It is very often said that membership of the Hitler Youth was mandatory from 1936. This is however not true. Compulsory membership was introduced in 1939.
Due to overlaps of competencies the Reich Youth leader Schirach convinced Hitler that any and all training of Germany's youth should fall within the remit of the Reich Youth Leader. Hitler agreed with Schirach's request and it was eventually enshrined in law through the First Youth Law of Dec 1936 (Gesetz über die Hitler-Jugend). This law did not however make membership of the Hitler Youth compulsory as is often claimed. It was mainly an instrument that allowed the Reich Youth Leadership to gain complete control of youth education as an office of state (Jugendführer des deutschen Reichs) and to access state funding.
Buddrus explains at great length how the laws came about and states that it is incorrect to assume that the 1936 law introduced compulsory membership.
".....according to the law, membership of the Hitler Youth was voluntary until March 1939". Michael Buddrus, Totale Erziehung für den Totalen Krieg 2003 p270
Mandatory service in the Hitler Youth (Jugenddienstpflicht) was introduced in 1939 and was governed by the Dienstanweisung zur Durchführung der Jugenddienstpflicht 1939. In prior years there will have been pressure on parents to enrol their children (particularly the children of parents with roles within the NSDAP) and there was clearly peer-pressure to enrol but there was no legal instrument available to make kids join until 1939 by which time it is estimated that 97% of the youth were already members of the Hitler Youth.
Due to overlaps of competencies the Reich Youth leader Schirach convinced Hitler that any and all training of Germany's youth should fall within the remit of the Reich Youth Leader. Hitler agreed with Schirach's request and it was eventually enshrined in law through the First Youth Law of Dec 1936 (Gesetz über die Hitler-Jugend). This law did not however make membership of the Hitler Youth compulsory as is often claimed. It was mainly an instrument that allowed the Reich Youth Leadership to gain complete control of youth education as an office of state (Jugendführer des deutschen Reichs) and to access state funding.
Buddrus explains at great length how the laws came about and states that it is incorrect to assume that the 1936 law introduced compulsory membership.
".....according to the law, membership of the Hitler Youth was voluntary until March 1939". Michael Buddrus, Totale Erziehung für den Totalen Krieg 2003 p270
Mandatory service in the Hitler Youth (Jugenddienstpflicht) was introduced in 1939 and was governed by the Dienstanweisung zur Durchführung der Jugenddienstpflicht 1939. In prior years there will have been pressure on parents to enrol their children (particularly the children of parents with roles within the NSDAP) and there was clearly peer-pressure to enrol but there was no legal instrument available to make kids join until 1939 by which time it is estimated that 97% of the youth were already members of the Hitler Youth.
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