Hitler Youth: Chapters 5–6

by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
This nonfiction work tells the story of the Hilterjugend — a group of German youths who were indoctrinated with Nazi policies and beliefs, making them an important part of the Nazi's World War II efforts.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Introduction–Chapter 2, Chapters 3–4, Chapters 5–6, Chapters 7–8, Chapter 9–Epilogue
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. paltry
    contemptibly small in amount or size
    He told the class how, in 1919, Britain, France, Italy, and the United States hammered out a peace treaty that dealt harsh terms to Germany: The Treaty of Versailles limited Germany’s once great military machine to a
 paltry 100,000 soldiers.
  2. rail
    complain bitterly
    Henry’s teacher railed against the enormous reparation payments, telling the students that it would take Germany at least three generations to pay off the debt.
  3. compulsory
    required by rule
    Three years later, after war broke out, the labor service was increased to one year and became compulsory for both boys and girls.
  4. lament
    regret strongly
    Quiet by nature, she lamented the lack of privacy in the dormitory she shared with ten other girls.
  5. condone
    excuse, overlook, or make allowances for
    In the evening, “I often have to shut my ears to their gossip. If I join in, I feel as though I’m condoning them and I feel bad.”
  6. camaraderie
    the quality of affording easy familiarity and sociability
    They also believed camp life fostered a sense of camaraderie among young people from all classes, since rich and poor alike lived side by side, performing the same manual labor and sharing rations.
  7. regime
    the governing authority of a political unit
    Work and bread for all was the promise of the Nazi regime when it came to power.
  8. bountiful
    producing in abundance
    With the help of the Hitler Youth and BDM, farmers planted more crops and reaped bountiful harvests.
  9. stimulate
    provide the needed input for
    Hitler also initiated another program to stimulate Germany’s economy and create jobs: He began to rearm Germany.
  10. blatantly
    in a completely obvious manner
    Many world leaders grew worried as Hitler blatantly defied the treaty again and again.
  11. buffer
    a neutral zone between two rival powers
    But the next year, in March 1936, Hitler stationed troops in the Rhineland, the buffer zone between Germany and France.
  12. auxiliary
    functioning in a supporting capacity
    Girls received additional training in air-raid duties and as auxiliary nurses.
  13. reprimand
    rebuke formally
    The Hitler salute was law, and the Patrol Force reprimanded anyone who did not salute properly.
  14. infantry
    an army unit consisting of soldiers who fight on foot
    As part of their duty to serve, the Hitler Youth attended three-week summer infantry camps, intended to prepare them for military life.
  15. reveille
    a signal, usually a bugle call, to get up in the morning
    Morning reveille sounded at six.
  16. calisthenics
    light exercises designed to promote general fitness
    After breakfast they did calisthenics and other physical exercises and played football or other games.
  17. barrack
    a building or group of buildings to house military personnel
    “This isn’t camp life, no sir! It’s military barrack life!” wrote one boy in a letter to his parents.
  18. placard
    a sign posted in a public place
    The two groups recruited heavily, advertising on radio, placards, and posters.
  19. aggression
    violent action that is hostile and usually unprovoked
    To accomplish this, he set out on a policy of aggression. This meant he would use force to get what he wanted.
  20. turret
    a small tower extending above a building
    During the annual Nuremberg party rally, thousands of bright swastika flags were flung from the gabled roofs of old houses and the turrets and gates of stone castles.
  21. hamlet
    a settlement smaller than a town
    They represented nearly every city, town, and hamlet throughout Germany.
  22. homage
    respectful deference
    They rode by train, crowded into open trucks, and traveled by foot to pay homage to their Führer, Adolf Hitler.
  23. artillery
    large but transportable armament
    The German military gave special performances, showing off its tanks, machine guns, naval mine throwers, and other artillery weapons.
  24. maneuver
    a military training exercise
    On signal, they performed military-style parade maneuvers, which they had practiced in their home districts as often as four times a week for more than a year.
  25. impotent
    lacking power or ability
    “I saw all around me looks of impotent hate and clenched fists.”
  26. ghetto
    the restricted quarter of European cities where Jews lived
    Other Jews were relocated behind thick walls and barbed wire in overcrowded city ghettos, created in large cities such as Warsaw and Lodz.
  27. clerical
    appropriate for or engaged in office work
    Boys and girls worked in offices doing clerical work.
  28. requisition
    demand and take for use or service
    In other instances, the Nazis requisitioned the necessary items.
  29. sully
    place under suspicion or cast doubt upon
    When the Hitler Youth collected, most people gave because to refuse could mean a black mark against them. Too many black marks could sully a person’s reputation and even prevent a promotion at work.
  30. denounce
    speak out against
    As the war intensified, the Gestapo arrested people who denounced Hitler, the Nazi Party, or the war.
  31. undermine
    weaken or impair, especially gradually
    The Nazis called such criticisms the “intentional undermining of the will to fight.”
  32. scourge
    something causing misery or death
    Sophie’s father, Robert Scholl, was arrested after an employee overheard him call Hitler “a great scourge of God.”
  33. derogatory
    expressive of low opinion
    They reported teachers, priests, religious leaders, and other adults who made derogatory remarks against the Nazis.
  34. submission
    the act of surrendering power to another
    Hoping to bomb the British into submission, the Nazis increased their attacks on London in a terror campaign dubbed the Blitz.
  35. concede
    admit or acknowledge, often reluctantly
    After several months, Hitler conceded that the British air force was superior to Germany’s, making an invasion of Britain impossible at this time.
  36. adequate
    having the requisite qualities or resources to meet a task
    Without adequate clothing and supplies, they were forced to stop.
  37. flak
    artillery designed to shoot upward at airplanes
    The Flak Helpers, as they were called, attempted to shoot down enemy aircraft during air raids. Already skilled at handling small guns, the boys quickly learned to operate the flak, the larger 88-mm antiaircraft cannon.
  38. shrapnel
    shell containing lead pellets that explodes in flight
    During air raids, the young gunners wore steel helmets to protect them from the razor-sharp shrapnel that rained down as the shells exploded.
  39. audacity
    fearless daring
    Alfons couldn’t believe the officer’s audacity to call Adolf Hitler a mass murderer.
  40. steadfast
    firm and dependable especially in loyalty
    But for now, he remained steadfast in his loyalty.
Created on Thu Aug 25 11:16:02 EDT 2022 (updated Tue Oct 18 11:33:00 EDT 2022)

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