The Nazi Army: The Hitler Youth Movement

The Hitler Youth was a large group of young boys, usually ages fourteen to eighteen, who were part of building the power of the Nazi’s and their ideas. The first Hitler Youth leader was Baldur von Schirach. (“Hitler Youth” by Kasturi Chatterjee) They were taught to become loyal followers of the Nazi Party. This group was formed in 1922 by the German Nazi Army. These young men would wear very unique uniforms. These uniforms consisted of brown skirts, black shorts or trousers, and a red and white armband with the Nazi swastika emblem on it. (“Hitler Youth” World Book Student) The Hitler Youth Army and their purpose during the Holocaust, what they did, what their leaders taught, and the fall of the army will be analyzed.

The Hitler Youth had a significant purpose for the Nazi Army during the Holocaust. These boys were encouraged to enforce the Nazi ideas and promote their teachings of extreme nationalism and anti-Semitism. The Nazi’s used

These leaders were the people who had instructed the young men to spy on their peers and report remarks and teachings that were anti-Nazi. They taught all children that physical fitness was very important as well as that weakness should be eliminated, demonstrating the ideal characteristics of the Aryan race that the Nazi army wanted to create. They promoted the ideas of Nazi teachings and anti-Semitism or prejudice against the Jewish race.(“Hitler Youth” Walter S. Zapotoczny) These children's leaders taught them many skills that they would use in war. Weaponry, semaphore, and hiking were three main parts of basic training that were required to learn.(“Hitler Youth” Gale) Within these fields were the skills of camouflaging, digging trenches, marksmanship, and crossing rivers along with several other skills.(“Hitler Youth” Kasturi Chatterjee) These young men were expected a lot by their