This recently unearthed footage shot during World War II shows the smooth faces of Hitler’s boy soldiers and female forces during the final days of Nazi Germany.
The boys of the Volkssturm, or ‘People’s Storm’ – a German civil militia – march in full uniforms towards the front, as members of Bund Deutscher Madel – or League of German Girls – can be seen standing on the side of the road.
Despite that fact that many of them had barely entered puberty before being handed a gun to defend The Fatherland, these boys and young women were later deployed to defend Berlin – where most of them would die.
Walking to their deaths: The young boys are part of the Volkssturm – the ‘People’s Army’ – where teenagers were made to fight on the front line at the end of World War II
The boys are members of the Volkssturm, a ‘people’s army’ militia which by the end of the war was made up by the few male Germans who had not been sent to war: boys under 18 and men deemed too old to be at the front.
They are seen marching down the roads on the outskirts of Berlin, filmed shortly after being captured by Allied forces in the wake of the surrender of the German capital in May 1945.
The Volkssturm were used as a ‘last resort’ by Nazi military officials as they tried and failed to defend Berlin.
By April 23, 1945, when the Battle of Berlin officially began, the Volkssturm had some 60,000 fighters in the capital.
Doing their bit: Young women, believed to be members of Bund Deutscher Madel – or League of German Girls – can be seen standing on the side of the road
Fighting for evil: Bund Deutscher Madel had been formed as a kind of Girl Guides, however, towards the end of the war, they too were sent to the frontlines
Fresh faces: The Volkssturm was made up of teenage boys and old men – all other German men had been drafted to fight in the army
All together: Women and young men can be seen marching together at an unknown date
The Battle for Berlin, which lasted a week, until April 27 with official surrender on May 2nd, saw 80 per cent of the Volkssturm’s young soldiers die.
The ladies are likely to have been drafted in from the Bund Deutscher Madel – League of German Girls, who in the early days of Nazi Germany had been formed as a kind of Girl Guides.
However, as the war turned, they too were expected to fight for Hitler, and were on the frontlines during the Battle of Berlin.
Here they are seen chatting to each other by the side of the road, some dressed in men’s clothing,
Break time: Soldiers are seen taking a break to lie down during a stop on the road
On the road: The video also shows male troops walking by the side of a road in the countryside
Moving on: Troops are seen crossing what appears to be a river, on a pontoon walkway