Ideology and Socialization in the Pre-War Hitler Youth. (Volumes I, II and Iii).

In The Origins of Totalitarianism Hannah Arendt wrote, "What totalitarian ideologies, therefore, aim at is not the transformation of the outside world or the revolutionizing transmutation of society but the transformation of human nature itself."* During the pre-war Third Reich the Reichsjugendfuhrung (RJF or Reich Youth Leadership) built an organization, shaped an ideology and created a socialization process designed primarily to transform German children into National Socialist prototypes. To implement this goal, the RJF forged strong links between ideology, behavioral m and ates, and socialization while setting plans in motion to re-direct children's primary commitment from themselves and their families to Germany, Adolf Hitler and National Socialist ideology. This dissertation provides a descriptive analysis of Hitler Jugend (HJ or Hitler Youth) ideology and socialization in the pre-war era and focuses upon the relationship between these two elements which comprised the RJF's blueprint for producing model National Socialist citizens. The study is based primarily upon Hitler Youth sources available to and aimed at the general HJ membership. They were read, cross-indexed by topic and analyzed both individually and comparatively in relation to their function and purpose in both ideology and socialization. Finally, some of these HJ materials were considered in relation to st and ard socialization studies from other disciplines. Although it is not possible to draw definitive conclusionsregarding the efficacy of Hitler Youth socialization on the basis ofthe research done for this study, it supplies a basis for such a studyby providing a thorough analysis of the relationship between HJideology and socialization. It also includes a discussion of theconnection between a manipulative socialization policy and powerpolitics in the Third Reich. In addition, some interesting informationis provided about one of the neglected members of the top NationalSocialist leadership, Baldur von Schirach. Finally, by reconstructingthe RJF plan for producing ideal National Socialist citizens, itindicates the projected developmental trend of National Socialism in Hitler's "New Order" of the future. *Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism (New York, 1964)p. 458.PhDEuropean historyUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/159076/1/8225037.pd