The German Youth

Alice Hamilton’s article shows how Hitler and the Nazis manipulated the German youth into believing in the Nazi agenda. Hamilton claims that although both the communist and Nazi movements were based on hatred, Hitler was more successful in indoctrinating the youth because he was able to use national pride and “the ideal of a united Germany without class hatred.” The communists were international, while the Nazis were focused on the superior German people.

This distinction can be seen in the films Hitlerjunge Quex and Kuhle Wampe. In Hitlerjunge Quex, Heini chooses to be a part of the Nazi party because of their structured belief in the strength of the German people. When the Nazi officer makes an appeal to Heini’s father, he does so by showing him that it is their Germany that they should believe in, which is national pride at work. On the other hand, Kuhle Wampe does not focus on national pride but instead on the working class and communism. It does not show young people choosing to be a part of their youth movement as opposed to the Nazi youth movement. The film instead shows the bad working conditions, lack of job opportunities and suicide to convey the message that they need to change. This is not as effective as an expression of national pride, which is why it does not surprise me that Hitlerjunge Quex was more popular than Kuhle Wampe.