The Hitler Youth

"Blut und Ehre“ "Blood and Honor"

Hitler Youth by the Numbers

• The HJ was originally Munich-based only. In 1923, the organization had a little over one thousand members. In 1925, when the Nazi Party had been re-founded, the membership grew to over 5,000.

• Five years later, national HJ membership stood at 25,000. • By the end of 1932 (a few weeks before the Nazis came to power) it

was at 107,956.

• At the end of 1933, the HJ had 2,300,000 members. Much of these increases came from the more or less forcible merger of other youth organizations with the HJ.

• By December 1936, HJ membership stood at just over five million. • By this time HJ membership became mandatory and membership was

required even when it was opposed by the member's parents.

Organization of the HJ

• The HJ was organized into corps under adult leaders.

• membership were boys aged fourteen to eighteen. From 1936, membership of the HJ was compulsory for all young German men.

• The HJ was also seen as training for future membership of the elite Schutzstaffel (the SS).

• Organized into local cells. • Weekly meetings at which various Nazi

doctrine were taught by adult HJ leaders. • Regional leaders organized rallies and

field exercises in which several dozen Hitler Youth cells would participate.

• The HJ maintained training academies comparable to prep schools.

The Hitler Youth

Der PimpfDer Pimpf was the monthly for boys 10-14 years old in the Hitler Youth organization. The first issue appeared in 1935 under the title Morgen. The title changed to Der Pimpf with the April 1937 issue. It contained a mixture of adventure and propaganda. Its frequency of publication diminished during the war.

First Issue 2/35

HJ During the War• In 1940, Artur Axmann took over leadership of the Hitler

Youth. Axmann began to reform the group into an auxiliary force which could perform war duties.

• The Hitler Youth became active in German fire brigades and assisted with recovery efforts to German cities affected from Allied bombing.

• The Hitler Youth also assisted in such organizations as the Reich Postal Service, Deutsche Reichsbahn, fire services, and Reich radio service, and served among anti-aircraft defense crews.

• By 1943, Nazi leaders began turning the Hitler Youth into a military reserve to draw manpower which had been depleted due to tremendous military losses. In 1943, the 12.SS-Panzer-Division Hitlerjugend, was a fully equipped with the majority of the enlisted drawn from Hitler Youth boys between the ages of sixteen and eighteen.