Nazi Ideology

Education played an integral part in Nazi Germany in trying to promote a loyal following for Hitler and the Nazis. Nazi curriculum was enforced in schools and any teacher who was disloyal or against the Nazi curriculum was immediately fired. Children were encouraged to alert the authorities if teachers said anything against the Nazi curriculum so teachers had to be very cautious about what they said.

All subjects underwent a major change in schools. History and Biology were the worst affected. History was based on the glory of Germany. Children were taught that the German defeat in 1918 was due to Jewish and Marxist spies who had weakened the system from within. They were also taught that the Treaty of Versailles was the work of nations jealous of Germanys power. Biology became a study of the different races to prove the Nazi belief in racial superiority. In every subject teachers were expected to attack the lifestyles of the Jews as much as possible.

Not all the youth succumbed to the brainwashing, propaganda and indoctrination by the Nazis and Hitler. One of the aims of the Hitler Youth was to introduce military aspects to the youth who would later be fighting for the Reich. It can be seen in memoirs that the military activities over time became unpopular with the boys as the training became much more rigorous and the children were beaten if they objected. As the years progressed and youngsters in Germany entered into their late teens, the Hitler Youth lost its rebellious charm because there was a fall in membership and fees were unpaid. Gangs like the Edelweiss Pirates were formed to resist the Hitler youth. They were known to attack Hitler youth units. The Edelweiss Pirates had the slogan “Eternal War on Hitler Youth.” Another opposition group was the Swing kids who listened to Jewish jazz and chose to graffiti walls with slogans such as “down with Hitler”. Members of these gangs were imprisoned and some were executed.

As there is evidence of failure and success, the Nazis were not completely triumphant in their aim to control and influence young people, but neither were they completely unsuccessful. They had indoctrinated a large proportion of children who were mesmerised by the criticism of the treaty of Versailles and who were mesmerised by the national socialist movement. In schools a lot of children went along with the nazi curriculum because of fear. Hitlers public speaking attributes influenced the German youth and led them to believe the message that they were the new creators of a new strong Germany.