Propaganda and Hitler Youth
Throughout the ages, leaders of nations have needed the support of their country 's population to ensure support for political ideologies and conflicts such as war. To increase support for the Nazi party and ideals, Adolf Hitler not only had to gain support from adults, but increase support from youth. He needed to devise and implement a system that was powerful enough to manipulate the youth, but subtle enough for them to follow willingly. That system was propaganda. Through the use of propaganda, Hitler successfully persuaded the youth to believe and follow his political ideologies.
Education played an important role in garnering support for Hitler and the Nazi party. By teaching the ideals of the Nazi Party to children at a young age, it would ensure loyal citizens by adulthood. The Nazi curriculum changed how many things were taught. History focused on "German glory, Germanic heroes, and the unfair Treaty of Versailles" and Biology was based on "Aryan supremacy, and of lesser races". (DeMarco 1987, 96) Hitler believed, “No boy or girl should leave school without complete knowledge of the necessity and meaning of blood purity.” (Trueman 2000-2013)He knew that the older generations would be against the actions being taken to change education system. “When an opponent declares, ‘I will not come over to your side,’ I calmly say ‘your child belongs to us already…What are you? You will pass on. You[r] descendants, however, now stand in the new camp. In short time, they will know nothing else but this new community’ ”. (Howarth 1987, 112) Enforcing a Nazi curriculum on schools depended on the instructor delivering the teachings. All teachers had to be chosen by the Nationalist Socialist Teachers Society to be able to work. (Wagner 1999) All teachers had to be wary of what they taught. Children were encouraged to report to authorities of any non-idealistic teachings. Teaching children Nazi ideals in combination with school curriculum, Hitler was able to
Education played an important role in garnering support for Hitler and the Nazi party. By teaching the ideals of the Nazi Party to children at a young age, it would ensure loyal citizens by adulthood. The Nazi curriculum changed how many things were taught. History focused on "German glory, Germanic heroes, and the unfair Treaty of Versailles" and Biology was based on "Aryan supremacy, and of lesser races". (DeMarco 1987, 96) Hitler believed, “No boy or girl should leave school without complete knowledge of the necessity and meaning of blood purity.” (Trueman 2000-2013)He knew that the older generations would be against the actions being taken to change education system. “When an opponent declares, ‘I will not come over to your side,’ I calmly say ‘your child belongs to us already…What are you? You will pass on. You[r] descendants, however, now stand in the new camp. In short time, they will know nothing else but this new community’ ”. (Howarth 1987, 112) Enforcing a Nazi curriculum on schools depended on the instructor delivering the teachings. All teachers had to be chosen by the Nationalist Socialist Teachers Society to be able to work. (Wagner 1999) All teachers had to be wary of what they taught. Children were encouraged to report to authorities of any non-idealistic teachings. Teaching children Nazi ideals in combination with school curriculum, Hitler was able to
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