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

Paul paul_ at igc.org
Thu Apr 21 10:36:32 PDT 2005


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.



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