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In 1933 the National Socialists launched a "Revolution of Youth," calling on every "racially pure" German girl to lead an active political life within the League of German Girls (Bund Deutscher Mädel, or BDM). Girls joined the BDM for a sense of belonging and independence. But for most adolescent girls, participation faded as they shied away from the Nazis' pronatalist agenda. That most German women remember the BDM fondly reflects the reality of a group whose appeal lay in its youthful offerings. For those who truly embraced the BDM, however, the fall of the Nazi regime left an indigestible and sullied childhood.
When the National Socialists came to power in 1933, they launched a "Revolution of Youth" that for the first time granted girls both a stake and a role in building Germany's future. They called on every "racially pure" German girl to join the League of German Girls (Bund Deutscher Madel, or BDM), and envisioned an active, political role for girls. The Nazis taught girls the importance of replacing the political and social divisiveness characteristic of the 1920s with a strong, unified Volksgemeinschafl, or national community, to restore the nation's greatness. While the National Socialists won the voluntary membership of thousands of girls even before 1933, they mandated the participation of most girls after 1936. Youth groups taught girls that in Germany's heroic past, the deeds of strong, dedicated men had made the country triumphant. The National Socialists, they were told, were working to revive this splendor; Hitler would lead his VoIk to even greater heights, and his success depended on German girls' enthusiastic participation. Athletics and hiking would help girls develop the healthy, fit bodies the state needed. Through music and service-oriented work within the BDM, Nazi leaders introduced young girls to the broader National Socialist worldview. For older girls and young women, the Nazis placed special emphasis on the girls' responsibilities as mothers of the next generation and as preservers of German culture. The BDM constituted one component of a vast agenda for the Nazi reconstruction of German society.
What was the nature of the "Revolution of Youth" the Nazis launched? What have former BDM members remembered about their experiences? Using interviews conducted with former BDM members, this article explores women's...