JWST 240 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Authoritarianism, Hitler Youth, Volksgemeinschaft

• School: McGill University
• Department: Jewish Studies
• Course: JWST 240
• Professor: Dan Heller

Document Summary

Jews felt immense sense of exclusion from german state. Germans derived feeling of intense belonging from nazi ideas/symbols. Nazi sppt was not guaranteed--even @ height of electoral power, nazis were not the first choice for 66% of germs. Party membership was quite volatile, high turnover. Forced coordination --draws attn to coercive/suppressive nature of nazi state, focus. Making the same --these historians pay attn to the ways ordinary germans found nazi vision enticing/compelling/empowering. Designed to b total experiences, emphasis on emotional connection. Avg age of nazi leaders was early 30s. 18-30 yr olds were of germ pop-v signif. Used authority both to strike fear and give comfort. Idea that belonging to this community created sense of belonging/superiority. Even before participation in hitler jugend (hitler youth) bcame mandatory, 5. 5 mil had joined. Many found it exciting, a source of respect. Esp for bund deutscher m del league of german girls .