Hitler's Baby Division

tradition of the Hitler Youth will find its ultimate expression. That is the reason
why all German youths direct their attention to this unit, to you; that is why you
must embody the virtues inherent in the best of Germany's youth. So, we expect
you to be idealistic, selfless, courageous and loyal!
Himmler was less hortatory and more candid:
Since the years of struggle, throughout the years of growth before the war and
during the war years themselves, a tie of particular intimacy and inner
fellowship bound the Hitler Youth and SS together. Not only the time of struggle,
the combat of fists, but much more, the battle of spirits and hearts for our
eternal Germany has brought us together and will forever unite us. Now during
the war ten thousands of Hitler youths have volunteered for the Waffen SS; they
have fought honorably and creditably; many of them became casualties. The class
of 1925 participated in the great Battle of Kharkov courageously and
successfully. It can be said in all candor that half of the Waffen SS divisions
which reconquered Kharkov were volunteers from the classes 1924 to 1925 For
all of them this difficult battle was the first taste of combat....In these weeks
when the sacrifice of Stalingrad was on every one's mind, when the Russians
mounted massive attacks, your Youth Leader made the decision to offer to the
Führer the best young boys of the new class for a new Waffen SS division. The
Führer agreed happily. After eight years of training in the Hitler Youth, you have
now assembled in your Waffen SS uniform with your old HJ armband. For four
weeks you have lived together, worked together, trained together and prepared
for military service. Today the National Youth Leader has released you from the
Hitler Youth and presented you to the Waffen SS. Now, in your new Waffen SS
uniforms, you will go home on a fourteen-day furlough (stormy applause),.
After a few months in SS barracks you will enter a great formation, an SS
Panzergrenadier Division. You will then train some more, loose many drops of
sweat in order to save drops of blood and finally will march alongside your sister
division, the Body Guard SS Adolf Hitler. You will carry the name which the
Führer gave you: SS Panzergrenadier Division “Hitler Youth.” 21
FORMATION, MILITARY TRAINING, AND INDOCTRINATION
16