R & A No. 3113.7 / Principal Nazi Organizations Involved in the ...

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3. History» The Nazi youth movement was founded as early
as 1922 as the so-called Junendbund der NSDAP (Youth League
of the Party) „ The name "Hitler Youth" was coined by
Streicher in 1925. In 1926, It became a junior branch of
the SA. In October 1931, Hitler appointed Baldur von Schi-
rach, then leader of the National Socialist Students
League, as Reich Youth Leader ?R^i£h^iu£endf{^r) of the
NSDAP. On 13 Bay 1932, after it had been formed by the
Reich Government,the HJ severed connections with the SA.
Its membership was then loss than 100,000, far below that
of other youth organizations.
On 17 June 1933 von Schirach was appointed Youth
Leader of the Party for the German Reich and all other
youth groups in Germany were put under his control.
Despite the fact that German h*d strongly organized into
A „Hnn^ fbv confession, political party,
a variety of organizations \vj cuxno
.«4,QHonB were either prohitited or
etc), these youth organizations were
Gradually absorbed into the HJ. By 1 December 1934, the
HJ was declared S^tsju^ (Government-sponsored Youth);
by that time its total membership was six million.
The decree of 1 December 1936, although it established
the Hitler Youth us the only legal youth organization in
* * nvflHT service obligatory for German
Germany, did not make HJ servx»
i*.^ inntarv. Although enormous
youth. Membership remained voluntary, w
*. A w i-he Party to induce German youth,
pressure was exerted by the party
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