Hitler's Baby Division

Axmann be given inspection rights over division reserves as a mollifier. But
Himmler rejected both of them, telling Berger he understood his wish but
needed him for other things. Axmann's inspection rights were granted. On
the loth Himmler saw Hitler at the Wolf's Lair and discused the project with
him. Three days later he informed Axmann that the plan had made the Fuhrer
happy and that he had authorized immediate commencement of recruiting.
Meanwhile, Hitler had been softened up to consider waiving labor service duty
for HJ Division volunteers. 5
A planning conference was held on February 16 at HJ headquarters in
Berlin, attended by Axmann, Möckel, Schlünder, Berger and two members of
the SS Recruiting Office. They agreed to accept volunteers with a minimum
height of 5’6” with a slight reduction for signal units, tank crews and
motorcycle companies. The only other requirements were that the boys be
capable of waging war and possess the HJ Achievement Medal wherever
possible. RJF representatives thought that 30,000 boys could be made
available. Since most of them had already been examined by HJ doctors,
Recruiting Stations could begin mustering within a month. Those found
suitable would be inducted into WELs for a six-week course and go directly to
the division thereafter. This plan could be followed if Hitler meanwhile decided
to exempt recruits from labor service obligations. The conferees also agreed
that boys who had not yet reached their seventeenth birthday could be
accepted, which would necessitate, however, a special arrangement with OKW
or a Führer decree. Seemingly reluctant to accept HJ insistence on
premilitary training, Berger thought the simplest method would be to
assemble the boys in basic training centers close to the area where the
division was to be formed. In lieu of this, the existing 39 WELs, still staffed
by the SS, with a total capacity of 8,000 would have to be pre emptied
6