Hitler Youth Shirt

Gift of Helen Taulbee, 2004.185.001

Founded in 1922, the Hitler Youth became the sole official youth organization of Germany. They operated as a combination scouting and political group, training boys in traditional scouting activities while also working to politically indoctrinate members with the ideas of the Third Reich. By the end of the war the Hitler Youth was being used as a reserve force to replace lost manpower, and in the final weeks of the war German manpower shortages were so critical that some Hitler Youths were sent straight into combat still wearing their youth organization uniforms, like the one shown here.