The Hitler Youth was not in itself a military formation, but a movement that sought to inculcate Nazi ideology upon German youth. Nevertheless, paramilitary training formed an important part of this education, especially given the Nazi veneration of the soldier as the epitome of Germanic manhood; and even some members of the Bund Deutscher Madel, the Hitler Youth organization for girls, became combatants in the final stages of the war. This book explores how the preliminary training that German youth underwent in the Hitler Youth prepared them for service in the armed forces, and how Hitler Youth members became directly involved in military service under the pressure of total war.
Author Biography
After an abortive career as a social worker, Alan Dearn studied Ancient History at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. He completed his doctorate in late Roman religious history at Wolfson College, Oxford in 2003. He currently teaches history at the International Grammar School, Sydney, while maintaining an active research life. His particular fields of interest include the history of martyrdom, the later Roman empire and the social history of Nazi Germany.
