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Narrator: Berlin, April 1945.
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It's the last days of the third reich.
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Some of the führer's very last fighters are adolescents,
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Not even fifteen years old.
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Their sole objective: Protect the bunker of adolph hitler,
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Their supreme leader.
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Facing the soviets, they have no chance of winning.
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Only a few years earlier, they swore to give their lives to adolf hitler.
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They will stand by their promise and see it through,
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To the end.
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Who are these child-soldiers ready to sacrifice themselves for hitler?
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How did the nazi regime win their unfailing loyalty?
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Some of these children
are still alive today.
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-We were asked to swear
in the name of the führer,
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The people and the
nation and if necessary,
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To sacrifice our lives.
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And this was something
we found normal.
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Narrator: They are the last to tell us what it meant to grow up during the nazi era.
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-"one people,
one führer, one reich."
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These three slogans
were inculcated in us.
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There was no other führer,
there was only one.
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And he was worshipped
like a god!
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Narrator: How did these young people get caught up in the darkness of nazism?
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They are the future
of the regime,
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Its showcase and its cannon fodder.
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The history of the hitler youth begins with the birth
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Of the nazi party in the 1920's.
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Germany is traumatized by the defeat of 1918.
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The peace imposed by the treaty of versailles inflicts severe sanctions:
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Germany is partially occupied and loses part of its territory.
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For the conquered, the treaty is seen as a humiliation.
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One man is determined to change this: Adolf hitler.
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After a failed coup attempt in 1923,
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The nazi party leader hopes to seize power through the popular vote.
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To help wage the campaign and hang posters,
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The party calls upon its militia, the sa,
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And on young apprentices and high school students.
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The young militants organize and proclaim themselves
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Hitler youth or "hitlerjugend."
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There are only a handful of them, aged 14 to 18.
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In 1920s germany, almost every political party
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And labor union has its own youth movement.
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There are young communists and young catholics...
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All of these groups are inspired by the model of
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The scouts' movement,founded in 1907 by the british.
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Like the other movements, when it begins,
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The hitler youth offers popular activities to
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Children, without class distinction.
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For many children, it's more than they can hope for.
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-I was a member of the german
workers' youth organization.
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Back then, we
couldn't afford much.
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If we wanted to go to the
movies from time to time,
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We had to earn our
pocket money ourselves.
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And so, these distractions for
young people were something
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Very special for us kids
from workers' families.
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To be perfectly honest, most
of the time we were happy to go.
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-At the time,
I wanted to join,
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Quite simply because
it was an opportunity
to leave our little village.
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We had no electricity,
we had no running water.
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As children, we had to lend
a hand during harvest.
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Overall, we were called
on to pitch in quite often.
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So, it was a big change
for us when, for example,
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We went on outings
with the hitler youth.
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And of course, it was
a fantastic experience.
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Narrator: As with the scouts, the mandatory uniforms hide
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Social differences.
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-There was something
fascinating about uniforms;
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We saw them in the
street every day.
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The sa, the ss,
and party members.
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And at last, I could
wear a uniform too.
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Narrator: At the start of the 1930's,
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The hitler youth movement, like the nazi party,
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Is rapidly gaining ground.
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Hitler isn't convinced that these militants,
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Too young to vote, are of any use to him.
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But in 1932, over 70,000 young people gather in a
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Packed stadium in potsdam to greet him.
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That day, hitler, who has yet to witness such
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A demonstration of force, realizes that these young
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People are the future of his movement.
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He confides to his inner circle: "we are old.
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But my wonderful young people, what an amazing human resource they are!
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With them, I could build a new world."
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The economic crisis helps carry hitler to power in 1933.
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He begins to transform germany.
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Opposition parties are banned.
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Democracy is dead.
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Hitler wants to create a new nation whose extreme
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Nationalism is devoted entirely to its leader.
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To draw the 9 million german children into party ranks and
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Transform them into fanatical nazis,
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Hitler will play both the "menace and seduction" cards.
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The menace is immediately enacted: As of 1933,
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All rival political party youth organizations are
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Dissolved and incorporated into the hitler youth.
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To attract even more young people,
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The hitler youth also have the means to seduce:
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It monopolizes summer camps, the climax of the year for youth associations.
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Far from parents, in a setting that appears adventurous and free,
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An ideological education is made easier.
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Through playful activities,
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The promise of a happy future takes shape.
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Supervised by boys barely older than themselves,
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For many of the children,this seems too good to be true.
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The number of members skyrockets.
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In a twelve-month period, the hitler youth membership
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Increases from 100,000 to over two million.
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As long as you're notjewish or a political opponent,
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Life can be quite pleasant under the third reich.
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Although the hitler youth includes both girls and boys,
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The boys are more important to hitler.
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They're the ones he is counting on to see his project through.
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They're the future soldiers of his empire and a special
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Program awaits them.
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Full-scale war games are organized.
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The children have to move around in "enemy" territory
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With only a compass and a map, camouflage themselves,
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And try to secretly infiltrate...
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These "adventure" games fascinate the young people.
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-It went like this:
When the fight began,
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You had to rip off the
armbands of the other team.
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They were the trophies.
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Then afterwards,
we counted them.
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And the team which had
torn off the most armbands,
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They had won the
war, so to speak.
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-For us boys, it was
really lots of fun.
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And I must add, it was
completely apolitical;
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In any case, we knew
nothing about all that.
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-It was a great
experience, because of course,
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We wanted to play soldier.
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For us, it was an adventure.
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Narrator: German filmmakersmake movies of their escapades.
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True "made-in-germany" westerns.
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Narrator: The films are screened in movie theaters,
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Where they capture a wide audience and new members.
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00:10:14,014 --> 00:10:17,983
The message: The young german male must once again become a
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Beast of prey, an attack dog.
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An illiterate brute is preferable to a pale, weak dilettante.
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Narrator: The king of sports is fighting.
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Narrator: Not all the young people are cut out for this.
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The weak and the scrawny are made fun of, humiliated.
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The vision of the nazi world allows only for performance and excellence.
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Anyone who can't live up to these expectations is
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A failure and must be treated like one.
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-Not only were they
disliked, in addition,
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They were harassed.
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They were battered and bullied
by certain hitler youth leaders.
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They were pushed
off to the sidelines;
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Sometimes they
were beaten too.
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That also, was
absolutely awful.
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It really was a
horrible period.
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Those who, like
myself, were athletes,
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00:11:29,189 --> 00:11:30,922
Could do things with
their eyes closed,
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But those who couldn't,
they paid for it.
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(singing in german)
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Narrator: The harassment and humiliation are so intense
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That some young people break down,
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Some even committing suicid.
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But such negative incidents are carefully concealed by the third reich.
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Officially, all the hitler youth are valiant fighters.
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Narrator: Gradually,all rival youth groups areabsorbed into the hitler youth.
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By 1937, churches are no longer allowed to organize any sports.
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Soon, hitler youth membership is mandatory.
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Young germans are no longer allowed to belong to sports
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Clubs or go to summer camps outside of the hitler youth organization.
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Soon, one flag flies on every road in germany:
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The flag of the hitler youth.
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To honor its members, the children are invited,
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Beginning at a very young age, to parade in cities.
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They are now the only young people that have this right.
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These events unite battalions, which practice marching.
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Their pace becomes standardized, like their thinking.
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The youth are flattered and congratulated.
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They're the showcase of the regime and they let themselves
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Be carried away by the euphoria of the parades.
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-There were gigantic
parades, with flags,
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People and speeches.
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It was exceptional.
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It was interesting.
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Imagine, for a child,
participating in a parade
is always interesting.
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It's a little bit like,
excuse the comparison,
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A religious procession.
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When you take part
in one as a choir boy,
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It's also something
quite special.
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-Try to picture it, we marched
in columns in our streets.
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Ahead of us, music,
drums and trumpets!
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And the flag.
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Yes, and you marched, while the
parents stood at the windows.
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So, of course,
you were very proud.
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-It was first and
foremost a demonstration of
power to the outside world.
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There we were, who knows,
10,000 young people?
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And secondly, it was
of course a demonstration
to ourselves as well;
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It meant, "we are someone."
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Narrator: Sometimes, the führer will make an appearance at these gigantic meetings.
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The nation of tomorrow meets its creator.
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-I must admit, for us, he was
not really a father figure,
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He was more like a god who
lorded over everything.
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(crowd cheering)
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-"one people,
one führer, one reich."
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00:15:41,174 --> 00:15:44,976
These three slogans
were inculcated in us.
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There was no other führer,
there was only one.
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And he was
worshipped like a god!
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Narrator: The young peopleare beside themselves with joy.
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Hitler is worshiped like a pop star.
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-When he opened his mouth,
it was if we were hypnotized.
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That's what I would say today.
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00:16:18,778 --> 00:16:21,079
We hung on his lips,
we drank in his words,
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00:16:21,181 --> 00:16:23,281
And we believed
everything he said.
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00:16:40,333 --> 00:16:43,368
-The nazi regime flattered
its youth in a way never seen
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Before then or since:
"the nation is you!
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You are the nation's future!"
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That is truly what
was inculcated in us.
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00:17:08,228 --> 00:17:11,629
(chanting "heil")
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00:17:15,435 --> 00:17:18,870
-You see, we were
"someone," because children,
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00:17:18,972 --> 00:17:20,571
In comparison
to their parents,
216
00:17:20,673 --> 00:17:23,775
Often feel like
they're worthless.
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00:17:25,111 --> 00:17:28,880
And the hitler youth
made us count in society,
218
00:17:31,518 --> 00:17:35,253
And yes, we were
taken more seriously too.
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00:17:36,289 --> 00:17:39,257
And, naturally,
we liked that.
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00:17:46,366 --> 00:17:50,501
Narrator: Nazi propaganda sellsthe german youth on an agenda:
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"you will be someone, you will be strong,
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00:17:53,406 --> 00:17:55,840
You will have a wonderful life."
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00:17:55,942 --> 00:18:00,411
Young people are only too happy to let themselves be swept away.
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00:18:02,115 --> 00:18:08,119
As of 1936, over 5 million of them shouted out their love for the führer.
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00:18:10,056 --> 00:18:13,324
At each gathering, they sing their hymn.
226
00:18:21,734 --> 00:18:24,135
-This is how the
hitler youth hymn went.
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00:18:40,053 --> 00:18:42,954
-When we marched, we
sang at the same time.
228
00:18:43,056 --> 00:18:45,490
The important thing was
not to sing in tune,
229
00:18:45,592 --> 00:18:47,925
The important thing
was to sing loud!
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00:19:03,610 --> 00:19:06,077
Narrator: To complete the brainwashing process,
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00:19:06,179 --> 00:19:09,814
The "heil hitler" salute becomes a part of everyday life.
232
00:19:12,118 --> 00:19:13,885
-We started doing
the hitler salute,
233
00:19:13,987 --> 00:19:17,388
With our arms in the air,
as of 7, 8 years of age.
234
00:19:17,490 --> 00:19:19,023
When the teacher came
into the classroom,
235
00:19:19,125 --> 00:19:21,092
We all stood: "heil hitler!"
236
00:19:21,194 --> 00:19:22,627
With our hands raised.
237
00:19:22,729 --> 00:19:25,530
When we entered a shop to
buy something: "heil hitler!"
238
00:19:25,632 --> 00:19:27,498
With our hand raised.
239
00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:31,435
It became a habit, like when
you say "hello" or "cheers."
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-My father was a party member.
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00:19:35,542 --> 00:19:38,476
For him, it was important
that we say, "heil hitler!"
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00:19:39,612 --> 00:19:41,879
And if as children
we didn't say it,
243
00:19:41,981 --> 00:19:44,715
He'd say to us: "didn't
you forget something?"
244
00:19:45,585 --> 00:19:49,020
Yes, it happened sometimes.
245
00:19:52,258 --> 00:19:54,825
-When we got to school,
they watched us,
246
00:19:54,928 --> 00:19:56,827
Near the entrance
of the schoolyard,
247
00:19:56,930 --> 00:20:00,064
To see if we'd done the
hitler salute or not.
248
00:20:00,967 --> 00:20:05,203
And if you hadn't,
they'd slap you on the
head, like this, whack!
249
00:20:05,572 --> 00:20:09,106
And believe me, you instantly
remembered hitler again.
250
00:20:22,622 --> 00:20:25,890
(crowd cheering/chanting)
251
00:20:25,992 --> 00:20:28,359
Narrator: Repeating "heil hitler" mechanically dozens
252
00:20:28,461 --> 00:20:31,662
Of times a day, the hitler youth are indoctrinated witha
253
00:20:31,764 --> 00:20:35,066
National socialist education.
254
00:20:35,168 --> 00:20:38,636
The ideological noose is tightening.
255
00:20:41,975 --> 00:20:45,710
The nazis leave nothing to chance and supervise everyone
256
00:20:45,812 --> 00:20:48,112
Who is in contact with children.
257
00:20:48,214 --> 00:20:52,750
The regime limits religious services offered by the church
258
00:20:52,852 --> 00:20:57,455
And parental influences are removed during the summer camps.
259
00:20:58,157 --> 00:21:02,193
The new masters of germany draw up new school programs.
260
00:21:03,563 --> 00:21:08,332
Children are taught to hate the jew and the bolshevist.
261
00:21:09,535 --> 00:21:12,670
Narrator: Disgusting racial laws are enacted.
262
00:21:12,772 --> 00:21:16,073
Patriotic hymns gradually grow into hymns of hatred and are
263
00:21:16,175 --> 00:21:20,478
So often repeated they can still be recalled 70 years later.
264
00:21:25,084 --> 00:21:29,020
-"throw them out,
the entire gang of jews,
265
00:21:29,122 --> 00:21:32,323
Throw them out of our nation."
266
00:21:33,726 --> 00:21:36,527
Then, in the original song,
267
00:21:36,629 --> 00:21:42,833
It carried on with
warnings for them never to
come back and then it said:
268
00:21:43,569 --> 00:21:47,071
"chop off their
head and legs,
269
00:21:47,173 --> 00:21:49,607
Otherwise they'll come back."
270
00:21:50,677 --> 00:21:53,477
We sang that
without ever questioning it.
271
00:21:53,579 --> 00:21:57,548
After all, we were already
secondary school students.
272
00:22:00,620 --> 00:22:05,723
-At school, we saw an
exhibition on "bolshevism."
273
00:22:06,292 --> 00:22:09,460
And in this exhibition, we
saw posters where the russians
274
00:22:09,595 --> 00:22:12,930
Were represented with horns.
275
00:22:13,900 --> 00:22:17,768
We even wrote essays
on the subject.
276
00:22:17,937 --> 00:22:22,206
What this meant was:
They are sub-humans.
277
00:22:22,542 --> 00:22:26,110
So, we were humans, and
the russians were sub-humans.
278
00:22:30,817 --> 00:22:32,683
-We were the good ones.
279
00:22:32,785 --> 00:22:35,086
They were the ones who had
brought every misfortune to
280
00:22:35,188 --> 00:22:38,255
Europe and the world,
it was the jews.
281
00:22:38,725 --> 00:22:41,258
This was the number one topic.
282
00:22:41,661 --> 00:22:44,028
And I believed it.
283
00:22:46,165 --> 00:22:48,165
Narrator: Once infected with hatred,
284
00:22:48,267 --> 00:22:50,434
Acting out becomes easier.
285
00:22:50,536 --> 00:22:53,537
Along with the sa and ss nazi militias,
286
00:22:53,639 --> 00:22:56,507
The hitler youth participate in large-scale anti-semitic
287
00:22:56,609 --> 00:22:59,176
Rituals of public humiliation.
288
00:23:12,859 --> 00:23:17,161
-We always walked past
one store, a jewish shop.
289
00:23:20,066 --> 00:23:26,003
And there, we were ordered,
to chant: "jews get out."
290
00:23:30,543 --> 00:23:35,346
And that, that was our
anti-semitic activity,
291
00:23:35,448 --> 00:23:37,515
So to speak.
292
00:23:37,617 --> 00:23:40,151
But, in fact, it
was not conscious.
293
00:23:41,888 --> 00:23:46,323
Narrator: By 1936, germany emerges from its recession.
294
00:23:46,793 --> 00:23:48,793
Hitler has lowered unemployment through armament
295
00:23:48,895 --> 00:23:52,329
And large-scale reconstruction projects and makes his country
296
00:23:52,432 --> 00:23:55,766
A fearsome force in europe.
297
00:23:56,102 --> 00:23:58,736
During the second half of the 1930's,
298
00:23:58,838 --> 00:24:00,838
He goes on the offensive.
299
00:24:01,007 --> 00:24:04,775
In 1938, he annexes austria to germany.
300
00:24:05,278 --> 00:24:08,846
The sudetenland region of czechoslovakia is occupied and annexed.
301
00:24:10,216 --> 00:24:12,616
War is coming closer.
302
00:24:12,718 --> 00:24:15,719
The german chancellor needs the hitler youth.
303
00:24:15,822 --> 00:24:19,323
They are the future soldiers of the wehrmacht.
304
00:24:19,892 --> 00:24:23,794
Hitler intends to shape them into the warriors he wants.
305
00:25:05,104 --> 00:25:07,104
Narrator: In addition to the fun and games,
306
00:25:07,206 --> 00:25:11,175
The young people begin receiving true military training.
307
00:25:17,783 --> 00:25:21,919
The spirit of competition is encouraged at all levels.
308
00:25:22,321 --> 00:25:27,291
At age 16, the boys hike 13 miles with 18-pound backpacks.
309
00:25:35,167 --> 00:25:39,537
They learn to master their fear and are taught to be warriors.
310
00:25:48,214 --> 00:25:51,248
Narrator: The hitler youth now have access to everything they
311
00:25:51,350 --> 00:25:53,651
Want in the adult world.
312
00:25:53,819 --> 00:25:56,687
They're taught to shoot: First compressed air rifles,
313
00:25:56,789 --> 00:26:00,124
Then with firearms.
314
00:26:04,564 --> 00:26:06,864
They are introduced to water activities to prepare
315
00:26:06,966 --> 00:26:10,334
Them for the navy.
316
00:26:15,274 --> 00:26:18,142
And for those who dream of being in the luftwaffe,
317
00:26:18,244 --> 00:26:21,545
They start training in gliders.
318
00:26:27,186 --> 00:26:29,353
With all these oversized toys,
319
00:26:29,455 --> 00:26:32,923
The children in thehitler youth movement play war.
320
00:26:33,326 --> 00:26:36,060
And it's a serious game.
321
00:26:39,765 --> 00:26:43,601
-Without our realizing it, we
were being prepared militarily
322
00:26:43,703 --> 00:26:50,407
For the upcoming war,
those people were so clever,
323
00:26:50,977 --> 00:26:55,746
They made it into something
fun, something interesting.
324
00:27:00,486 --> 00:27:02,586
Narrator: To complete the indoctrination of this
325
00:27:02,688 --> 00:27:08,058
Miniature army, one final step remains: Taking the oath.
326
00:27:11,163 --> 00:27:16,100
At all ages, they swear loyalty to the reich and their führer.
327
00:27:16,502 --> 00:27:19,670
From the age of 10, children recite:
328
00:27:19,772 --> 00:27:23,240
"in the presence of this banner which represents our führer,
329
00:27:23,342 --> 00:27:26,443
I swear to devote all my energies and my strength to
330
00:27:26,545 --> 00:27:29,747
The savior of our country, adolf hitler.
331
00:27:29,849 --> 00:27:32,282
I am willing and ready to give up my life for him,
332
00:27:32,385 --> 00:27:35,486
So help me god."
333
00:27:40,726 --> 00:27:44,328
-We were asked to swear in
the name of the führer,
334
00:27:44,430 --> 00:27:48,265
The people and the nation
and if necessary,
335
00:27:48,367 --> 00:27:52,636
To sacrifice our lives and this
was something we found normal.
336
00:28:02,682 --> 00:28:05,616
♪ ♪
337
00:28:05,718 --> 00:28:10,487
Narrator: The hitler youth has become a formidable organization.
338
00:28:10,856 --> 00:28:16,427
From around 17,000 in 1929, to over 8 million children and
339
00:28:16,529 --> 00:28:19,630
Adolescents ten years later.
340
00:28:19,732 --> 00:28:23,400
That's 98% of all young germans.
341
00:28:26,305 --> 00:28:31,308
It's a huge organization, worthy of a ministry.
342
00:28:34,113 --> 00:28:37,581
To convince the last holdouts, the hitler youth movement
343
00:28:37,683 --> 00:28:40,684
Becomes mandatory.
344
00:28:40,786 --> 00:28:44,221
Refusing to join exposes families to heavy fines,
345
00:28:44,323 --> 00:28:48,058
And even arrest.
346
00:28:52,932 --> 00:28:55,532
Those who have reached fighting age enthusiastically
347
00:28:55,634 --> 00:28:59,737
Join the wehrmacht and even the ss.
348
00:29:09,815 --> 00:29:12,182
(explosions)
349
00:29:15,688 --> 00:29:19,456
On September 1, 1939, war breaks out.
350
00:29:20,960 --> 00:29:24,862
The wehrmacht invades poland under the pretext of a polish attack.
351
00:29:29,301 --> 00:29:33,370
Their advance is lightning fast.
352
00:29:35,708 --> 00:29:42,379
-At the time, we said
to ourselves: "okay, this
is it, we're heading east."
353
00:29:42,815 --> 00:29:43,981
That's what we thought:
354
00:29:44,083 --> 00:29:46,984
"adolf is right;
he promised us vital space.
355
00:29:47,086 --> 00:29:51,321
Poland is big, they
have lots of vital space."
356
00:29:57,096 --> 00:30:00,464
(air raid sirens)
357
00:30:00,733 --> 00:30:03,367
-We were all of the opinion
that these sub-humans who wanted
358
00:30:03,469 --> 00:30:06,503
To put us under their
yoke had to be vanquished,
359
00:30:07,573 --> 00:30:10,107
And that this was just.
360
00:30:10,209 --> 00:30:13,544
The atmosphere was victorious.
361
00:30:13,712 --> 00:30:16,647
It has been prepared at
school for many long years.
362
00:30:16,749 --> 00:30:19,850
And this was the climax.
363
00:30:20,052 --> 00:30:24,421
At last, we could
assert ourselves as germans.
364
00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:29,927
-Naturally we were
proud of our victories.
365
00:30:30,029 --> 00:30:32,029
It all went so fast,
within 19 days,
366
00:30:32,131 --> 00:30:33,564
The war was already over.
367
00:30:33,666 --> 00:30:37,201
It had barely started and
there it was, almost over.
368
00:30:39,438 --> 00:30:41,071
Narrator: Eight months after poland,
369
00:30:41,140 --> 00:30:43,607
The wehrmacht attacks the west.
370
00:30:43,709 --> 00:30:46,476
In may 1940, the netherlands, belgium,
371
00:30:46,579 --> 00:30:50,881
Luxembourg and France are invaded and occupied.
372
00:30:52,585 --> 00:30:54,117
For the german people,
373
00:30:54,220 --> 00:30:58,055
Hitler is the greatest strategist of all times.
374
00:30:58,224 --> 00:31:02,626
Day after day, the hitler youth follow the progress of german troops;
375
00:31:03,028 --> 00:31:06,029
They can't believe it.
376
00:31:06,565 --> 00:31:10,234
In 6 weeks, the wehrmacht has beaten France.
377
00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:17,741
-Following the summer of
1940, the nation was drunk.
378
00:31:19,345 --> 00:31:23,180
-When we went to the
movies, we saw news reels.
379
00:31:23,282 --> 00:31:29,419
It was a feeling of joy, the
führer had beaten the french.
380
00:31:34,193 --> 00:31:36,193
-Those, of course, were
events where we said:
381
00:31:36,295 --> 00:31:38,395
"damn, we're good!"
382
00:31:38,597 --> 00:31:40,764
-I thought that the
wehrmacht was invincible.
383
00:31:40,866 --> 00:31:41,899
Until then, I did.
384
00:31:53,078 --> 00:31:55,746
Narrator: Hitler continues the offensive.
385
00:31:55,848 --> 00:31:59,650
In June 1941, he launches his surprise attack
386
00:31:59,752 --> 00:32:02,920
Against the soviet union.
387
00:32:03,022 --> 00:32:05,622
The years of training pay off.
388
00:32:05,724 --> 00:32:08,458
The young soldiers who had been part of the hitler youth
389
00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:12,195
Prove to be fearsome warriors.
390
00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:16,333
When they return from the front,
391
00:32:16,435 --> 00:32:19,303
These "heroes" are used to spread the word to the
392
00:32:19,405 --> 00:32:21,104
Soldiers of tomorrow.
393
00:32:57,776 --> 00:32:59,876
-The older members
would laugh and say:
394
00:33:00,045 --> 00:33:03,580
"hey, the final victory can't
wait for you guys to grow up;
395
00:33:03,782 --> 00:33:05,782
We're going to
finish the job before."
396
00:33:18,030 --> 00:33:19,696
-Those of us who
were, let's say,
397
00:33:19,798 --> 00:33:24,001
Between 10 and 16
years old, it's true,
398
00:33:25,871 --> 00:33:28,972
There was this apprehension
that maybe we'd have nothing
399
00:33:29,074 --> 00:33:32,642
Left to do; that
the war would be over,
400
00:33:32,711 --> 00:33:36,013
All the bad enemies beaten,
before we reached the age to
401
00:33:36,115 --> 00:33:39,282
Wear a soldier's uniform.
402
00:33:45,324 --> 00:33:48,625
Narrator: The german army is advancing towards the east.
403
00:33:48,727 --> 00:33:51,628
Following these troops, special commandos called
404
00:33:51,730 --> 00:33:56,033
Einsatzgroupen, partially composed of former hitler youth,
405
00:33:56,368 --> 00:34:00,203
Are tasked with killing jewish civilians.
406
00:34:05,110 --> 00:34:08,545
Solomon perel is a young german of the jewish faith.
407
00:34:08,747 --> 00:34:11,815
He is forced to flee his country towards the east to
408
00:34:11,917 --> 00:34:15,485
Escape the anti-semitic persecutions.
409
00:34:15,587 --> 00:34:19,022
When he arrives in byelorussia in 1941,
410
00:34:19,124 --> 00:34:22,859
He is captured by german units and questioned.
411
00:34:23,862 --> 00:34:25,929
-I was sure I
was going to die,
412
00:34:26,031 --> 00:34:28,865
I suddenly heard an
order: "hands in the air!"
413
00:34:28,967 --> 00:34:30,901
So, now it was my turn.
414
00:34:31,003 --> 00:34:32,736
In front of me,
stood a german soldier:
415
00:34:32,838 --> 00:34:36,273
And he asked me,
"are you jewish?"
416
00:34:38,477 --> 00:34:41,211
I instantly thought of
my father who had told me:
417
00:34:41,313 --> 00:34:44,681
"always remain a jew,
otherwise god will abandon you."
418
00:34:45,684 --> 00:34:47,050
But, fortunately for me,
419
00:34:47,152 --> 00:34:50,153
I immediately understood
that if I told them the truth,
420
00:34:50,255 --> 00:34:53,723
"I am jewish," I would be
shot within the next 5 minutes.
421
00:34:54,326 --> 00:34:58,161
And in the middle of
this jumble of thoughts,
422
00:34:58,397 --> 00:35:00,363
I suddenly heard
an inner voice,
423
00:35:00,532 --> 00:35:03,800
My mother's voice:
"you must live."
424
00:35:04,369 --> 00:35:06,736
And the fear that
paralyzed me vanished,
425
00:35:06,872 --> 00:35:08,405
I felt in completely security,
426
00:35:08,507 --> 00:35:11,441
And I answered the
soldier in an assured voice:
427
00:35:11,543 --> 00:35:13,076
"no, of course I'm not jewish!
428
00:35:13,178 --> 00:35:16,713
I'm a pure german
from eastern germany."
429
00:35:17,182 --> 00:35:20,317
And miraculously,
he believed me.
430
00:35:24,823 --> 00:35:27,924
I was immediately handed
a wehrmacht uniform,
431
00:35:28,026 --> 00:35:30,660
And suddenly I saw the german
eagle with the nazi swastika
432
00:35:30,762 --> 00:35:34,564
On my chest, I was horrified.
433
00:35:35,033 --> 00:35:37,634
"is this sally?
434
00:35:37,736 --> 00:35:40,804
One swastika here,
another swastika there..."
435
00:35:41,773 --> 00:35:45,008
I was in shock.
436
00:35:45,277 --> 00:35:47,644
But I drew strength in
my mother's three words.
437
00:35:47,779 --> 00:35:51,414
I never forgot them:
"you must live!"
438
00:35:53,085 --> 00:35:57,187
Narrator: Solomon perel hides his name and goes by joseph perjel.
439
00:35:57,723 --> 00:36:00,323
Fortunately, he is sent back to germany and
440
00:36:00,492 --> 00:36:03,260
Joins one of the regime's elite schools.
441
00:36:03,495 --> 00:36:07,797
He becomes a fully integrated member of the hitler youth.
442
00:36:08,967 --> 00:36:12,369
While war rages on the front, the physical and ideological
443
00:36:12,471 --> 00:36:15,071
Preparation continues.
444
00:36:17,309 --> 00:36:21,178
The lesson of the day: Racial superiority.
445
00:36:22,047 --> 00:36:24,481
Proportional relationships between the depth,
446
00:36:24,583 --> 00:36:27,784
Height and width of the skull are determined.
447
00:36:27,886 --> 00:36:30,820
Eye and hair color are both recorded and nazi science
448
00:36:30,923 --> 00:36:34,391
Categories are established.
449
00:36:35,761 --> 00:36:39,696
-I remember that on my photos,
I believe it was written:
450
00:36:39,798 --> 00:36:42,832
80% nordic.
451
00:36:45,137 --> 00:36:48,972
-I was classified as a
type 2 aryan, or nordic.
452
00:36:49,641 --> 00:36:54,444
I was only second choice.
453
00:36:57,816 --> 00:37:01,651
-It gave rise to a feeling of
superiority amongst many of us.
454
00:37:08,260 --> 00:37:11,761
-At the time, we were
better human beings.
455
00:37:11,863 --> 00:37:13,697
The others were sub-humans.
456
00:37:13,799 --> 00:37:17,000
This is what they told
us and we believed it.
457
00:37:17,102 --> 00:37:20,170
So, the jews and the poles,
they were all people who
458
00:37:20,272 --> 00:37:23,206
Needed to be exterminated.
459
00:37:23,875 --> 00:37:26,810
It's unimaginable that I
could have believed that.
460
00:37:26,912 --> 00:37:29,946
It was only later that I
realized it was all rubbish.
461
00:37:31,483 --> 00:37:33,883
But at the time,
we believed it.
462
00:37:35,821 --> 00:37:39,990
Narrator: One day, solomon perel is questioned by his race teacher.
463
00:37:42,561 --> 00:37:47,097
-I was sure he was going
discover that I was jewish,
464
00:37:47,432 --> 00:37:50,567
That he'd pull
my underpants down and see
that I was circumcised,
465
00:37:51,370 --> 00:37:54,137
And that I'd land
in a gestapo basement room.
466
00:37:54,239 --> 00:37:56,706
I was sure of it.
467
00:37:56,808 --> 00:38:00,644
But what happened
there, was incredible.
468
00:38:01,013 --> 00:38:04,614
After being measured, he took
very precise measurements:
469
00:38:04,883 --> 00:38:07,550
The shape of the skull, the
distance between the eyes,
470
00:38:07,653 --> 00:38:11,554
The ears, all sorts of things
and when he was finally done
471
00:38:11,657 --> 00:38:15,125
With all that, he
told the classroom:
472
00:38:15,227 --> 00:38:18,295
"take a good look at joseph.
473
00:38:18,397 --> 00:38:22,198
He's the classical aryan type
from the eastern baltic region."
474
00:38:24,236 --> 00:38:26,803
So, in fact,
I'm a true aryan.
475
00:38:36,882 --> 00:38:41,217
Narrator: By the end of 1942, the reich begins losing the upper hand.
476
00:38:42,187 --> 00:38:44,854
In north africa and on the eastern front,
477
00:38:44,956 --> 00:38:48,124
The war is stagnating.
478
00:38:48,393 --> 00:38:51,161
The reich is almost out of adult men,
479
00:38:51,263 --> 00:38:53,997
All of whom have left for combat.
480
00:38:54,099 --> 00:38:57,701
The hitler youth are mobilized on the home front.
481
00:38:58,603 --> 00:39:03,073
From the age of 14, they are sent door-to-door collecting rags,
482
00:39:03,475 --> 00:39:05,108
Paper and metals.
483
00:39:05,210 --> 00:39:07,143
Others are recruited as postmen,
484
00:39:07,546 --> 00:39:12,048
Tram drivers and unskilled laborers for roadwork and railway lines.
485
00:39:13,952 --> 00:39:17,087
They're sent out to work in the fields.
486
00:39:17,189 --> 00:39:21,424
Their support of the economy is indispensable.
487
00:39:23,662 --> 00:39:27,197
While news propaganda highlights their iron wills,
488
00:39:27,299 --> 00:39:31,701
In truth, the young people suffer and begin to have doubts.
489
00:39:32,537 --> 00:39:34,938
Employed in factories and mines,
490
00:39:35,040 --> 00:39:38,775
The community service is more like hard labor.
491
00:39:43,014 --> 00:39:46,816
-When the time came, I joined
the reich labor service.
492
00:39:48,920 --> 00:39:51,721
It was the worst
thing imaginable.
493
00:39:53,625 --> 00:39:56,559
We had to repair a road.
494
00:39:56,828 --> 00:40:00,063
And to do that, we had to
carry stones from a quarry
495
00:40:00,165 --> 00:40:03,032
Situated half a mile away.
496
00:40:04,236 --> 00:40:07,537
We didn't have the right
to use wheelbarrows,
497
00:40:07,639 --> 00:40:11,040
Even though it was possible,
we had to carry the stones on
498
00:40:11,143 --> 00:40:13,843
Our shoulders.
499
00:40:13,945 --> 00:40:15,445
When you run with
rocks on your shoulder,
500
00:40:15,547 --> 00:40:18,114
Your shoulder bleeds.
501
00:40:19,985 --> 00:40:25,688
And that's when I
started feeling hatred
towards the regime,
502
00:40:27,626 --> 00:40:30,160
Because they
treated us like dirt.
503
00:40:30,762 --> 00:40:33,730
We had no rights whatsoever.
504
00:40:37,769 --> 00:40:40,103
Narrator: In the winter of 1943,
505
00:40:40,205 --> 00:40:43,239
The hitler youth are in for a big surprise:
506
00:40:43,575 --> 00:40:48,278
The so-called sub-humans of the red army have managed to stand up to
507
00:40:48,380 --> 00:40:51,714
The supermen of the wehrmacht.
508
00:40:55,287 --> 00:40:57,887
In stalingrad, the axis powers lose
509
00:40:57,989 --> 00:41:02,358
Hundreds of thousands of men, dead, wounded or taken prisoner.
510
00:41:06,298 --> 00:41:09,766
Taking moscow, parading on the red square?
511
00:41:09,868 --> 00:41:13,236
Now, that's unthinkable.
512
00:41:18,543 --> 00:41:20,243
-We said to ourselves,
513
00:41:20,345 --> 00:41:24,013
"okay, fine,
we've suffered a few defeats,
but when we get there,"
514
00:41:24,149 --> 00:41:28,318
That
is, we who were born in 1928,
"we'll straighten things out."
515
00:41:33,325 --> 00:41:37,293
-It was one of the
reasons why I joined the ss,
516
00:41:37,395 --> 00:41:40,930
All this never would have
happened with units like the ss,
517
00:41:41,032 --> 00:41:44,033
I was absolutely
convinced of this.
518
00:41:45,036 --> 00:41:47,871
It was my opinion at the time,
that the ss were the only
519
00:41:47,973 --> 00:41:50,874
Troops that
carried on the combat.
520
00:41:50,976 --> 00:41:55,178
The ss, which I belonged
to, we were the saviors.
521
00:42:00,886 --> 00:42:03,853
Narrator: To avoid heavy losses among their own ranks,
522
00:42:03,955 --> 00:42:08,057
In 1943 the americans and british carry out massive
523
00:42:08,159 --> 00:42:11,594
Bombing raids targeting industrial installations
524
00:42:11,696 --> 00:42:14,797
And cities in germany.
525
00:42:17,802 --> 00:42:20,603
The hitler youth wanted to fight the war,
526
00:42:20,705 --> 00:42:24,007
Now the war has come to them.
527
00:42:29,281 --> 00:42:31,848
The country is hit hard.
528
00:42:31,950 --> 00:42:33,883
In the midst of all the rubble,
529
00:42:33,985 --> 00:42:38,488
The hitler youth become impromptu firefighters and paramedics.
530
00:42:48,400 --> 00:42:50,266
-We got people
out of basements,
531
00:42:50,368 --> 00:42:51,868
We helped the wounded...
532
00:42:51,970 --> 00:42:56,272
All of this when I was
just 15, 16 years old...
533
00:42:59,511 --> 00:43:03,146
-First of all, we had to clear
the stones with, with a pick.
534
00:43:04,382 --> 00:43:06,282
We had to be careful because
underneath there might be
535
00:43:06,384 --> 00:43:11,888
People buried, or corpses;
but when you felt something soft
536
00:43:11,990 --> 00:43:14,490
With the spade, you
might've hurt that person,
537
00:43:14,593 --> 00:43:17,226
If they were still alive.
538
00:43:18,163 --> 00:43:21,030
Then we got them out of there.
539
00:43:23,401 --> 00:43:25,902
They were full of clay,
all over, in their eyes.
540
00:43:26,204 --> 00:43:28,404
It always disgusted me.
541
00:43:28,506 --> 00:43:31,741
With a bucket of water,
we had to rinse them,
542
00:43:31,843 --> 00:43:34,210
Rinse their faces.
543
00:43:34,312 --> 00:43:36,646
When the face was starting
to appear, now that,
544
00:43:36,748 --> 00:43:40,116
That was really,
something awful.
545
00:43:41,753 --> 00:43:45,321
The few people we got out
of there, they were all dead.
546
00:43:47,726 --> 00:43:52,061
When a bomb fell there,
90% of the people died.
547
00:43:54,766 --> 00:43:58,034
Narrator: Brainwashed by the nazi regime for more than 10 years,
548
00:43:58,136 --> 00:44:01,704
The hitler youth are promised a dream by adolf hitler
549
00:44:01,806 --> 00:44:05,775
But now they find themselves living a nightmare under allied bombs.
550
00:44:06,678 --> 00:44:09,679
The worst is yet to come.
551
00:44:09,781 --> 00:44:13,082
By 1943, the time of conquest is over.
552
00:44:14,019 --> 00:44:17,353
As germany faces defeat, it'll be left to these adolescents
553
00:44:17,455 --> 00:44:22,358
And boys to defend their homeland until the final collapse.
554
00:44:22,460 --> 00:44:23,660
Captioned by cotter
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