Why the Nazis where more successful than the Communists

Alice Hamilton shows in the article „The Youth Are the Strength of Hitler” the situation of the youth in postwar Germany. Most of them had never been working and did not even know “the connection between work and food”. They were hopeless, having no perspective for the future. Both, the Nazis and the Communists tried to get these youth to either side by offering ways to become active. But the propaganda the Nazis used to attract people was much more effective. Not only was Hitler’s program more attractive (he declared the Germans superior to any other people and therewith created a strong national feeling whereas the Communists were in favor of internationalism in which everybody values the same), but also the way the Nazis made propaganda was much better.
Comparing “Hitlerjunge Quex” and “Kuhle Wampa” this circumstance becomes obvious. Kuhle Wampa is indeed propaganda for the Communists but the propaganda is so sub textual that many “simple” people probably didn’t even understand it. The message is conveyed in a very artistic way and leaves a lot of room for interpretation. The plot actually is very short and simple but nevertheless confusing and it is not really a pleasure to watch the movie, at least for the average man of that time. In contrast in “Hitlerjunge Quex” the propaganda is very obvious. The audience knows exactly that the Nazis are the “good” and the Communists the “bad”. The plot is very clear and it is a pleasure for everyone to watch it. These two movies show why the Nazi propaganda was much more successful: because it was simpler and more transparent and therewith more accessible to the normal man.

The Bit Between its Teeth and [...] Running Amuck

The observation that strikes me the most is Hamilton's explanation that throwing intellectualism, because it was supposedly a "Jewish ideal," out the window was a significant item on the Nazi agenda. This is ultimately, of course, the dominant idea that led the student rebellions at the German universities. For the sake of leveling all the playing fields and obliterating social class differences to the utmost possible, the Nazi party was willing to sacrifice higher education and further intellectual enlightenment for the cause. Is this meant to be progressive? This seems to be sacrificing brains for brawn, reinforcing the great beast of society towards structural stability and strength but lopping off the head for fear that it may become too top-heavy for the ultimate purpose. This indeed seems to echo a child-like process of thought, where the practical, more sensible and long-term aspect is lost for want of instant gratification to the single-minded goal.

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.

The Appeal of the Nazis for the Youth of Germany

For this week's post, consider the Alice Hamilton reading (on OAK between weeks 2 and 3 in the "Course Readings" folder) in relation to Hitlerjunge Quex and Kuhle Wampe. Use either the films or the reading as your focus.

The Alice Hamilton article was an excellent article that I am sure (or at least hope) received much praise when it was written. I appreciated reading it as it gave very important insight into what was taking place in Germany when the Nazis came into power. Although I could certainly comment on many parts of the article, I found one part, towards the beginning, to be incredibly helpful and insightful. That part is when Hamilton begins her discussion of when the youth generation of Germany grew up. She begins this exploration by stating that "To understand Hitler's enormous success with the young we must understand what life has meant to the post-war generation in Germany, not only the children of the poor but of the middle class as well." From there, Hamilton goes on to explain how these children grew up in a time of great food shortage and unemployment, never having a chance to connect food and work. Given the fact that they grew up and began coming to age under these conditions, it is no surprise that the two organizations fighting for "them," the Communists and the Nazis, became so appealing. As Hamilton goes on to begin the next section of her article, she remarks that "Hitler made each insignificant, poverty-stricken, jobless youth of the slums feel himself on of the great of the earth..." Given the messages that Hitler was pushing, it is no surprise why so many youths joined the ranks of the Nazis and became so zealous. Whereas in their childhood they grew up in a world they was plagued by despair, Hitler gave these youth a place in the world, an essence for being.

Reading these key observations by Hamilton, I found that the information presented in this article helped me to understand Hitler Youth Quex much better. If life was as bad for these youths as Hamilton lays out, then one can understand the appeal to joining the Nazi ranks that the movie presents. Heine is a boy who has grown up in this type of condition, one where money was short, work was scarce, and food was anything but certain. Watching this film, many youths, not to mention their parents, would have found the Nazis a welcomed organization that could get the youth out of their helpless existence and into one that mattered. If these youth needed not only food and work, but most importantly a meaning for their very existence, then the Nazis were the ones who could give them just that. If Heine could find comfort in the ranks of the Nazis, then so could you.

Hamilton: Insights on German Youth and Vulnerabilities

What is most intriguing to me about Hamilton’s article is the fact that she attempts to pinpoint the origin of both the extreme Communist and Fascist post war movements. She believes that the origins of these movements as well as the reasons they are so vehemently geared towards young people lie within the confines of Germany’s history. She says that the postwar generation was so deficient in their economic knowledge and so emotionally unstable due to their recent loss in World War I that they became extremely vulnerable to extreme political parties, especially those based on hatred. She identifies that both parties addressed these deficiencies within the youth generation which is what made them so appealing. However, fascism was the one that made the youth feel that they had the power to change and advance within society. Fascism also gave the youth the structure and discipline that they had lacked within society in the postwar years. I think this is an interesting insight into the roots and motive power behind the Nazi movement and also offers an explanation for the motives behind the thematic motives (economy, discipline, youth) in both Hitler Youth Quex and Kuhle Wampe.

Hamilton: Background Information

The Alice Hamilton article in the New York Times provided a first-hand description of the Nazi youth that makes the movies Hitlerjunge Quex and Kuhle Wampe even more accessible to the viewer. One of the diffculties the modern viewer faces when watching Nazi propaganda films is the disbelief at the numbers of people that fell under the spell of the Nazi party. Hamilton is able to reveal to the public the key to Hitler’s recruitment of German youth. Hitler made them feel like “the great of the earth” and put “the fate of Germany” in their hands. While Heini clearly feels the need to work for the Nazi leaders, it is not always clear why he feels that way.

The other important aspect of the Hamilton article is the background information on events at universities. The Hitler youth became so powerful they basically had greater control than the university presidents. The movies we have seen thus far do not focus on any form of academia, most likely because the Nazi party promotes the idea of one Germany, with intellectuals falling on the same level as factory workers. Hamilton even relays the statement “students, show the peasant and worker you are not intellectuals”. There is no room for University in the Nazi party; the focus is entirely on manual labor and the unification of a people that will bring Germany out of ruin.

September 22-24: Alice Hamilton, Hitlerjunge Quex, and Kuhle Wampe

For this week's post, consider the Alice Hamilton reading (on OAK between weeks 2 and 3 in the "Course Readings" folder) in relation to Hitlerjunge Quex and Kuhle Wampe. Use either the films or the reading as your focus.