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submitted 5 months ago by to c/atheistmemes@lemmy.world
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[–] 6 points 5 months ago (4 children)

When? Looks like John Paul? Or is it that Nazi Pope Benedict? (he was in the nazi youth, maybe not his fault you didn't not join the youth organization I'm sure.)

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  • [–] 14 points 5 months ago

    From Benedict's Wikipedia article:

    Wartime and ordination

    Ratzinger's family, especially his father, bitterly resented the Nazis, and his father's opposition to Nazism resulted in demotions and harassment of the family. Following his 14th birthday in 1941, Ratzinger was conscripted into the Hitler Youth – as membership was required by law for all 14-year-old German boys after March 1939 – but was an unenthusiastic member who refused to attend meetings, according to his brother. In 1941, one of Ratzinger's cousins, a 14-year-old boy with Down syndrome, was taken away by the Nazi regime and murdered during the Aktion T4 campaign of Nazi eugenics. In 1943, while still in seminary, he was drafted into the German anti-aircraft corps as Luftwaffenhelfer. Ratzinger then trained in the German infantry. As the Allied front drew closer to his post in 1945, he deserted back to his family's home in Traunstein after his unit had ceased to exist, just as American troops established a headquarters in the Ratzinger household. As a German soldier, he was interned in US prisoner of war camps, first in Neu-Ulm, then at Fliegerhorst ("military airfield") Bad Aibling (shortly to be repurposed as Bad Aibling Station) where he was at the time of Victory in Europe Day, and released on 19 June 1945.

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  • [–] 4 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    yeah, you don't exactly choose to join youth orgs. your parents choose for you.

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  • [–] 3 points 5 months ago

    The youth organizations would often accuse like teachers, and others, and they could be grabbed, tortured, concentration camped. Before they fleshed out concentration camps they had something sort of like them, regional centers they would take the opposition, others of any type, and interrogate and torture and murder. Really nasty details, they had torture implements made just for certain tortures.

    But these youth were not only liable to inform, or accuse people; they were also worthless in the work force. The entire Nazi war machine was running on people that didn't grow up under the nazis, as they were incapable of a great many things that were needed, not the least the engineering and science and logistics, and the military itself.

    In the desparate days after the allies and russians were both rushing towards germany, they sent some of these hitler youth brigades fitted out for war against the allies. They rushed in with no real plan, got pointlessly wiped out almost to a man with no effect, completely useless in war, although brave in sacrificing themselves for their great all powerful leader that got them into that position.

    Hard to believe putting one asshole in absolute power to rule on scapegoating others for problems didn't work out. So hard to believe we are going to give it another go!

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