Education And Youth

Question 1

Why did Hitler focus so much attention on the youth?

Answer 1

He believed the youth were his key to reach the ‘Thousand Year Reich’.

Question 2

What did Nazis believe was best for Germany for every child?

Answer 2

For all young Germans to be brought up to be proud Germans who supported a strong, independent Germany. This also meant Germans had to be brought up to be supporters of the Nazi party and believe in Nazi policies.

Question 3

What did Nazis believe was best for young girls to benefit Germany?

Answer 3

Believed all girls should be brought up to be strong and healthy so they could be strong wives while also being healthy, fertile mothers.

Question 4

What did Nazis believe young boys had to do to benefit Germany?

Answer 4

Believed they should be brought up strong and healthy with a passion to fight for the German armed forces and work for the German economy.

Question 5

Why were policies for the separate genders different?

Answer 5

While Hitler believed boys and girls were equal, he believed they had different strengths to offer.

Question 6

Why did Nazi propoganda often encourage young people to see Hitler as a father-figure?

Answer 6

As many German adults did not support Hitler, so wanted children to look up to him instead of their parents.

Question 7

How many children were apart of the Nazi Youth Movement in 1933?

Answer 7

2 million

Question 8

Ow many children were apart of the Nazi Youth Movement in 1939?

Answer 8

9 million

Question 9

Why was there a dramatic increase in the number of members between the 6 year difference?

Answer 9

When Hitler became Chancellor in 1933 he banned all youth movements except the Nazi Youth Movement and a couple others.

Question 10

Give an example on how children were pressurised into joining the Nazi Youth Movement.

Answer 10

In 1936, all sports facilities were taken over by the Nazi Youth meaning if young people wanted to use the sports facilities, they had to join the Nazi Youth.

Question 11

When was it made compulsory to join the Nazi Youth?

Answer 11

March 1939

Question 12

At what age was it compulsory to join?

Answer 12

10 years old

Question 13

What groups of people were excluded from this rule?

Answer 13

Minorities such as Jewish people, Black people and disabled people.

Question 14

What group were boys aged 6-10 members of?

Answer 14

Pimpfe (Little Fellows)

Question 15

What group were 10-14 year old boys apart of?

Answer 15

Deutsche Jungvolk (German Young People)

Question 16

What group were 14-18 year old boys apart of?

Answer 16

Hitler Jugend (Hitler Youth)

Question 17

What were the four different types of training in the Hitler Youth?

Answer 17

Political, Physical, Military and Character training

Question 18

What are some example of the political training boys went through?

Answer 18

• Had to swear an oath of loyalty to the Fuhrer
• Had to attend residential courses where they were taught Nazi ideology
• They had to report anyone ,even teachers and parents, who was disloyal to the Nazis

Question 19

What type of physical training did the Hitler Youth members go through?

Answer 19

They completed regular camping and hiking expeditions as well as running regional and national sports competitions for members to take part in.

Question 20

What type of military training did the boys of the Hitler Youth go through?

Answer 20

Boys practised skills useful for military troops such as map-reading and signalling.

Question 21

How many boys were trained in small arms shooting by 1938?

Answer 21

1.2 million

Question 22

What were the four separate military divisions of the Hitler Youth?

Answer 22

Naval, Motor, Gliding and Flying

Question 23

How many boys were members of the naval Hitler youth?

Answer 23

45,000

Question 24

How many boys were members of the motor Hitler youth?

Answer 24

60,000

Question 25

How many boys were members of the gliding Hitler youth?

Answer 25

55,000

Question 26

How many boys were members of the flying Hitler youth?

Answer 26

74,000

Question 27

What type of character training did the boys go through?

Answer 27

Participated in activities that stressed the need for loyalty and companionship while also promoting ruthlessness and competition. It was also believed that in order to build character SA instructors should plunge the members heads into ice cold water, force lengthy exercises in winter conditions and performed harsh punishments when a member disobeyed or made an error.

Question 28

What youth group did girls aged 10-14 participate in?

Answer 28

Jungmadel (Young Maidens)

Question 29

What youth group did girls aged 14-21 participate in?

Answer 29

Bund Deutscher Madel (League of German Maidens)

Question 30

How did the female youth groups match those of the boys groups?

Answer 30

They held rallies, swore an oath of allegiance and it was made compulsory to participate in camping and marching.

Question 31

What were the main teachings to girls in youth groups?

Answer 31

They were trained to cook, iron, make beds, sew and overall prepare to be the best housewife. They were also taught the importance of ‘racial hygeine’ - the idea of keeping the German race ‘pure’ by only dating Aryan men.

Question 32

Who took control of all German schools?

Answer 32

The Reich Ministry of Education

Question 33

What happened to teachers in Germany schools?

Answer 33

Female, Jewish and ‘unreliable’ teachers (those who did not follow or support the Nazi regime) were fired from their jobs.

Question 34

What happened to the curriculum in German schools?

Answer 34

The boys and girls curriculum differed (e.g girls took lessons such as cookery and boys devoted around 20% of lesson time to physical education, history was rewritten to make Germany seem superior, Biology was used to teach ethnic differences and racial superiority, German literature was studied to encourage pride in the nation and subjects such as religious studies were removed completely.

Question 35

What happened to Jewish children?

Answer 35

They were segregated from the rest as they were made to sit separate from the other children, it was also encouraged and normalised for Jewish children to be victimised by teachers.