This unsettling Nazi propaganda film from the Second World War shows how young boys and girls were indoctrinated by the barbaric Hitler Youth.
The footage – released in 1944 to boost morale in a weakened Germany – shows Slovakian children firing rifles, throwing grenades and skiing during cold-weather training.
Its narrator explains that the youngsters are preparing to emulate Slovakia’s adult soldiers, who have shown ‘extreme bravery on the front lines against Bolshevism’.
Later in the film – which is titled ‘Junges Europa’ (‘Young Europe’) – a group of boys can be seen practice fighting with guns, bombs and Nazi uniforms.
From its origins in 1922, the Hitler Youth was a way of indoctrinating youngsters with Nazi Party ideology from an early age. Pictured: Young Slovaks training in the Hitler Youth
The footage – released in 1944 to boost morale in a weakened Germany – shows Slovakian children firing rifles, throwing grenades and skiing during cold-weather training
Its narrator explains that the youngsters are preparing to emulate Slovakia’s adult soldiers, who have shown ‘extreme bravery on the frontlines against Bolshevism’
The boys are shown marching with a flag as the narrator praises their dedicated to the Third Reich
At one point the narrator quotes Hitler: ‘Make yourselves as hard as steel in your work as a sign of loyalty to your fighting soldiers!’ Pictured: Work on the home front
Later in the film – which is titled ‘Junges Europa’ (‘Young Europe’) – a group of boys can be seen engaging in practice fighting with guns, bombs and Nazi uniforms
The narrator then explains: ‘The hard training of the Hitler Youth prepares our boys for their future service in [the] ranks.’
He adds: ‘Today, it’s just a serious game. But later on, they’ll be doing it at the front against the enemy.’
Later, a team of boys is shown skiing at high speed down a mountain as the narrator praises their skill and fortitude.
At the end of the film, boys and girls are shown helping out on the home front in weapons factories, sewing shops and farms.
‘This is how millions of young hands work to redeem the words of the Fuhrer,’ the narrator says.
He then quotes Hitler: ‘Make yourselves as hard as steel in your work as a sign of loyalty to your fighting soldiers!
‘The bravest carry out the fight at the front.
‘The most efficient ones must secure the work on the home front.’
From its origins in 1922, the Hitler Youth was a way of indoctrinating youngsters with Nazi Party ideology from an early age.
It took its inspiration from the Boy Scout movement (which was banned by the Nazis in 1935), and many of its initial activities revolved around camping, hiking and teamwork.
Later, a team of boys is shown skiing at high speed down a mountain as the narrator praises their skill and fortitude
At the end of the film, boys and girls are shown helping out on the home front in weapons factories, sewing shops and farms
As the war progressed, the Nazi leadership began to slowly reform the Hitler Youth into an auxiliary force which could carry out war duties, with youngsters brainwashed into believing that the survival of the German state came above all else. Pictured: A boy working on the home front
By the time the allies reached Berlin there were reports of children as young as twelve being used in the fighting, with the youngsters described as among the most fanatical. Pictured: The film from 1944 showing their training
But as time went by, the organisation became more and more martial.
As the Second World War approached, other youth groups in Germany were banned, meaning that by the start of the war the Hitler Youth was the only organisation young people could join – and membership was compulsory.
By 1940, the organisation had eight million members.
As the war progressed, the Nazi leadership began to slowly reform the Hitler Youth into an auxiliary force which could carry out war duties, with youngsters brainwashed into believing that the survival of the German state came above all else.
With an increasing number of men being killed in combat, the Hitler Youth was expected to pick up the slack at home – mainly by assisting in factories and fire brigades.
But the casualties continued to mount for the Germans, meaning more and more strain was placed upon the Hitler Youth.
On D-Day in 1944, nearly 20,000 members of the Hitler Youth were enlisted to protect Germany against the allied invasion. The group lost about 3,000 members, with many of the youngsters reportedly among the fiercest fighters.
With the allies advancing fast, the Nazi leadership began to force younger and younger members of the Hitler Youth to take part in the fighting.
By the time the allies reached Berlin there were reports of children as young as twelve being used in the fighting, with the youngsters described as among the most fanatical.
One recruitment poster from the 1940s read: ‘The proudest and most manly thing a German can do is to bear weapons for the freedom and greatness of his people and Reich.
‘The Reich Youth Leader and thousands of your leaders are dong their duty as soldiers. We require and expect you to imitate them, and also here in the homeland to behave honorably.’