Youth groups AGAINST the Nazis

Swing Movement

The swing movement were a group of middle-class German teenagers who opposed the Nazi control of their lives. They showed interest in American music and dance (like the Jitterbug) at nightclubs and bars. They allowed Jews to go to their clubs, breaking the strict segregation laws as well as drinking and publicly talking about sex, which Hitler disagreed with. To deal with them, they closed down the nightclubs that they went to, arrested a few members, and issued handbooks to help the police identify members of the group.

Edelweiss Pirates

The Edelweiss Pirates were a group of working-class teenagers, aged 14-17. They were seen as political opponents to Hitler as they openly opposed Nazi control of their lives. They mocked the Hitler Youth and violently attacked them, had a freer attitude towards sex and helped to shelter army deserters and escaped prisoners. The leaders of the group, 12 teenagers, were rounded up and publicly hanged.

White Rose

The White Rose group were a small group of students at Munich University lead by Hans Scholl, Sophie Scholl and Christoph Probst. They tried to shame people by protesting against the Nazis, urged Germans to sabotage the war effort, and overthrow Hitler. Hans and Sophie were arrested and tortured before being executed for spreading anti-Nazi propaganda and encouraging sedition.