The Nazis' Mistake

Throughout history it has been common knowledge that teens have a rebellious nature. However when it comes to the time between the world wars, there seems to be a split between the common rebellions and those taken against the Nazis. Such actions taken against the Nazis were done by the groups known as the Swing Youth (also known as the Swing Kids or Swing Hoppers.)


"From a paper of the 'Youth Guidance' office:"

"The members of the Swing Youth oppose today's Germany and its police, the Party and its policy, the Hilterjugend, work and military service, and are opposed, or at least indifferent, to the ongoing war. They see the mechanisms of National Socialism as a "mass obligation." The greatest adventure of all times leaves them indifferent; much to the contrary, they long for everything that is not German, but English."

When Germany changed their government to fascist ideals they started to ban anything to do with self expression such as jazz, swing dancing, anything that would make a person independent. The reason for this is claimed to be because such things were made by the blacks and Jews, but the truth was they wanted everyone to be just like one another, having the same music, same ideas. In any time period such restriction would most certainly stir up some rebels. The most well known rebellious group were the Swing Youth.

The Swing Youth were a group of people, mainly teenagers, who loved swing dance and jazz music and based their ideal styles off British and American styles. Their lives were for self-expression and they wouldn't allow the Nazis to stop them. One way they continued to be themselves were through secret underground swing clubs where many would come to dance and express themselves.

The Swing Youth chose nonviolent ways to rebel against the Germans. For instance they would say "Swing Heil" instead of "Sieg Heil" or they would continue to have swing dances even after being caught. They would also grow their hair out as a way of defiance.

The Nazis were trying to isolate the people from international movements, as a result, they cracked down even harder on the Swing Youth. Punishment for being caught in the underground swing clubs ranged from having their hair cut and being sent back to school, to being sent to concentration camps where they were beaten and forced to do hard labor. Having their leaders put in concentration camps only made the teens rebel more.

"My judgement is that the whole evil must be radically exterminated now. I cannot but see that we have taken only half measures. All ringleaders (...) are in a concentration camp to be re-educated (...) detention in concentration camp for these youth must be longer, 2-3 years (...) it is only through the utmost brutality that we will be able to avert the dangerous spread of tendencies, in these times where Germany fights for its survival. (Heinrich Himmler [head of Gestapo])"

Rebellion in teens is the natural need to be different and independent. The more a teen is suppressed and controlled the more the teen rebels against the system. At each transition of teenage growth, parents shake their heads at the rebellious actions of their teens. As long as the behavior is not hurtful, parents tend to allow teens to be unique and to express themselves. The Nazis had a powerful need to control people, and the more they fought to control the teens and force them into submission, the more the teens rebelled against the Nazis. It created a battle ground inside their own country. From the Nazi's wanting a tight grip on the Swing Youth, they started a new battle ground that took energy away from the movement of tight control. If the Nazis had taken the time to reason with the Swing Youth and their ideals, they could have come up with a better tactic than force. Thank goodness they failed.