German Forces

Young warriors, ?1944.

Bundesarchiv.

Young Hitler Jugend "volunteers" are schooled in the use of the standard Army Gewehr 98K rifle by Heer personnel. The Bundesarchiv reference is not helpful as to date (increasingly the case as the war advanced), but the boys' clothing strongly suggests late-1944 or early 1945. As senior members of the HJ, these boys would almost certainly have received a considerable amount of juvenile-adapted military training in growing up, including firing practice with light, single-shot non-magazine rifles. However, the move to the "98K" signified an advance altogether out of proportion to "soldiers" of their youth. This photo points towards induction into some Volksgrenadier unit or, more likely, the fully-fledged Volksturrm, and playing a part in Hitler's "Twilight of the Gods", of which they probably had little understanding. Best regards, JR.