Summary

Alfons was sworn into the Jungvolk, the junior version of Hitler Youth, in April 1938. The study of Nazi beliefs was considered to be more important than their education of school subjects and membership meant loyalty until death. The Nazis would imprison any parent who tried to prevent his or her child from joining. The children were encouraged to join because they were considered to be superior people who would one day rule the world. Alfons belonged to the drum and fanfare platoon, Fanfarenzug, which performed at every Nazi rally. After only five months, Alfons was chosen to attend the Nuremberg Party Congress, Reichsparteitag, in September of 1938. Alfons recalls the splendor of seeing and hearing Hitler speak and knew that he would be loyal to the Nazi leader for life.

During 1938, Hitler began his takeover of neighboring countries under the guise that the German...