The German Teens The Edelweiss Pirates Who Rebelled Against Hitler- EXECUTED IN OCTOBER 25,1944
The German Teens The Edelweiss Pirates Rebelled Against Hitler- EXECUTED IN OCTOBER 25,1944 BY JAKE ROSSEN These adolescents, aged between 12 and 17, hang around late in the evening with musical instruments and young females. Since this riff raff is in large part outside the Hitler Youth and adopts a hostile attitude towards the organization, they represent a danger to other young people. —Nazi Party Report, Dusseldorf, Germany, July 1943 From the time Adolf Hitler rose to power and prominence in his native Germany, his mission had been to indoctrinate the next generation of citizens to be fearless, cruel, and unwavering—all the qualities he needed to combat democracy. The Hitler Youth organization was developed to satisfy his goals. Enrollment was mandatory; members played sports and contributed to Nazi-approved artistic endeavors. Military training followed.But not all of Germany’s adolescents were willing to be subordinates to Hitler’s cause. A small ...