SS Essay 2) Was focusing on the youths the greatest way the Nazis consolidated power in Germany? EYA. (12)

2) Was focusing on the youths the greatest way the Nazis consolidated power in Germany? EYA. (12)

 

Yes. The youths played an important part in social control under Hitler. The main point of education has become training young people up to be Nazis and loyal citizens. Schoolteachers were sacked if they did not have the right political opinions. Schools had to follow the strict curriculum and use the ‘right’ schoolbooks. There was no attempt to teach students to think for themselves because they were brainwashed with Nazi ideas. These youths were also expected to join youth organizations in their free time, indoctrinating them Hitler’s ideas. They took an oath of loyalty to Hitler and studied military discipline and training at the mere age of ten. Youths and children are easily influenced, and while being taught the Nazi way, they will naturally support the Nazi’s actions, thus supporting the Nazi’s power in Germany as they grew up. Therefore, brainwashing the youths with the Nazi ways of handling things and attitude was the way for Nazis to consolidate their power in Germany.

 

However, there are also propaganda campaigns and censorship of mass media that helped the Nazis to maintain their power in the country. All techniques of propaganda were used to persuade people that Hitler and Nazis were right. Through various channels like posters, radios, rallies to boost the party’s reputation and ideas, censorship of books and media were also practiced. It was massively done with over 2500 writers banned, books burned for having politically or morally unsound ideas. Using mass propaganda and getting rid of all potential obstacles, people will be led to believe what is not true and support the Nazis.

 

There was also racial control and religious control. The perfect Nazi state was to be full with Aryans, with ‘pure’ German blood. The Nazis acted against people who were ‘undesirable’ and those who would not fit into the ideal Nazi state. They even set up a Nazi-controlled church as a reply to both Catholic and Protestant churches speaking out against some Nazi policies. It was a pagan faith that support and celebrated Aryanism.

With a total Nazi church and idea of ‘pure’ Germans around, it is hard for people not to fall into the glamorous power of the Nazis.

 

Youths are the future of a state. If these youths are educated with the Nazi ideas from young, they are most likely to believe and follow it loyally. The Nazis knew that youths are easily influenced with what they are taught and indoctrinated with, therefore supporting and join the Nazi army when they grow up. When they grow into adults, the Nazi most probably wanted them to remember what they have learnt from young. In order to make them remember in their heart and mind, mass media of propaganda is used. Any form of media that does not support the idea of Nazism was banned. Therefore, these people have no chance to explore other thoughts other than Nazism. With the youths growing up totally obeying what they were taught to believe, the Nazis will definitely want this to be passed on from generations to generations. Therefore the idea of racial and religious control was in tune with Nazism. It could serve as a tool of propaganda too, pledging themselves to the idea of Aryanism, allowing their future children to do the same. It seemed the perfect way of consolidating their power in Germany.  Therefore, focusing on the youths was the greatest way the Nazis consolidated power in Germany.