Interview with a "Hitler Youth" member....

I have scheduled an interview with a friend who was a "Hitler Youth" member. I was hoping to get some input as to what to ask this man. I have a long list of questions already, but I know you will have some good questions for me to ask him.

Thanks in advance for your input!

Scott

i should clarify here. He does not, and never really did, follow the teachings of that program.

 

I'm assuming he was very young at the end of the war, and never fought as a soldier. I have no interview skills or diplomacy, but here are some of the things that I would be interested in learning:

After the war was there any attempt or approaches to be part of an HJ type group?

What did he aspire to become at that time?

What was the end of the war like for him? How did it come about? where? what was his reaction? and emotions?

What is his most positive memory from HJ?

I really don't think I would ask this, but I would love to know if he was involved with any vandalism or destruction at the time.

 

Dear Scott: My questions are as follows.

• What he thought about the Spaniards until 1945, the end of the WWII?
• What do he think about the Spaniards now, in 2008?

Possibly, are more questions but I don't express rigth in English.




Jan.

 

Well being part of the HJ was almost an "obligation". Your friends were part of it, you neigbours were. Not joining was considered "Suspicious" . There was a lot of pressure both from the neigbours, school , authorities, boss etc... Dads had to convince their children to join or they could lose their job....

Some of the questions you could ask:

-Did you consider this as a game, like Scouting, camping .....?
-Were you asked to spy your parents, friends, etc.. and report anti nazi conversations?
-Was there a lot of pressure for you to join?
-Were your parents happy with that choice?
-Did this make you want to join the army?

 

Thanks guys! Great questions! I'm meeting with him tommorrow morning. I'll post when done.
Thanks to all! If you have more, please post!

 

Scott:

Do you able to post photos of this person in these years and now?

Seems very curious, I think......





Jan.

 

big Fun;
Well the Hitler Youth program was obviously quite effective and I would start with asking this guy just why. Then how much of it was military preparation? How were leaders spotted and developed? To what degree was he "won over"? To what degree were the others he knew "won over"? What were techniques used?
JeffinMNUSA

 

Just wondering, but what will you be doing with the interview afterwards? Are you recording it?

 

Hey Juan!
That's a great idea! I will ask him for some pictures!
Jeff, thanks for the questions!

Thanks again!

 

You can ask him about the songs too. There were camp fires and sport compettions and many songs.

 

Thanks Skipper, I'll do that.
Mathsmal, I'm going to try for video, if not sound only. I could post some of the files if you are interested.

 

according to many former HJ I have interviewed who later became members in the Heer and LW, yes in fact the German scouting program was one of the strongest prewar, and from this led of course right into the HJ comradeship young girls of course needed a strong-physical unifying program as well so they were allowed into the overall giant program, wherever they would be needed, and needed they were.

Scott I just mention this so you have some background when you go into meeting this man and asking questions, he may or may not have served in a military capacity depending just how old he was during the war, or like as I previously mentioned then served as youth in some "helping" type capacity.

the 3-4 in my area which have been friends of my Family for at least 25-30 years; they of course have said their fill and do not wish to look back upon it ever again

 

Thanks Erich,
Very good to know. This man, Fred, was a little apprehensive about talking to me. He's afraid, for obvious reasons. I have been having coffee with him for about a month now, so he knows that my intentions are good. Still, I plan to tread lightly so as not to upset him. The only thing I know about him is that he was very young, like 10 or 11 years old when he was pressed into the HJ program. I think that was late in the war but I'm not sure of anything yet.

Thanks again!

 

Scott one more thing before I head off to the doctor

if he was that young at the time of 44-45 he probably has very mixed feelings on sharing especially if he lived in a major or large city which was bombed both night and day, he will obviously have much prejudice because of this and reluctance, so having Kaffe mit Kuchen with him is a good deal and let him express to you very slowly anything he wishes, be subtle in your questioning - maybe like how was it during the latter part of the war in everyday life - schooling, was it just boys or intermixed with the girls at all or ? what types of jobs did he have to fulfill, hopefully not filling bomb craters or helping remove wounded and dead ???? ........probably should not ask that, but he may share openly....

good luck, if anything it should prove enlightening

E `

 

Thanks Erich, I'm looking forward to it, and a little scared myself! I just have to be sure to handle this "lightly"!
Thanks again to all!

 

Hi Scott, I never really did interview any former HJ's but I met one at a gun show in Houston a few years back. This guy had been in the HJ from about 39 to mid 43-then he was ""on loan"" to the Luftwaffe (at the age of 15), as an 88 Flak-crewman. BY 1944, he was a Sergeant in the Luftwaffe and in command of his own 88.

The reason why I mention this guy, is because he was an easy person to deal with and knew that when asked about his past, he had no reservations of telling about his experiances. Anyway, to make a long story shorter, I spent about 3 hours chatting with this guy about his wartime experiances-as well as post war happenings.

A few questions I remember asking him are:

1) What was it like to be sent to serve with the Luftwaffe at the age of 15?

2) What were his duties while as a crewman on his Flak 88?

3) How many aircraft were he and his crew credited with shooting down?

4) Was his 88 ever used against tanks and infantry?

Etc. Hope this helps?

 

dang on stupid meds but hope this all makes sense now. yes as Carl said a loan of sorts ws common. and even especially in the Luftwaffe and or Heer flak units and KM. when the towns of size bordered the ocean depths many "kids" were rushed into service even if handling cargo-ammo from the crates to the installation points and even rammers. there were naturally HJ run flak batteries - few though and as Carl said if early enough in the war and the kids had proven themselves then they would be given a station. really where the HJ found itself in terrible precarious position was the final months of the war on the Ost front called to duty on the front lines with carbines of all types facing Soviet tanks and also with the older volksturm units

 

All great points, thanks guys! If you have anything else, keep them coming. I've formed a line of questioning that starts when he was very young and leads into his years in the HJ, and then beyond.

thanks again!!

 

Hi

Thanks for the reply. I've been interviewing people about their wartime experiences for a few years now, but I've not spoken to any German veterans (one lady who experienced the bombing in Dresden though). I record them on tape and they are sent to an archive so they can be accessed by researchers, etc.

If he is a bit nervous, I'm not sure that he'll agree to being videoed, but it would be interesting if you could record the interview in some way. You may want to consider offering a copy of the recording (or your notes, etc) to an archive or museum.

You could ask him if he remembers hearing about German victories (or defeats), what happened to him at the end of the war, about friends or relatives who served, etc.

Good luck!

 

I think equal that you, Mathsmal.

In familiar enviroments included, the videofilming are a situation more stressant. And the distended talk are one ocassion very interesant not disturbed for nothing.




Jan.