8. RESHAPING OF EDUCATION AND RETRAINING OF YOUTH

A. The Nazi conspirators reshaped the educational system.

(1) The Nazi conspirators publicly announced the purposes of their educational and training program. Hitler stated at Elbing, Germany:

"When an opponent declares, 'I will not come over to your side, and you will not get me on your side,' I calmly say, 'Your child belongs to me already. A people lives forever. What are you? You will pass on. Your descendants however now stand in the new camp. In a short time they will know nothing else b?l,t this new community'." (2455-PS)

Hitler said on 1 May 1937:

"The youth of today is ever the people of tomorrow. For this reason we have set before ourselves the task of inoculating our youth with the spirit of this community of the people at a very early age, at an age when human beings are still unperverted and therefore unspoiled. *** This Reich stands, and it is building itself up for the future, upon its youth. And this new Reich will give its youth to no one, but will itself take youth and give to youth its own education and its own upbringing." (2454-PS)

The first sentence in the official instructors manual for high schools reads:

"The German school is a part of the National Socialist Educational order. It is its obligation to form the national socialistic personality in cooperation with the other educational powers of the nation, but by its distinctive educational means." (2453-PS)

Hitler stated in Mein Kampf:

"On this basis the whole education by the National State must aim primarily not at the stuffing with mere knowledge, but at the building up of bodies which are physically healthy to the core. The development of intellectual faculties comes only after this." (2392-PS)

(2) They transferred responsibility for education from the states to the Reich. The Reich Ministry of Education was established, and control of all schools, public and private, including universities and adult educational activities, was transferred to this Reichsministry (2078-PS; 2088-PS). The control of education by the local authorities was replaced by the absolute authority of the Reich in all educational matters. (2393-PS)

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3) They changed the curricula and textbooks.

Elementary schools: Primary emphasis was plated on physical training. History, German race culture and mathematics were the other subjects emphasized. These subjects were taught in such a way as to emphasize the cultural superiority of the German people, the importance of race, the Fuehrer principle, glorification of German war heros, the subversive elements that caused the defeat of Germany in World War I, the shame of the Versailles Treaty, and the rebirth of Germany under the Nazis. (292-PS; 2397-PS; 2441-PS; 2394-PS)

In addition to education in the schools all children from six to ten years were registered in the Kindergruppen (Children's Groups) conducted by the National Socialist Frauenschaft (National Socialist Women's Organization). All children were required to obtain an efficiency record card and uniform and were instructed in Nazi ideology by the members of the Women's Organization. (2441-PS; 2452-PS)

High Schools (Hoeheren Schule): The curricula and organization of the Hoeheren School was modified by a series of decrees of the Minister of Education in order to make these schools effective instruments for the teaching of the Nazi doctrines. A new curricula emphasizing physical training, German war history, and race culture was introduced. (2453-PS)

Textbooks in the schools were changed to accord with the expressed objectives of the Nazi conspirators. (2446-PS; 2442-PS; 2444-PS; 2445-PS)

(4) The Nazi conspirators acquired domination and control over all teachers. The law for the reestablishing of the professional civil service made it possible for the Nazi conspirators thoroughly to reexamine all German teachers and to remove all "harmful and untrustworthy" elements (1397-PS; 2392-PS). Many teachers and professors (mostly Jewish) were dismissed

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and were replaced with "State spirited" teachers (2392-PS). All teachers were required to take an oath of loyalty and obedience to Hitler (2061-PS). All teachers were required to belong to the National Socialist Lehrerbund (National Socialist Teachers League), which organization was charged with the training of all teachers in the theories and doctrines of the NSDAP. (2452-PS)

In 1934 the National Socialist Teachers League was declared to be the official organ of German education. (2393-PS)

The Civil Service Act of 1937 required the teachers to be "the executors of the will of the party-supported State." It required them to be ready at "any time to defend without reservation the National Socialist State." The law required the teachers to participate strenuously in elections, have thorough knowledge of Party principles and literature, render the Hitler Salute, send their children to the Hitler Youth, and educate them in the Nazi spirit (2340-PS).

Before taking their second examination (required for permanent appointment), teachers in Prussia were required to show service in the SA and in the Arbeitsdienst (Labor Service) (2392-PS). Candidates for teaching and other public positions were required to have "proved themselves" in the Hitler Jugend (2451-PS; 2900-PS). Teachers' academies were judged by the Minister of Education on their ability to turn out men and women with new ideas "based on blood and soil". (2394-PS)

The leadership principle replaced the democratic school principle. A decree of the Reich Minister of Education made the head of any school fully responsible for the conduct of the institution in line with the official party ideology. Teachers committees and Student Committees were abolished (2393-PS; 2392-PS). A "confidential instructor," the school youth warden of the Hitler Jugend, appointed by the Hitler Youth authorities, was assigned to each school (2396-PS). The "Parents Advisory Committees" in the public schools were dissolved, and replaced by the "School Communities," (Schulgemeinde). The headmaster was the leader.

He appointed, after consultation with the local party leader, two to five teachers or parents, known as "Jugendwalter," (Youth Advisors) and one Hitler Youth leader, who was appointed after consultation with the Hitler Youth officials in the district (299-PS). The duties of the "School Community" were to bring to the attention of the public the educational objectives of the Nazi Party, including race questions, heredity indoctrination, physical training, and the Youth League activities. The function of advising the school authorities, formerly performed by the "Parents Advisory Committees," was eliminated by the decree. (2399- PS)

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(a) to take a decisive part in the selection of lecturers and to produce candidates for the teaching staff who were wholly Nazi in their outlook.

(b) to train all university lecturers in Nazi ideology,

(c) to see that the entire university life was run in accordance with the philosophy of the Party. (2452-PS; 318- PS)

All German students at the universities were required to belong to the Studentenschaft (Student Corps) (2084-PS). The Student Corps was responsible for making the students conscious of their duties to the Nazis, and was obliged to promote enrollment in the SA and labor service. Physical training of students was the responsibility of the SA. Political education was the responsibility of the National Socialistische Deutsche Studentenbund (NSDStB), (National Socialist German Student Bund) (2458-PS). The National Socialist Student Bund (NSDStB) was the Nazi "elite" of the student body and was responsible for the leadership of the university students, and all leaders of the Student Corps were appointed from its membership. The Nazi Student Bund was solely responsible for the entire ideological and political education of the students. (2395-PS;- 2399-PS; 2441-PS; 2392-PS; 2393-PS)

The original plaintext version of part one or part two of this file is available via ftp.

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