Bartoletti, S. (2005). Hitler Youth. NY: Scholastic.
It's easy for us to look back on history and wonder how the people of Germany could allow Hitler to rise to power and nearly destroy a race of people. In Hitler Youth, it becomes more clear how he took advantage of a time and place in history that craved change and leadership. Hearing Hitler's haunting words like "I begin with the young... With them, I can create a new world," coupled with the fact that the youth in Germany were hungry for retaliation after the embarrassment of World War I, makes it easier to see how the perfect storm was created. The formation of the largest youth group in the history of the world is chronicled with personal accounts of the people of Germany, giving the reader a glimpse into what it was like to be fear or follow of Hitler. The inclusion of historical photos fill out the stirring tales of Hitler's rise to power, the terror he ignited, and ultimately his downfall.
Textbook Assignment #2
Evaluative Criteria - Accuracy
The story of Adolf Hitler and the horrors he imposed on both Germany and the world are thoroughly covered in history books. His focus and influence on the youth of Germany is not as widely known and is carefully detailed in Hitler Youth. The progression of these children mirror Hitler’s rise to power. What started as an appeal to the German youth, who had just suffered embarrassment and defeat in the first World War, turned into a revolution of control and hatred.
The personal stories portrayed in Hitler Youth bring a new perspective to the Germans who were influenced by Hitler and ultimately became part of the Nazi party. It is fascinating to see these people as individuals separate from the evil they inflicted at Hitler’s orders. The chilling stories retold and the young people’s trust in Hitler make for a riveting walk through a dark time in history.
Teaching Books
http://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=8286&a=1Author reading from book
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/asset/susan-campbell-bartoletti-reads-hitler-youth
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