was done and at noon the press had the report that the HJ [Hitler Youth] had taken over the leadership of the Reich Committee." Schirach justified his illegal action in a proclamation a few days later, emphasizing that he was uniting the youth of Germany. By using the records of the seized Reich Committee, Schirach states that he obtained knowledge of the strength and influential personalities of all the German youth groups. "From this point I recognized the necessity of coming to grips with the Greater German Union (Grossdeutscher Bund)." [Schirach] An elderly Prussian Army officer, General Vogt, headed the Reich Committee. German naval hero, Admiral von Trotha, who had been Chief of Staff of the High Seas Fleet during World War I was since 1921 the president of the Youth Associations. The admiral was also forced to flee. His position and organization were dissolved. He became the honorary leader of the Marine Hitler Yout Millions of dollars' worth of property, owned by the various member groups were seized.

Differentiated Tretment

The German Youth movement was very large and extemely diverse. Many groups were secular and non-political Many other groups had a religious or political base. Schirach was selective withhow he delt with the gvarious groups. Many such as the left-wing groups were banned. Other groups were incorporated into the HJ. Thus boys and girls who had joined groups like the Scouts suddenly found themselves inthe HJ which ws now becoming a unified national movement. At this time he took the first major step toward creating one single youth movenent. He explains, "The Marxist youth as well as all political youth organizations I prohibited after the occupation of the Reich Committee. The one million members of the HJ which we had on 30 January 1933 had grown to a round 3,000,000. Only the two large professional groups, the Protestant and Catholic youth, were opposed to us." [Schirach]

Grossdeutsche Bund (GDB)

The Grossdeutsche Bund (GDB) was one of the most important right wing groups in Germany. There were many afinities with the Hitler Youth. Schirach would later say that as a result of the documents that he discovered in the Youth Movenmnt offices that the HJ was in 'mortal danger' from the Bünde--the Grossdeutsche Bund (GDB). This was almost certainly a fabriction. Here there were no real ideological differences with the GDB, although the commitment to Hitler at first did vary somewhat. Many Bundists joined the HJ. Others wanted to remain independent, but the main reluctance was not due to Hitler, but ratger to Schirach. [Laqeur, p. 199.] Thus Schirach was determined toi disolve the Bund as it was a threat to his authority. Here he managed to obtain Hitler's support. Hitler was determined to end dividions and what he saw as squabling in Germany and this was just one of many such examples.

Second Youth Commando: Youth Hostels

Schirach continued to expand his control. By a second surprise raid, Schirach took over the Youth Hostels. Of this Schirach writes in the same book, "In the meantime I gained control over the Reich League for German Youth Hostels [Reichsverband fuer deutsche Jugendherbergen] in similar manner to the one employed with the Reich Committee." [Schirach] This move also netted the HJ Organization millions of doolars in property with youth hostels locted throughout Germany.

Hitler's Support (June 1933)

Hitler was clearly pleased with Schirach actions. He ratified Schirach's actions by appointing him Youth Leader of the German Reich (Jugendfuehrer des Deutschen Reiches) in a solemn ceremony over which he presided (June 17, 1933). before Hitler. Concerning the period immediately following, Schirach writes, "The first thing I did was to dissolve the Greater German Union [Grossdeutscher Bund]. Since I headed all German youth organizations and I had the right to decide on their leadership, I did not hesitate for a moment to take this step, which was for the Hitler Youth the elimination of an unbearable state of affairs." [Schirach]

Schirach Proclamation (June 1933)

Armed with the authority of Reich Youth Leder, Schirach issued a proclamation (June 22). Nothong in Germn law gave him the authority to issue such aweeping decree, but it ws fruitless to potest in the new German. It res:

" 1. The Greater German League [the largest Youth Organization outside the Hitler Youth], together with its sub- and member organizations is dissolved. This action includes the following:
a. Free Band of the Young Nation
b. German Free Band
c. German Boy Scout League
d. The Geusses organizations
e. Community German Boy Scouts
f. Regional German Boy Scouts
g. German Boy Scout Corps
h. Free Band of Protestant Boy Scouts

2. The Reich Committee of German Youth Associations is dissolved herewith. Previous tasks of the Reich Committee will be taken over into the expanded sphere of tasks of the Reich Youth Leader.

3. All Youth Organizations in Germany are to report immediately to the Youth Leader of the German Reich. Groups which do not report, or report only incompletely, by 15 July 1933, are to be considered as dissolved.... Reports are to be submitted by the top leadership for the entire organization.... It is mandatory that the report contains:
a. name of the society (with accurate information about its legal status);
b. board of directors (names, residences, telephone numbers);
c. information about persons authorized to represent the society;
d. office of the society (telephone);
e. banking and checking accounts, with names of authorized signatures;
f. accurate membership figures;
g. constitution of the society;
h. information about the organizational structure insofar as it is not contained in the constitution;
i. information about the chairmen of districts, regional, state, or other sub-divisions.

4. The tasks of the Youth Leader of the German Reich can only be accomplished with the help and contributions of all affiliated organizations. The amount of these contributions will be fixed in the very near future. "

Schirach and his lieutenants using this information were able to identify and remove key leaders in each group incorporated into the HJ. Fees were levied to control the treasuries of each society. This was the standard approach to achieve Gleichschaltung. For the most part each of these groups voluntarily complied with the new Reich Youth Leader's Proclamtion. Schirach was well aware that he had no legal authority to compel compliance, but he various groups voluntarily complied.

Reich Concordat: Catholic Youth Groups (July 1933)

Schirach drive to create one single national youth movement was complicated by the Reich Concordat with the Vatican (July 20, 1933). Hitler after seizing power aggressively movd to seize control of the police. In several other areas he decided to move more slowly while he consolidated power. This was necessary because he still fid not have control of the Army. He thus signed the Concordat with the Vatican in which he pledged to respect the Church and the Church's rights within the Reich. One of the commitments made was to pledge the unhindered continuance of the Catholic Youth Association. Like most of his pledges, it ws soon broken as soon as he was in firm cintrol of the Reich. The First HJ Law abolish all remaining independent youth groups (1936).

Protestant Groups (December 1933)

Schirach had held back from incorporating Protest and Catholic groups in the HJ Youth Commando raids. The Catholics coninued to resist incorporation, but the Protestants quivklly fell into line with the NAZI Government. as Reich Youth Leader proceeded to hold discussions with the Hitler-appointed Reich Bishop Ludwig Mueller, "And in December 1933, the Reich Bishop and myself were able to inform the Fuehrer that incorporation of the Protestant youth into the HJ had become a reality." [Schirach] In this position Schirach also appointed deputies to the various German states (Landesbeauftragte) "to carry out my instructions, and I appointed district leaders [Gebietsfuehrer] to these positions in all of the states in execution of my right"). Schirach also admits directing the further assimilation or destruction of other youth organizations.

Sources

Fevers, Kurt. "Einheit der Jugend-Einheit des Reiches," Wille und Macht I/10-11 (June 1, 1933). Fevers was best known for his hate-filled anti-Semetic tracts. pp. 11-13. Fevers was a note anti-Semetic NAZI author.

Laqueur, Walter. Young Germany: A History of the German Youth Movement.

Schirach, Baldur vov . Ich glaubte an Hitler (1967). "I believed in Hitler".







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Created: 11:08 PM 12/6/2012
Last updated: 11:08 PM 12/6/2012