Gleichschaltung effect on Germany's Education
Hitler believed as Fuhrer that in his Germany, education would ensure that the Nazi party controlled the youth of Germany. Education became a vital tool for the Nazis. The NSDAP used the education system to disseminate Nazi ideology; resulting in an increase of allegiance to Hitler (Llewellyn, Southey, & Thompson, 2014). The education system allowed the Nazi party to gain control over essentially all aspects of the youth’s lives. If the young were going to belong to the Nazi party, than the very youngest were going to be targeted for an education based along Hitler’s preferred curriculum.
Each and every aspect of a child’s life in schooling was transformed once Hitler implemented the concept of Gleichschaltung. From the earliest of ages children were taught to loath all Jewish people. This hatred was encouraged wherever possible, for example, exam questions bluntly referred to the government's anti-Semitic attitude;
Each and every aspect of a child’s life in schooling was transformed once Hitler implemented the concept of Gleichschaltung. From the earliest of ages children were taught to loath all Jewish people. This hatred was encouraged wherever possible, for example, exam questions bluntly referred to the government's anti-Semitic attitude;
“A bomber aircraft on take-off carries 12 dozen bombs, each weighing 10 kilos. The aircraft takes off for Warsaw the international centre for Jewry. It bombs the town. On take-off with all bombs on board and a fuel tank containing 100 kilos of fuel, the aircraft weighed about 8 tons. When it returns from the crusade, there are still 230 kilos left. What is the weight of the aircraft when empty?” (Lynch, 2008).
This partial primary source highlights the extremist ways education was transforming. History, Science and Physical Education classes were the most effected when schooling was Nazified. History became historicism, ‘the study of history for political purposes,’ (HistoryLearningSite.co.uk., 2014). Biology focused on blood purity, where it was taught that German was the dominant race. Aryan supremacy was also a major part of science’s syllabuses, as well as the ‘shameful’ traits of untermensch (sub-human people and races) (HistoryLearningSite.co.uk., 2014). For instance, during Biology lessons teachers would single out Jewish students and use them as examples of ‘non-Aryans’ when teaching about racial purity (London Jewish Cultural Centre 2011, n.d.). This is evident in Source A, a propaganda poster showing children studying Jewish traits. The publication date of 1938 illustrates the context of this time; during the time of the Fuhrer’s Youth Movement. Therefore it is a reliable source as the author would have been influenced by the times, changing their attitude and biasness. This image was published children’s book from 1938 in Germany, ‘the book aimed to increase anti-Semitism by teaching youngsters negative myths about Jewish people’, (MiE-Editor, 2012). This statement reflects a dominant perspective on the time period, this gives the view credibility as it is relevant, based on historical knowledge. |
Boys were taught sciences that had military concepts, such as shooting principles and the effects of poisonous gasses. Physical Education prepared young boys to be soldiers, due to Hitler’s believed that, "The weak must be chiselled away. I want young men and women who can suffer pain,” (Lynch, 2008). This quote by Hitler, is an insightful primary source, which gives a contextual view of his ideals and values during the late 1930’s. It shows the radicalness of Hitler’s persona and the extremes he was going to, to achieve his ideal ‘youth’. Hitler carried out the same extreme ways with females as well.
Girls were taught an altered curriculum. They studied domestic science and eugenics to prepare them for being the ‘ideal’ wife and mother (HistoryLearningSite.co.uk., 2014). In 1933, Hitler supports these teachings through a Nazi Policy; |
“My program for educating youth is hard… weakness must be hammered away. In my castles of the Teutonic Order, a new youth will grow up, before which the world will tremble. I want a brutal, domineering, fearless and cruel youth. Youth must be all that. It must bear pain. There must be nothing weak and gentle about it. The free, splendid beast of prey must once again flash from its eyes… That is how I will eradicate thousands of years of human domestication… That is how I will create the New Order,” (Llewellyn, Southey, & Thompson, 2014).
The above quote highlights Hitler’s prevailing passion and the degree that Gleichschaltung was being implemented throughout Germany’s education syllabus. German schools were inundated with Nazi propaganda in the mid-1930s to help promote Hitler and the Nazi party. Simple children’s toys and board games were used to spread racial and political propaganda to German youth. Hitler knew that if he was able to restructure and Nazify the education system he would have ultimate control over all German youth. Hitler utilised this power as Fuhrer to gain more support and reteach the youth to be pro-Nazi, he achieved this through targeting education. |