Hitler's Baby Division
Hitler's Baby Division 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
temporarily for HJ Division candidates. The latter were to receive uniforms and equipment while in the WEL. 6 During the following day the RJF announced these plans to regional leaders assembled for a regularly scheduled conference in Berlin. Axmann said that the HJ Division, alongside the SS Body Guard, was intended as a "Guard of the Fuhrer." It would be fully motorized, equipped with the heaviest weapons and led mostly by HJ leaders. Boys who became seventeen on June 30 could volunteer. Eagerness for action and enthusiasm should be decisive factors, while parental permission was unnecessary. Recruiters were urged to accept only boys who were physically fit, spiritually alive and those who had exemplary records in the Hitler Youth. Earners of the Achievement Medal and the Marksmanship Medal should receive preference. The recruiting should be done in such a way s to create a vocational balance among peasants, workers, artisans and students. There should also be balance between leaders and rank and file boys. Since the division was not intended to be an elite combat formation, according to Axmann, it indicates that the precedent of Langemarck was circumvented at least on the surface. Axmann further announced that the special WEL courses, another attempt to avoid the Langemarck syndrome, would begin in April and ordered vigorous recruitment to begin immediately. HJ regions were asked to produce their contingents by March is so that SS mustering could be completed fifteen days later. A mere twenty six days were thus allowed to recruit an entire division, a sign of hope and haste produced, no doubt, by extreme pressure from Berger's Recruiting Office. 7 On the afternoon of March 8, while furious recruiting was in progress, Berger ran another planning session in the Main SS Office. It dealt mostly with the difficult problem of getting sufficient NCOs and officers for the 7
- Page 1 and 2: Hitler's Baby Division "The Baby Di
- Page 3 and 4: others. It was in the forefront of
- Page 5: The idea of creating a Waffen SS ar
- Page 9 and 10: shifted to the HJ Division, but Han
- Page 11 and 12: 400 before examinations, since thes
- Page 13 and 14: commander of the division, ordered
- Page 15 and 16: Ziegler. Although the course had to
- Page 17 and 18: Hitler had originally ordered that
- Page 19 and 20: Commander SS Brigadier General Frit
- Page 21 and 22: emphasis had been placed on trainin
- Page 23 and 24: percent of the required vehicles -
- Page 25 and 26: the conquest of Poland he volunteer
- Page 27 and 28: done because the planners believed
- Page 29 and 30: Ludwig (Stabsleiter of Gebiet Schwa
temporarily for HJ <strong>Division</strong> candidates. The latter were to receive uniforms<br />
and equipment while in the WEL. 6<br />
During the following day the RJF announced these plans to regional<br />
leaders assembled for a regularly scheduled conference in Berlin. Axmann<br />
said that the HJ <strong>Division</strong>, alongside the SS Body Guard, was intended as a<br />
"Guard of the Fuhrer." It would be fully motorized, equipped with the heaviest<br />
weapons and led mostly by HJ leaders. Boys who became seventeen on June<br />
30 could volunteer. Eagerness for action and enthusiasm should be decisive<br />
factors, while parental permission was unnecessary. Recruiters were urged<br />
to accept only boys who were physically fit, spiritually alive and those who<br />
had exemplary records in the Hitler Youth. Earners of the Achievement Medal<br />
and the Marksmanship Medal should receive preference. The recruiting should<br />
be done in such a way s to create a vocational balance among peasants,<br />
workers, artisans and students. There should also be balance between<br />
leaders and rank and file boys. Since the division was not intended to be an<br />
elite combat formation, according to Axmann, it indicates that the precedent<br />
of Langemarck was circumvented at least on the surface. Axmann further<br />
announced that the special WEL courses, another attempt to avoid the<br />
Langemarck syndrome, would begin in April and ordered vigorous recruitment<br />
to begin immediately. HJ regions were asked to produce their contingents by<br />
March is so that SS mustering could be completed fifteen days later. A mere<br />
twenty six days were thus allowed to recruit an entire division, a sign of hope<br />
and haste produced, no doubt, by extreme pressure from Berger's Recruiting<br />
Office. 7<br />
On the afternoon of March 8, while furious recruiting was in progress,<br />
Berger ran another planning session in the Main SS Office. It dealt mostly<br />
with the difficult problem of getting sufficient NCOs and officers for the<br />
7
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