[lbo-talk] Heidegger and Ratzinger....oh freude, freude

[Paul]

When it comes to slavery, colonialism, Nazism, etc, I am always cautious 
about the sweeping statements made regarding the "climate of the 
times".  When one examines the historical record closely, one often finds 
that things were more mixed: that there were dissenters, or the "system" 
was less compulsory than made out -- and thus that there was *some* more 
personal choice and responsibility than people today wish to 
recognize.  [Not always, and I am certainly not thinking of specifically 
Chris' family or the Ratzinger case.  And historical responsibility is very 
very different than personal guilt.  And, of course, the responsibility for 
youth's choices rest at least in good part with the parents.]

So for example the U.S., French, and Italian media that I have seen all 
simply say: EVERYONE had to join the Nazi Youth.  But, in fact, it depends. 
It may, or may not be exactly true for the when Ratzinger turned 13 (1940) 
but I know for a fact it was not true for those just a year or two older.

When the Nazis took power in 1932 some 5% of youth belonged to the Nazi 
Youth.  By 1936 a bit over half *chose* to be members...so, of course, a 
bit less than half *chose* not to be members.  [see for example 
Encyclopedia Brittanica 
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?tocId=9040609].   The same year, 
membership WAS declared universal with implementation beginning the 
following year but never entirely completed.  By the beginning of the war 
some 10% did NOT belong to the Nazi Youth and I have met some of these 
whose families desisted (no doubt some of this 10% also simply fell through 
the cracks, for example on remote farms).  They were given a  hard time by 
their peers (and sometimes longed to join) but there were NO arrests if the 
family was not otherwise compromised.  After 1939 the picture might have 
been different, I don't have any sources - and accuracy is really the issue 
-  but can imagine that things were tighter.

BTW, the Catholic Youth Movement was protected by the 1933 Concordat with 
the Nazis (although after '35 they were not allowed to wear their uniforms 
or play sports in public).  So this would have also been an option 
available to Ratzinger's family.  Some articles refer to his father Joseph 
as a staunch catholic and anti-nazi...but no acts are cited.  He was in a 
seminary school, so one imagines this was an option.

Paul

[I would also feel more reassured if one heard more about his military 
service on the Eastern Front.  So far the dates given (such as Hungary in 
April 1944) *appear* odd.]

Chris D. writes:
>All this means is that both Heidegger and Ratzinger
>lived in Germany in the 1930s and 1940s. Everybody in
>R's age cohort was in the Hitler Youth. My grandfather
>was in the Hitler Youth and my grandmother was in the
>League of German Girls or whatever you called it (she
>was 14 in 1945). It was not voluntary.