Module 11, Season II: Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitler's Shadow

Hello, I'm Richard Nicholas Nimz, prospector of the written word.  My last name is German, from a Polish idiom for 'German-speaker'.  I'm proud of my German (Pomeranian & we-don't-know-what) roots, even though I don't know much about Germany, mainly because it's a part of me and I might as well be proud of it.  And yes, I am aware of Nazis and the Holocaust, and I am well aware that, no matter how well Germany is doing in this day and age, with the swastika, Nazism and Nazi sympathy outright banned, that Adolf Hitler is the only thing that gets brought up about Germany, and I'm getting sick of it.  It's not the biggest of problems, but it can be fixed.  Naturally, I wasn't too enthused about reading a book about anything Nazi, but I decided to give this a try.  I am pleased to say Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitler's shadow pleasantly surprised me.

Citation:  Bartoletti, S. (2005). Hitler Youth: Growing up in Hitler's shadow. New York: Scholastic Nonfiction.

Summary: The Hitler Youth existed since the earliest days of the National Socialists, fighting street wars with the Communists.  Then, when Hitler ascended to power, they became a fact of life.  Stool pidgons for the Nazis and soldiers-in-training.  Some children became their victims, others fought out against them, often paying with their lives.  Whether as survivors, victims, rebels, or enforcers these children shaped German history.

Impressions: I wasn't going into this expecting a 'feel good' read.  However, I came out of this with a sense that the land of my distant cousins was treated quite fairly.  While the Germans were still blamed for not doing enough (which is a well-defended accusation, and I believe it), the book also delved into the good things Germans did, such as the White Rose and the condemnations from the Catholics (in the world of Hitler's Pope, I find that very satisfying).  Moreover, I got this sense of tragedy, not only for the lives lost, but also that it didn't have to be this way: that many of the kids' phenomenal abilities were put to bad use.  This doesn't just belong as part of a display for Nazi Germany, to ensure a sense of fairness towards Germany, this should be part of a well-advertised reading list for all kids of this age, to show them what they can do, for good and for ill.

Second opinion: "The real strength of Susan Campbell Bartoletti's handsome book, which is illustrated with documentary photographs, lies in its interviews with former members, as well as with Jews and Mischling (half-Jews) who were forbidden to join the ranks.  For high school students studying the Nazi regime, Bartoletti's book should be essential reading."

Citation: Hiller, S.  (2005, August 15).  CHILDREN'S BOOKS.  The New York Times.  Retrieved from http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D00E3DF113CF937A2575BC0A9639C8B63