Adolf Hitler was, without question, one of the most polarizing figures in modern world history. While many German people, at least initially, viewed him as a great and powerful leader who pulled their country from the brink of ruin, many other international powers (i.e. the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China, etc.) saw his actions as those of a corrupt aggressor with dangerous intentions. With that in mind, it might seem difficult to comprehend just how the youth of Germany felt compelled to follow Hitler's ideals and philosophies.
In his "Speech to the German Youth" from 1939, Adolf Hitler attempts to convince young German boys and girls that he fully identifies with their current situations and lives. One means by which he does this is to tell them of the pride felt by elder Germans in viewing the younger generation. He says:
"Germany looks at you with pride...We see in you the promise that our work...bears fruit for our country. We are all gripped with a proud happiness to see in you the fulfillment of our work."
Perhaps more dramatically, Hitler states that the German youth are inextricably linked with his peers by virtue of their being "flesh from our flesh and blood from our blood," joined not only in terms of lineage but also in ideology. As he mentions in this speech, the spirit driving his generation is the very same one that burns within the minds of young Germans.
In his concluding statement, Hitler says that the young people of Germany "cannot be any other way but be bound to us," essentially imploring them to espouse his and the Nazi Party's vision for a unified, strong, and enduring nation.
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