Notes

During Hitler’s reign in Germany there were a variety of groups and organisations that opposed him, each of which had different aims and purposes to gain from it. Some young people also began to rebel during the war like the Swing
Youth.

They were fed up with the Nazis controlling their lives and giving them no freedom. The opposition ranged from low-level opposition such as grumbling to very high-end opposition such as assassination attempts but Hitler still tried to win the loyalty of the youth by indoctrination in school through different curriculum for boys and girls.

They also set up the Hitler Youth and the League of German Maidens for children to join in their spare time. They also used lots of propaganda. Some young people in Germany opposed Nazi policies especially as the second world war progressed. This was because they disliked the police state that had been established which tried to control their lives.

The swing movement made up of middle class teenagers liked to listen to American music such as ‘jazz’ and the ‘jitterbug’. These had been banned by the Nazis. The Edelweiss Pirates were working class teenagers who sang songs which mocked Germany. They also taunted and attacked groups of Hitler youth. The Edelweiss Pirates also did not like the restrictions of the Nazi state especially the attitude towards sex, which was frowned upon by the Nazis.