Heyes, E. (1993). Children of the Swastika: The Hitler Youth. Brookfield, CT: The Millbrook Press. ISBN: 1562942379
· Plot Summary
Outlining the circumstances that created a foundation for Hitler to take power, and yet explaining how many were horrified by his violence because of the recent events of WWI, this text then builds on that to give an account of he understood that to turn the tide of public sentiment and gain a foothold on Germany, he needed children. Vivid first-hand accounts of the means by which the Hitler developed the Nazi Regime using the children of not only Germany, but its conquered countries, are interspersed with detailed information on the political and social ramifications of the youth activity. No section of life was left untouched by the Hitler Youth, and during the period of WWII, its children were active members of the police force, aids in the resettlement camps, participants in the military, and assistants to the SS. As the book explains, after Germany's surrender, the Hitler Youth were shown evidence of the atrocities committed, but were not held accountable due to their ages. In closing, it points out the similarities between the Nazi Party politics/propaganda, and those used by the Ku Klux Klan today.
· Critical Evaluation
Concise, but comprehensive exposition of the history and programs that enabled the rise of the Hitler Youth machine. A good recounting of the populations involved, the methods used for training, and the extent of power held by the Nazis due to the inclusion of children and young adults in their numbers.
· Reader’s Annotation
Interviews, photos, and other forms of documentation on actual events. Careful consideration of the ramifications of including children in political takeovers and programs.
· Information about the author
Eileen Heyes attended several colleges before graduating from CSU Long Beach with a degree in journalism. A former editor for the Los Angeles Times, Heyes is now a free-lance writer, but still lives in L.A. with her husband and sons. She was an Edgar Award finalist in 2003, and several of her books have been chosen as New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age.
· Genre
Non-Fiction
· Curriculum Ties
History
Psychology
· Booktalking Ideas
Nazi Party politics and propaganda
Effects of brainwashing on the masses
Germany's Aryan ideal and ethnic cleansing
Nuremberg War Crimes Trial
· Reading Level/Interest Age
Grades 7-9/Ages 12-14
· Why did you include this book in the titles you selected?
After reading Someone Named Eva, I was interested in knowing more about the programs created to force children into the service of the Nazi Party, although I was aware that many German children were eager participants because of benefits that came with joining the organization.
