Book Cover Image:
Book Summary:
This informational book tells how Hitler and the Third Reich
used the German youth to build a motivated and dedicated army of the future. This
book follows the lives of many German Nazi youth and also many Jewish families.
The Hitler youth for the most part did what they were told and did not question
the Nazi party. The Jews were persecuted and many perished in death camps.
Later, many Nazi youth claimed they did not really know Hitler was using these
death camps and they were horrified at learning the truth. Were they
brainwashed or were they just ignoring a real truth that was put in front of
their faces everyday? Regardless, the author uses many stories and photographs
to convey the real “truth” as many saw it. She received an award for Excellence
in Research while in her Ph.D. program. She used many sources in this book from
personal accounts and diaries to National Archive documents. This book was a
Newbery Medal Honor book, a Sibert Medal Honor book, and also earned several
other awards. The target grades for this book are 7-12.
APA Reference:
Bartoletti, S. C. (2005). Hitler youth: Growing up in Hitler’s shadow.
New York, NY:
Scholastic
Nonfiction.
My Impressions:
This was a great informational book about Hitler’s Germany. There
were many things I learned that I did not really know before. For example, I
did not know the youth were so dedicated (and possibly brainwashed) that they
would turn in their own parents to the Nazi police if they were not devout
Hitler followers. I did not know that each youth (of acceptable heritage) had
to serve Germany
for one full year when they turned 18. I really appreciate the research the
author did for this book to make sure is portayed an accurate telling of the
Hitler youth and of Nazi Germany. She also has an extensive bibliography at the
end of the book so the reader can see exactly where she retrieved her
information. That is very important in a book like this. Even though I knew
quite a lot about the events surrounding the Holocaust, it is still chilling to
realize a nation can commit mass genocide against some of their own. It’s truly
unbelievable. One of my favorite parts that I did not know occurred right after
the war was over. The American soldiers took the Hitler youth to visit the
liberated Dachau
death camp. One of the Hitler youth realized those “rumors” of using
crematoriums to exterminate the Jews, was no rumor. Those memories will live
with the Hitler youth forever. Because of the great historical knowledge and
accuracy in this book, it would be great to use with social studies’ classes on
lessons related to WWII or the Holocaust, etc. Even though it was a sad time in
history, Bartoletti does the Jewish people some justice by telling the truth in
her pictures and with her words.
Professional Review:
“Gr 5-8-- Hitler's plans for the future of Germany relied
significantly on its young people, and this excellent history shows how he
attempted to carry out his mission with the establishment of the Hitler Youth, or Hitlerjugend, in 1926. With a
focus on the years between 1933 and the end of the war in 1945, Bartoletti
explains the roles that millions of boys and girls unwittingly played in the
horrors of the Third Reich. The book is structured around 12 young individuals
and their experiences, which clearly demonstrate how they were victims of
leaders who took advantage of their innocence and enthusiasm for evil means.
Their stories evolve from patriotic devotion to Hitler
and zeal to join, to doubt, confusion, and disillusion. (An epilogue adds a
powerful what-became-of-them relevance.) The large period photographs are a
primary component and they include Nazi propaganda showing happy and healthy
teens as well as the reality of concentration camps and young people with large
guns. The final chapter superbly summarizes the weighty significance of this
part of the 20th century and challenges young readers to prevent history from
repeating itself. Bartoletti lets many of the subjects' words, emotions, and
deeds speak for themselves, bringing them together clearly to tell this story
unlike anyone else has.”
Review Reference:
Medlar, A., Jones, T. E., Toth, L.,
Charnizon, M., Grabarek, D., & Raben, D. (2005, June 1).
[Review
of the book Hitler youth: Growing up in
Hitler’s shadow, by S. C. Bartoletti].
School Library Journal, 51(6), 174.
Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Library Uses:
Focus ages: grades 7-12
This book would be a great addition to a display on the
Holocaust or in a grouping of “Historical Events.”
This book would be a great curriculum supplement in social
studies’ classes when they study wars, genocide, Hitler, or WWII. The librarian
could highlight some sections when the students come into the library for
research or she could do a quick book talk on it in their English classes.
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