Baldur von Schirach

Baldur von Schirach was a prominent Nazi politician in Germany. He served as the national leader of the Hitler Youth from 1931 to 1940. He also acted as the Gauleiter and Reich governor of Vienna from 1940 to 1945. Schirach was a central figure in the Nazi Party's efforts to influence German youth. His actions during the Nazi regime led to his later conviction for crimes against humanity.

Schirach was born in Berlin on May 9, 1907. His father was Carl Baily Norris von Schirach, a retired cavalry captain. His mother, Emma Middleton Lynah Tillou, was American. Because of his mother, Schirach spoke English as his first language. He did not learn to speak German until he was six years old. His family had noble Sorbian origins. Three of his four grandparents were from the United States.

Schirach entered politics at a very young age. He joined the Nazi Party on August 29, 1925. He also joined the Sturmabteilung, or SA, in Weimar that same year. He met Adolf Hitler when he was seventeen. At that time, Schirach was assigned to guard duty during a speech. He was impressed by Hitler's voice. Schirach later became part of Hitler's inner circle. This connection happened partly through his marriage to Henriette Hoffmann. Her father was Heinrich Hoffmann, Hitler's personal photographer.

As a leader, Schirach focused heavily on propaganda and organization. He worked to make the Nazi Party more appealing to the middle class. He was named the national leader of the Hitler Youth in 1931. By 1933, he was the Youth Leader for the entire German Reich. He held responsibility for all youth organizations in the nation. He used speeches, songs, and books to spread Nazi ideas. He even wrote captions for many of Heinrich Hoffmann's photography books.

The Hitler Youth grew into a massive organization under his leadership. In 1936, it was declared the only legal youth organization. Membership became compulsory for children aged 10 and older in March 1939. By that time, the group had almost eight million members. Schirach wanted young people to practice blind obedience and total loyalty. He organized large events like the Reich Youth Day in 1932. This event drew between 50,000 and 70,000 adolescents to Potsdam.

Schirach also held high-ranking administrative positions during the war. In 1940, he was appointed Gauleiter of the Reichsgau Vienna. In this role, he was a virulent antisemite. He was responsible for the deportation of 65,000 Viennese Jews. These people were sent to various Nazi concentration camps in occupied Poland. During the same year, Schirach served as an infantryman in the French Campaign. He was awarded the Iron Cross, 2nd Class, for his military service.

After the war, Schirach faced legal consequences for his actions. He fled Vienna in April 1945 to avoid the advancing Red Army. He eventually surrendered to American forces in Tyrol. He was later tried at the Nuremberg trials. The court convicted him of crimes against humanity. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He served his sentence at Spandau prison until 1966. Schirach died in 1974 at the age of 67.