Hitler and Nazi Germany - Nazi youth groups

1. Hitler and Nazi Germany
Nazi
youth
policies

2. In today’s class, I am learning to:
• Describe the work of youth
movements in Nazi Germany
Youth and education policies

3. Youth and education policies
Nazi youth movements
(outside of school) tried to
create future Nazis that
would lead Germany in the
years, decades and
centuries ahead.
Boys and girls had
different groups, reflecting
the Nazis’ views on the
role of men and women.

4. Youth and education policies
Boys and girls were
encouraged to join Nazi
youth groups, but in 1936 it
was made compulsory that
they do so.
Attendance could be poor
at meetings (as low as 25%)
so young people and their
families often had to be
threatened to attend.

5. Youth and education policies
Boys’ groups
There were different groups
for boys depending on their
ages, but they were
expected to get involved
from the age of six and up.
At younger ages they mostly
engaged in sporting
activities designed to
improve fitness.

6. Youth and education policies
At age 13, boys would join
the Hitler Youth.
They continued to engage in
sporting activities, although
these often had a fighting
element, such as wrestling.
Boys that were weaker were
often bullied – including by
leaders - to encourage them
to become tougher.

7. Youth and education policies
Boys also learned skills that
would be useful in the
military, such as map
reading and shooting.
Boys in the Hitler Youth
learned about Hitler and
Nazism, and were given a
special dagger (‘Blood and
honour’) if they passed a
test on these issues.

8. Youth and education policies
Girls’ groups
Like boys, there were
different groups for German
girls depending on their age.
Girls also had a strong focus
on fitness, partly to fit with
the idea of a ‘master race’
but also to ensure the girls
were healthy enough to
have children.

9. Youth and education policies
Girls aged 14 joined the
League of German Maidens.
In this group they learned
the skills needed to be good
wives and mothers, such as
cooking and sewing.
Girls were encouraged to
have as many children as
they could, even outside of
marriage.

10. Youth and education policies
Nazi girls’ groups also
engaged in public activities,
such as parades, marches
and festivals.
There were also subsidies
given to the families of girls
that took part in the Nazi
Youth activities to allow
them to go on holidays or
other days out.