Hitler Youth

            Nazism had a strong impact on the lives of German youth during the years 1933 and 1945, impacting the youth in a physical, mental, moral and social way. The ideals and policies became a way of life and soon enough they were forced to live and breathe these ideologies and teachings. The majority of youth could not respond to these policies and actions as their opinions did not count and if their opinions were voiced they were quickly and often harshly suppressed. In addition, the fact that the Hitler Youth was a mass group of young people made it hard to oppose. There were however several groups which resisted the Hitler Youth movement. Many children were robbed of a "normal" childhood, instead they experienced strict routines and the horror of war as all youth were forced to join the Hitler Youth.
             The youth of Germany was the future and the young people were very important in Hitler's grand plan. During a speech at the Reichsparteitag Hitler himself proclaimed, "He alone, who owns the youth, gains the Future!". Adults could at most be persuaded or forced into accepting that the Nazi's were preferable to other parties. Unlike children who's minds were impressionable and more easily influenced. The aim of the Nazi's was to raise a future generation of loyal supporters of National Socialism and a generation who unquestionably obeyed them and were willing to sacrifice their lives on the battlefield in the name of Germany. And so began Hitler's quest for the total control and obedience of the youth to the Nazi state.
             The main events and nazi policies (includes Nazi attitudes to the group and justifications used) that affected the group: .
             The Hitler Youth program had three different phases, the early years (1925-32) when they had to compete with other youth groups; the Government years (1933-39) when independent groups were suppressed and young Germans were indoctrinated in preparation for the War; and finally the War years (1940-45) when the Hitler Youth played an important part, including the formation of combat units.