German Youth Groups: Personal Experiences

Hitler Youth boys
Figure 1.--We have found many portraits like this one of two brothers for which we have no accompanying information. But we have found some personal accounts or albums and other collections of photographs that provide insights into the Hitler Youth anf other German youth groups.

We have collected quite a few indivudual accounts from German children participating in youth groups. Most come from Hitler Youth boys and girls. The provide fascinating glimses of what the HJ was like. There are a range of opunions expressed and images which orovide many fascinating glimpses. We do not yet have any personal accounts from German Scouts. We have found some albums and photographic collections from German Scouts. Unfortunately we do not know who they belonged to, but the photographs included provide some interesting insights into German Scouting. Curiously one album appears to show Scouting activities during the Third Reich. This we do not yet understand.

Boy Scouts

We have only a few personal accounts from German Scouts and foreign Scouts in Germny. We have found some albums and photographic collections from German Scouts. Unfortunately we do not know who they belonged to, but the photographs included provide some interesting insights into German Scouting. Curiously one album appears to show Scouting activities during the Third Reich. This we do not yet understand.

Hitler Youth

Interesting details about the Hitler Youth are available from the children involved looking back as adults on their experiences. The reflections are quite varied. Most boys were at first eager to join. Parents had more mixed feelings, especially anti-NAZIs. In many cases the boys from these families could not understand their parents misgivings. Often it was not safe for their parents to explain why to their children--both boys and girls. Many boys enthusiastically participated. Other boys hated it, especially smaller boys and boys who did not have an atheletic bent might have difficulty. And of course some boys were excluded such as Jewish boys are part Jewish boys. We hope to archive a variety of accounts here. We would be very interested in hearing from our older German readers about their experiences. We are also interested in any personal accounts which may have been published. Millions of boys were involved. We think many have been hesitant to write about their experiences which is unfortunate. A few boys' parents managed to keep them out of the Hitler Youth or could not participate because they were not Aryan. In many cases these boys envied the Hitler Youth boys with their fine uniforms and comradship.






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Created: 5:39 AM 11/7/2007
Last updated: 5:39 AM 11/7/2007