Hitler Youth Personal Account: Jewish Boy--Lotte Evans (1943-45)

HBC Note: The NAZIs had mathematical formulaes for racial classifications. A boy with two Jewish grandparents was considered a "misling" or mixed blood first class anfd treated for all extents and purposes as a Jew. A boy with one Jewish grandparent was considered a "misling" second class. While they were descriminated against, they were not deported or required to wear a Star of David like individuals with two Jewish grandparents. This may well have changed if the NAZIs had won the War, but this was the policy through the end of the War. Even children with a single Jewish greatgrand parent could be adversely affected.

In the last 2 years there have been many questions asked of the Memories panel by school children about World War II. Mostly they were concerned with what was it like to be under a bomb attack, a concentration camp or what were ones feelings to specific actions during WWII. Very few questions have been raised on the everyday life of children and their parents during that time. No one has ever asked what was life like on a rationbook or what sort of clubs or youth organizations children during the war years could or had to join. One of the 'had' to join organizations was the Hitler Youth.

I grew up in Vienna, Austria and when I reached 10 years of age in 1943 I like any other child had to report ready to join the local group of the Hitler Youth. (Woe to any child which did not report as it was compulsory and disobedience could lead to my parents being sent to a labour camp). I had to fill in a form containing amongst other details who were my parents, grandparents, great grandparents and their religious beliefs. Now my great grandparents on my fathers side were Jews and as soon as this was noticed I was told that I was not good enough to join up, but if ever necessary they would get in touch with me. [Note: Given the hyper-anti-Semitism at the time, this seems a somewhat tactiful comment, but the history of the Holocaust is full of individidual decesios.]

If my memory serves me right I was somewhat upset by this because it made me different from the other kids my age.

My parents were rather relieved that it did not lead to any worse trouble and for nearly 2 years I put it completely out of my mind. But after the first month or two in 1945 (I am sorry I can't remember the excact time) I got an official letter telling me to report to my local branch of the Hitler Youth and after consultation with my father I decided to ignore it. My fathers wish suited me fine since I really didnt want to go anywhere else except school because of the ever present air raids. After a couple of weeks a second letter came which I hid from my parents hoping that I would be forgotten. But than came the momentuous day when to my poor mothers shock I was picked up from home and was made to join. I only went a couple of times and than the group was disbanded. The young leaders of that group had to join the army and we were told that as soon 'Our glorious Fuehrer' had won the war we would be regrouped. To this day I still remember the relief I felt when the war ended and with it came the end of the Hitler Youth.

Note: Austrian at the time of the NAZI Anschluss had ahriving Jewish community centered in Vienna. Almost all Austrian Jews by 1943 had been deported to NAZI occupied Poland where they were muredered in the death camps. One of Lotte parents and Lotte himself could have been deported as most o Austrian Jews were. We are not sure why this not happen and unfortunattly have list contact with Lotte ton purse his story in more detail.

Sources

Evans, Lotte.


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Created: 2:18 AM 2/9/2009
Last updates: 12:52 PM 1/15/2013