Extracts from this document...

Introduction

Alanna Fraser Explain the nature and purpose of the Hitler Youth Movement. There were many purposes for the Hitler Youth Movement and the nature of it was strict and disciplined so that the youth of the time became accustomed to it as part of their everyday life. One of the main purposes of the Hitler Youth Movement was to turn the young people of Germany into loyal Nazis. By starting them off at a young age (6), these children would be so indoctrinated by the Nazi regime and beliefs that being a loyal Nazi would be the only option, any other would be unthinkable. From a young age the youth were lectured to be loyal Nazis, so much so that pre-school children were taught to love their Fuhrer Hitler and from the moment a 10 year old boy was enrolled into the Hitler Youth, their life belonged to the Fuhrer. This was all part of Hitler's ideal - the 'Cradle to Grave' indoctrination. Part of being a loyal Nazi would be going on parade marches and carrying the Nazi flag. Carrying the flag was very important for the Youth because it symbolized a new era which was part of what these youngsters were. Also any other German person, irrespective of their age, was expected to salute when the Hitler Youth flag passed them. ...read more.

Middle

Included to this already busy schedule were also activities in learning discipline, marching in ranks, doing drills in toughness and blind obedience, pistol shooting and military tactics, signalling, trench digging and dug-outs, bayonet drills, gas defense, weapon cleaning and leadership skills; this numerous list of activities have obvious similarities to activities in a typical Army regime - Hitler wanted his army to be the best in the world so by getting the young men and boys to become accustomed to this regime - also a continuity of the 'Cradle to Grave' philosophy - then the boys would be as highly prepared as they possibly could be for the army and therefore be a dedicated Nazi soldier when the time for them to make that decision came. Another purpose of the Hitler Youth Movement was to help the Nazis keep an eye on society. Young people were so indoctrinated to the Nazi rules and regime that if they saw something or heard things being said that were anti-Nazi, they would report it back to the Nazi. The youngster's duty of doing this was taken so seriously that they would even keep watch of their own families. If their mother or father were heard to say something against their Fuhrer, Hitler or anything not favouring the Nazis then it would most certainly be reported back to someone from the Nazi party. ...read more.

Conclusion

In the Hitler Youth Movement the girls also did cross country running, dancing and gymnastics which kept them fit and helped prepare their bodies for the burden of having children - an ideal figure for a girl to have would be a pair of wide hips, perfect for child bearing! So with these explanations for each of the five aims for Hitler's Youth Movement, it is easier to understand what Hitler wanted to achieve with Germany. He understood that the youth of Germany would be the future for him. By indoctrinating them and growing them up to be loyal Nazis and making sure they kept an eye on society, the Hitler Youth Movement was developing a new generation of Nazis who would carry on teaching the Nazi customs and ideals by learning from the "cradle to grave" philosophy. It was also preparing boys for the army; this was one of Hitler's main worries. He wanted to prepare an army which would be big and strong enough to win any wars that they might encounter, and he was achieving this by starting them off young. Also the Hitler Youth Movement was making sure young women were having children - the new generation of Nazis - by encouraging them to do so. So with the strictness of it becoming compulsory, the Hitler Youth Movement was overall a great success in the eyes of Hitler and the Nazis. ...read more.

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Germany 1918-1939 section.