Hitler-Youth, 1922 1945. An Illustrated History

183 Pages·2008·7.78 MB·english

by  Jean-Denis G. G. Lepage

Hitler Youth,
1922–1945
ALSOBYJEAN-DENISG.G. LEPAGE
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Hitler Youth,
1922–1945
An Illustrated History
JEAN-DENIS G.G. LEPAGE
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Jefferson, North Carolina, and London
LIBRARYOFCONGRESSCATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATIONDATA
Lepage, Jean-Denis.
[Hitler Jugend. English]
Hitler Youth, 1922–1945 : an illustrated history /
Jean-Denis Lepage.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-7864-3935-5
(softcover: 50# alkaline paper)
1. Hitler—Jugend—History. 2. National socialism and youth.
3. Germany—Politics and government—1918–1933. 4. Germany—
Politics and government—1933–1945. I. Title.
DD253.5.L4613 2009
943.086083'5—dc22 2008048788
British Library cataloguing data are available
©2009 Jean-Denis G.G. Lepage. All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying
or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publisher.
Cover image ©2008 Photos.com
Manufactured in the United States of America
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Box 6¡¡, Je›erson, North Carolina 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
Table of Contents
Preface 1
Introduction 3
1. Beginnings to 1923 9
2. The Road to Power 1924–1933 19
3. Prelude to War, 1933–1939 27
4. Hitler’s Boy Soldiers, 1939–1945 123
Appendix 1: Chronology 163
Appendix 2: Song of the Hitler Jugend 166
Bibliography 168
Index 169
v
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Preface
Few historical subjects are so emotional Everything relevant in the past has its
as the Nazi Third Reich, few have stimu- message for the future, and to that extent the
lated so much general interest, and few have past is never quite dead. Vigorous selection
been subjected to such close scrutiny. Adolf has been required to keep the book within a
Hitler continues to fascinate and to horrify, reasonable length, but I hope that all major
and his barbaric regime still defies imagina- aspects are covered. Inevitably, my own at-
tion. The Nazi regime is fortunately dead tempt to present the Hitler Youth will re-
and buried, but the questions raised by its veal subjective preferences and areas of in-
terrible history continue to demand explana- terest, and I have not shrunk from exercising
tions. Countless books have been written on value judgments where these seemed war-
the Nazi period, including many about the ranted. I am, of course, fully responsible for
Hitler Youth, some of which have now be- whatever errors of fact or interpretation ap-
come classics of their kind. In 1979, the his- pear here. This book is not a specialized
torian James P. O’Donnell remarked that the full-length academic work, nor does it pre-
British Library and the Library of Congress tend to scholarship. Its aim is both simple
listed over 55,000 items on Hitler and World and ambitious: to bring some light to one
War II. Even the superficial student of that aspect of the Third Reich and to give a gen-
period of history is aware of why Hitler at- eral overview of the Hitler Youth for the
tached so much importance to the German professional and amateur historian, teacher
youth, and the process of indoctrination and student, and the intelligent general
leading to full-scale militarization is now reader. I would like to thank Jeannette and
well known. Conscious of sailing in the wake Jan à Stuling, Véronique Janty, Anne Chau-
of many renowned historians and aware that vel, Michèle Clermont, and Monique Brinks
my book would not make waves in the his- for their support, as well as Eltjo de Lang
tory of the now well-known Hitler Jugend, and Ben Marcato for their computer skills.
I’ve endeavored to approach this topic with
a mind toward accessibility. Jean-Denis G.G. Lepage • Groningen
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Introduction
In the 1920s, after the horrors of World final solution to all problems—economic,
War I, many people believed that the twen- political and social—was war. By 1939 only
tieth century was realizing the idea of ten of twenty-seven European states re-
progress. These people were soon in for a mained democratic. They were Great Brit-
great disappointment. After a period of il- ain, France, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland,
lusory political stability and apparent eco- Czechoslovakia, Finland, Denmark, Nor-
nomic recovery between 1924 and 1929, the way, and Sweden. Totalitarian regimes had
Great Depression ushered in the nightmare been established in Italy, Germany, the So-
of the early 1930s. People began to fear that viet Union, Poland, Spain, Hungary, Greece
progress was a phantom. Everywhere the and Portugal.
demand was for security. Many nations tried Totalitarianism, as distinct from dicta-
to live in autarky, a state of economic self- torship, was an outgrowth of a long develop-
sufficiency, by regulating, controlling, guid- ment in the past. The state was an institu-
ing, and rescuing their own economic systems. tion that had continuously acquired new
In countries where democratic institutions power ever since the Middle Ages. Step by
were strongly established, this trend ad- step it had assumed jurisdiction over courts of
vanced the principle of the welfare state and law and men at arms, imposed taxes, regu-
social democracy to protect individuals lated churches, guided economic policy, op-
against unemployment and the price fluctu- erated school systems and devised schemesof
ation in the unpredictable and uncontrolled public welfare. The twentieth-century total-
world market. In nations where the democ- itarian states, more particularly Hitler’s Ger-
racy was not established, the same economic many, went even further. National Socialism
trend became one aspect of the totalitarian- was the most evil manifestation of megaloma-
ism which spread alarmingly in the 1930s. nia in history. It claimed an absolute domina-
The cry was for a leader, a strong man who tion over every department of daily life and
would act, assume responsibilities, make de- carried the development of state sovereignty
cisions and get results. This opened the way and raison d’étatto a new extreme. From cra-
for dictators, unscrupulous and ambitious dle to grave, a German man or woman would
political adventurers whose purposes and be part of a Nazi-controlled organization.
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