(2655-PS). Contrary to the provisions of the Concordat, the Nazi conspirators immediately set out to smash the Catholic Youth organization and to force all young people into the Hitler Youth. Ten days after the signing of the Concordat, Schirach issued an order forbidding simultaneous membership in the Hitler Jugend and the Catholic Youth League (2456-PS). In 1934 Schirach wrote, "The denominational youth league (Catholic Youth Association) has no right to exist in our time." (1458-PS). A year later Catholic youth associations were forbidden to wear uniforms, to assemble publicly, to wear insignia, or to engage in outdoor sport activity (1482-PS). Additional pressure was exerted on the Catholic Youth by the requirement of membership in the Hitler Youth as a prerequisite of public employment (2451-PS; 2900-PS). Finally, in 1937, Schirach announced: "The struggle for the unification of the German Youth is finished. I considered it as my duty to conduct it in a hard and uncompromising manner. Many might not have realized why we went through so much trouble for the sake of the youth. And yet the National Socialist German Workers Party, whose trustee I felt I always was and always will be, this party considered the struggle for the youth as the decisive element for the future of the German nation." (2306-PS) (3) The Nazi conspirators made membership in the Hitler Jugend compulsory. The Hitler Youth Law of 1936 provided that "All of the German Youth in the Reich is organized within the Hitler Youth." (1392-PS). Executive decrees later implemented this law by the establishment of severe penalties against anyone who deterred a youth from service in the Hitler Jugend, and confirmed the policy of excluding Jews from membership. The Hitler Jugend had been from its inception a formation of the Nazi Party. By virtue of the 1936 Youth Law it became an agency of the Reich Government while still retaining its position as a formation of the Nazi Party. (1392-PS). The membership statistics of the Hitler Jugend to 1940 were: End 1932 End 1933 End 1934 End 1935 End 1936 End 1937 End 1938 End 1939 107,956 2,292,041 3,577,565 3,943,303 5,437,601 5,879,955 7,031,226 7,728,259 And BDM (League of German Girls)-440,789. (2435–PS) (4) Through the Hitler Jugend the Nazi conspirators imbued the youth with Nazi ideology and prepared them for membership in the Party and its formations. Schirach said: "I am responsible to the Reich that the entire youth of Germany will be educated physically, morally and spiritually in the spirit of the National Socialist Idea of the State." (2306-PS) Mein Kampf was regarded as the "Bible" of the Hitler Jugend (1458-PS). On entering the Jungvolk at the age of 10, children took the following oath: "In the presence of this blood-banner which represents our Fuehrer I swear to devote all my energies, and my strength to the Savior of our Country, Adolf Hitler. I am willing and ready to give up my life for him, so help me God. One People, one Reich, one Fuehrer." (2441-PS) The Hitler Jugend organization operated solely on the Leadership Principle. The leader was always appointed from above and the leader's will was absolute. (1458-PS; 2306-PS; 2436-PS; 2438-PS) The Master Race doctrine and anti-semitism, including physical attacks on the Jews, was taught systematically in the Hitler Jugend training program. (2436-PS; L-360-H; 2441-PS) The Hitler Jugend indoctrinated the youth with the idea that war is a noble activity. (1458-PS; 2436-PS) The Hitler Jugend, in accordance with the policy of the Nazi Party, emphasized the importance and demanded the return of the colonies which had been taken from Germany by the "Versailles Shame Dictate." (1458–PS; 2436-PS; 2440–PS; 2441-PS) The Hitler Jugend taught that the guiding principle of German policy was the utilization of the space to the East (1458-PS; 2439-PS). All activities carried on in support of the demands for modification of the Versailles Treaty, the restoration of colonies, and the acquisition of additional living space were closely coordinated with the (VDA) Verein fuer das Deutschtum in Ausland (Office of Germans in foreign countries). (L-360-H) In order to carry out the program of indoctrination of the youth, more than 765,000 were actively engaged as Hitler Youth leaders by May 1939. Youth leaders were thoroughly trained, many of them in special "Youth Leaders" schools (2435-PS). More than 200,000 political indoctrination meetings (Heimabend) were held weekly. Each community was required by law to provide a suitable meeting house for the Hitler Jugend. Training and propaganda films were produced on an elaborate scale. 685964-46-22 In the winter of 1937-38 more than three million youths attended showings of these films. The Hitler Jugend press and propaganda office published at least thirteen magazines and large numbers of other publications and yearbooks appealing to all age groups and to the various interest groups of the youth. (2435-PS) One of the most important functions of the Hitler Jugend was to prepare the youth for membership in the Party and its formations. Hitler said at the Reichsparteitag, 1935: "He alone, who owns the youth, gains the Future! Practical consequences of this doctrine: The boy will enter the Jungvolk (boy 10-14) and the Pimpf (members of the Jungvolk) will come to the Hitler Youth, and the boy of the Hitler Youth will join the SA, the SS and the other formations, and the SA man and the SS man will one day join the Labor Service, and from there he will go to the Armed Forces, and the soldiers of the people will return again to the organization of Movement, the Party, the SA, the SS, and never again will our people be so depraved as they were at one time.” (2656-PS; 2401-PS) The Streifendienst, a special formation of the Hitler Jugend, was organized by virtue of an agreement between Himmler and Schirach for the purpose of securing and training recruits for the SS, with special emphasis on securing recruits for the Deaths Head Troops of the SS (concentration camp guards). (2396–PS) The farm service section of the Hitler Jugend also became a cadet corps of the SS by reason of the agreement entered into between Himmler and Schirach in 1938. This formation was to train for SS membership youths especially suited to become Wehrbauer (militant peasants), who were to be settled in places where the Nazis needed especially trained farmers. (2567-PS) In 1937 the Adolf Hitler Schools were established in order to indoctrinate boys selected by the Party to be the future leaders of the Nazi state. The schools were operated by the Hitler Jugend for the Party. Boys entered at the age of 12 and remained in the school until 18 years of age. (2653–PS) (5) The Nazi conspirators used the Hitler Jugend for extensive pre-military training of youth. In 1933 the Hitler Youth, in cooperation with the SA and the Wehrmacht, entered into a secret program of extensive pre-military training of the youth (1850-PS). Extensive premilitary training was carried on in all age groups of the Hitler Youth in close cooperation with the Wehrmacht. (2438-PS; 2441-PS; 1992-PS) In addition to general military training, specialized training was given in special formations. These included: Hitler Jugend Flying Units Hitler Jugend Signal Units Hitler Jugend Medical Units Hitler Jugend Musical Units. (2654-PS). The extent of the military training in 1937 was set out by Hitler in a speech at Berlin. "The Naval Hitler Youth comprises 45,000 boys, the Motor A formal agreement between the Wehrmacht and the Hitler Jugend was published 11 August 1939. It recites that whereas 30,000 Hitler Jugend leaders had been trained annually in shooting and field exercises, the number would be doubled; that 60,000,000 shots had been fired in Hitler Youth training courses in 1938 and that a considerable increase in the figure was expected. The agreement recognized the close cooperation that existed between the Hitler Jugend and the Wehrmacht in the military training of youth and provided for a far more extensive program. (2398-PS) |