La scuola dei barbari. L'educazione della gioventù nel Terzo Reich

by Erika Mann, Marisa Margara (Translator)

È per me un piacere poter fare a mia volta da mediatore tra lei e il pubblico, introducendo il suo libro ai lettori moralmente e politicamente interessati. Ha un argomento nefando, questo libro: parla con grande padronanza e cognizione di causa dell'educazione nella Germania nazista, di ciò che il nazionalsocialismo intende con il termine educazione. Ma, stranamente, è il contrario di una lettura sgradevole. L'eleganza del suo corruccio e della sua afflizione, il suo intelligente senso del comico, la benevola presa in giro con i quali ammanta la sua riprovazione sono fatti apposta per dissolvere il nostro raccapriccio in allegria. Attraverso se stesso, attraverso il fascino del suo linguaggio e la limpidezza della sua critica con i quali avviluppa l'incresciosa parte documentaria, all'indegno aspetto negativo, falso e malefico oppone a conforto ciò che è positivo e giusto, la ragione, la bontà e l'umanità. (dall'Introduzione di Thomas Mann)

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Education, Germany, War, World War II

207 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1938

About the author

Erika Julia Hedwig Mann was a German actress and writer, the eldest daughter of novelist Thomas Mann and his wife Katia.

Reviews

[Nika]

This book caught my attention because of its author. I was curious to read something by Erika Mann, the daughter of the renowned German writer Thomas Mann.
School for Barbarians, first published in 1938, is a contemporary account of life in Germany under the Nazi regime.
Erika aims to shed light on the education of youth in Nazi Germany. She illustrates how the ideology of National Socialism permeated every aspect of life. Children were the most vulnerable to propaganda because they knew nothing beyond the artificial bubble in which they had lived since birth.
"No German group was more stringently affected by the changes of the dictatorship than the children. An adult German must be first a National Socialist, but he can — by now — be, in the second place, a shopkeeper or a manufacturer, without his shop or factory belonging to the State; but the German child is a Nazi child, and nothing else."

The Nazi regime wanted an entire generation of loyal and submissive subjects who would do everything Hitler demanded of them, so it focused its attention on schools and youth organizations, such as the Hitler Youth and League of German Girls. Using these institutions, they sought to shape the bodies and minds of all "Aryan" children in the Third Reich.
The emphasis was on physical training for both boys and girls. But girls were first and foremost expected to become mothers. Like most totalitarian regimes, the Nazis needed more future soldiers.
The regime's efforts to suppress any signs of opposition and instill racial and supremacist 'values' led to the alienation within the family, as parents were afraid of being denounced by their children.
Teachers in classrooms were also afraid of their students, for 'any bad pupil reprimanded by a conscientious teacher might denounce him for some fantastic crime, merely for “injuring the National Socialist spirit,” or, indeed, for belittling the Führer.'
When your livelihood and even life are at stake, it is not surprising if you see lying low and playing possum as the only way to survive the tough times.
However, the Nazi regime was also fearful of ordinary citizens, who knew the world and how things were before Hitler, because they could teach the young 'pernicious' concepts, such as "freedom", "peace," "truth," and "respect for different opinions." This fear urged the authorities to exert greater control over people's thoughts.

The Nazis used words to falsify history, obfuscate truth, conceal meaning, slander, nurture hatred, dehumanize the other, and confuse the public.
"The break-up of the family is no by-product of the Nazi dictatorship, but part of the job which the regime had to do if it meant to reach its aim — the conquest of the world.
If the world is to go to the Nazis (for no one else, in Hitler’s eyes, is German), the German people must first belong to them. And, for that to be true, they can’t belong to anyone else — neither God, nor their families, nor themselves."
They associated progress with "the conquest of the world," war being a crucial part of this program. The youth had to accept that war was inevitable and that they would have to sacrifice everything for the sake of a "great" Germany, if necessary.

The author highlights the difference between the German Republic, which "refused to influence its citizens one way or the other, or to convince them of the advantages of democracy," and the Third Reich with its pervasive indoctrination. As Erika points out, the fragile German Republic made a mistake in not controlling the education process. On the one hand, this seems quite obvious. On the other hand, that is precisely why we value democracies: they provide choice and freedom of thought, and they do not impose ideology. That said, every government influences its citizens to some extent, for example, through history lessons. The level, methods, and pervasiveness of this influence is what usually makes a qualitative difference, I believe.


To sum up, it was a worthy little book, but the writing style did not resonate with me, and I felt that the author could have expressed her ideas more concisely. For these reasons, I was unsure of a star rating and opted to leave it unrated as I valued the message that this book hammered home.
I found the writing somewhat dated, if "dated" is the right word in this case. For instance, the author's description of her conversation with three boys in the epilogue, two of whom were sent to the US from Germany by their parents in an attempt to shelter them, seemed rather unnatural to me. It felt staged, despite the genuine empathy the whole situation was supposed to evoke.

[Matteo Simoncelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erika Mann, attiva oppositrice del Nazismo insieme al celebre padre e al fratello Klaus, è stata una delle voci tristemente poco ascoltate della Exilliteratur. Nell'instancabile attività divulgativa antifascista rientra questo saggio del 1938, nel quale l'autrice commenta una vasta selezione di materiale indirizzato alla gioventù tedesca di quegli anni, sussidiari, libri di testo e opuscoli propagandistici, accanto a testimonianze dirette di tedeschi che non hanno abbandonato la Germania. La consapevolezza e l'acume critico con cui viene esaminato il materiale è notevole considerato il periodo di pubblicazione, durante il quale l'Europa e gli Stati Uniti erano più preoccupati della minaccia dell'URSS e tendevano a vedere abbastanza di buon occhio il nuovo regime tedesco. L'autrice si preoccupa principalmente dell'educazione dei bambini, ricostruendo con abilità il clima e l'atmosfera in cui sono immersi, analizzando la famiglia, la scuola e le organizzazioni paramilitari come la Hitlerjugend. È impressionante la completa rivoluzione del sistema educativo che il partito nazista è stato in grado di attuare nel giro si pochissimi anni, polverizzando il ruolo del nucleo familiare, reso un luogo del sospetto e della diffidenza, e della scuola, ormai deputata a divulgare l'ideologia di Hitler e a ridurre al minimo la trasmissione del sapere. Sorprendente la connivenza di un corpo insegnante e di uno stuolo di educatori che dall'oggi al domani si sono prestati all'annientamento della cultura, della ragione, dell'obiettività, o forse è sorprendente la paura folle che è stata in grado di tenere in piedi un sistema volto all'isterismo fanatico e alla devozione cieca dei cittadini. I libri quasi non vengono usati più, i contenuti vengono svuotati, tutte le materie sono contaminate dalla politica, dal gergo violento e bellicoso dei nuovi dirigenti, dal fanatismo razzista, dalla paranoia contro i nemici immaginari della Germania; ai bambini si propongono contenuti violenti, inadatti, perversi, si raccontano solo falsità propagandistiche; il sistema valutativo mette all'ultimo posto lo sviluppo intellettuale, mentre le organizzazioni esterne alla scuola assorbono tutto il tempo e l'attenzione al bambino e al ragazzo sottoponendolo a sforzi fisici eccessivi ed educandolo unicamente alla guerra, all'odio e alla lotta. In molti casi gli argomenti discussi suonano ormai familiari, ma mi sono volto a questo testo proprio perché avevo un'idea nebulosa del preciso funzionamento del sistema educativo nazista; probabilmente ci sono anche saggi più completi e aggiornati, ma questo in particolare ha il sapore dell'attualità dato che è stato scritto con un certo anticipo rispetto alla coscienza europea e ha una leggerezza ironica che lo rende leggibile. Il tono è un misto di indignazione, denuncia e scherno; Erika Mann costella l'analisi di sarcasmi e frecciate contro i responsabili di questo scempio senza cadere nell'eccesso e mette a nudo gli uomini meschini che vivono dietro ai gerarchi senza parlare a vanvera, ma usando "voci di corridoio" che corrispondono a realtà. Visto l'argomento questa attitudine è preferibile all'oggettività fredda e non toglie nulla all'uso lucido delle testimonianze. Spesso ricorre a "scenette", cioè interviste immaginarie a bambini e ragazzi tedeschi impegnati nelle attività volute dal regime, che rispondono alle domande nello spirito della nuova educazione; ciò mette in luce la sua profonda conoscenza della Germania e la capacità di penetrazione nei meccanismi del potere nazista e mette tristemente a confronto la libertà di pensiero della "vecchia" Germania intellettuale e la triste limitazione a cui sono costretti i ragazzi di Hitler. Per giunta i presentimenti dell'autrice corrispondono sempre al successivo svolgersi della Storia. Emerge tra l'altro da queste pagine il tasto dolente dell'educazione al di là del contesto storico; le caratteristiche della gioventù sono sempre le stesse e isolarla dalla realtà a scopi di sfruttamento può risultare estremamente facile e utile al potere, qualsiasi sia la schiera politica a cui esso appartiene e qualsiasi siano gli scopi che vuole ottenere; è un monito sulla fragilità della cultura e dell'educazione che risulta inquietante ma necessario; la responsabilità degli adulti in tal senso purtroppo è quasi totale. Lo stile è molto arguto e curato, piacevolissimo a leggersi. La famiglia Mann è una incredibile fucina di talenti.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erika Mann,daughter of the author Thomas Mann wrote this book before the outbreak of the Second Word War after leaving Germany and the Nazi regime.It's a short but informative read about the indoctrination faced by children and young people under Hitler.The whole system was set up to create soldiers and housewives willing to produce children,almost from its inception the Nazis were gearing up for war,to the extent that toy makers complained to the head of the Hitler Youth because kids weren't playing with toys,the Hitler Youth had them playing war games,carrying packs and marching,normal children's games were looked down upon.

In school,maths lessons concerned calculating the distances fired by various weaponry and how many people could fit into air raid shelters of a certain size.History lessons taught of the evil influence of Jewry through the ages.It's the education system of a society run by lunatics!
Well worth a read and available for a low price

[B & A & F · Rating 3 out of 5]

Because I already read a bunch of scholarly works on Nazi German, this book didn’t provide any new information for me. But it should be a good intro reading for someone doesn’t know much on this topic, particularly it is based on personal narratives. Also, if consider the timing of this publication, you have to admit Erika was very insightful of what was coming

[Alex Roitman · Rating 4 out of 5]

החלקים הכי טובים זה האפילוג והפרולוג. אנושי ונוגע. יש יתרונות בניתוח קרוב כל כך לאירוע עצמו אבל קֳשה היה להשתחרר מהתחושה הקריקטורית שבכתיבה. חובבי חקר השואה לא ימצאו שום תובנה חדשה אבל עדיין יש משהו מושך בנאיביות המורבידית של הסםר שהופך אותו למושך.

[Rob Beck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly insightful given that it is a contemporary account. Erica Mann recognised the damage that the education policies of the Nazis were doing to German society with a clarity usually offered by hindsight.

Her first-hand account describes the relentless indoctrination the youth of Germany were exposed to at school and in the effectively compulsory youth groups such as the Hitler Youth and the League of German Maidens. Indoctrination cynically engineered to subvert the influence of family, schools, and religion with the ever present threat of denunciation. Scary stuff that’s occasionally hard to read given the language of the time.

[Max Nemtsov · Rating 5 out of 5]

с первой же строки во многом риторического предисловия папы автора книжка читается как работа о сегодняшней России и никак иначе. на русском онаа существует, какого качества перевод, не знаю.

вроде бы ничего нового, кроме деталей устройства нацистской системы образования и воспитания, но и новое знание тут тоже есть: я не знал, например, что в Третьем райхе продажа своей коллекции марок за рубеж каралась смертной казнью. или что дети всё-таки исподтишка подрывали систему, приветствуя друг друга не "хайль хитлер", а "три литра".

России до этого описываемого рубежа конца 30х годов недалеко уже осталось, а кое в чем она Германию уже и превзошла. разница лишь в том, что в нацистской Германии и Совсоюзе систематическое уничтожение, например, семьи под предлогом ее защиты происходило на митинге и партсобрании + посредством насаждения любви к фюреру и рабского подчинения ему, а в нынешней России оно происходит в бараке, казарме и окопе + посредством насаждения ублюдочных "скреп" и "разговоров о влажном". что, в общем, мало чем отличается. жаль, что подобной книжки, хоть и риторической, как эта, но с обзором и анализом учебников и методичек, насколько мне известно, пока нет о нынешнем росфашистском "образовании" (есть только газетные статьи). хотя достаточно и этой, поскольку все в этих учебниках совпадает буквально до запятой. о совецкой системе я даже не говорю, они с нацистской совершенно идентичны.

[Michael Hutchison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting little book. Although small it is full of information on the purpose of education in Nazi Germany, (to create the political soldier), and any totalitarian state for that matter. Hand in hand with the education of the German children was the structured breakdown of the family unit. The members of the family are alone. Living side by side like strangers or enemies. Afraid of each other lest one turns the other into the Nazi authorities for some infraction. Every member of the family, every person in Germany had to belong to at least one Nazi organization. There was no time for family. The party consumed every waking hour, and every waking hour was filled with indoctrination. The breakup of the family was required for the regime to meet its goal of world conquest. Everything in education had to relate to war, the military, and race. For the children the Fuhrer was everything and the German youth belonged solely to Hitler. Shocking what the Nazis did in the German society on their path to a totalitarian state and total war. The state was breeding soldiers and future mothers to bear them.

[jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erika Mann, the daughter of Thomas Mann, author of The Magic Mountain and an author in her own right details the chilling way that children were educated under the Hitler regime. Chapters on family life, religion, classroom culture and textbooks offer a detailed account, and for me, new information on how an authoritarian region controls its people, starting with the most impressionable.

[Ebookwormy1]

It is fascinating to me that this short book was published in 1938!
Recommended in this article:
https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclu... @ClarkeMicah

For more on Nazi Germany, also see...
Travelers in the Third Reich: The Rise of Fascism, Julia Boyd, 2017
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Susanna Roßbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Klar, thematisch ist "Zehn Millionen Kinder" schon etwas speziell. Ich fand das in der Erstausgabe 1938 (!) erschiene Buch aber sowohl als zeitgeschichtliches Dokument als auch als Sachbuch sehr lesenswert. Und Erika ist mir unter den Manns sowieso die Liebste.

[Maryann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in 1938, the writing style is a bit dated, but the information is very relevant.

[Maxim · Rating 5 out of 5]

wait is this fucking play about us?

[Gili · Rating 3 out of 5]

מבט מענין בזמן אמת של גולה על החינוך ברייך השלישי.
חלקים היו טיפה עמוסים מדי בשבילי בדוגמאות

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating! Not only gives concrete examples of Nazi indoctrination, but also reveals how the Nazi system managed to break-up the German family, using children against their parents. A warning for our own times given the situation with schools forcing social agendas and political dogmas espoused by earnest, but wrongheaded, administrators.

"The German Republic refused to influence its citizens one way or the other, or to convince them of the advantages of democracy... this proves to have been an error; and its atonement has been a terrible one. The State was the people's servant; it served in quiet, believing that its master, the people, would be thankful. But the State was wrong!"

And then there's this: "The whole end of education in a people's State is found by burning into the heart and brain of the youth entrusted to it an instinctive and comprehensive sense of race. It is the duty of a national State to see to it that a history of the world is eventually written in which the question of race shall occupy a predominant position." The sentiment sounds close to the pronouncement we hear nowadays from places such as Yale, Brown, and Berkeley. But this is from the writing of Adolph Hitler.

"Of course none of the 250 Reich Ministers we have had since 1918 (53 of whom were Democrats and 197 Liberals) were without faults; they were not magicians, but at least they were not irresponsible…. Has nothing really been done for Germany’s youth since 1918? The Weimar Constitution contributed nothing save freedom in teaching and scientific research, the promise of uniform training for teaching and scientific research, a State organization for the supervision of schools, the launching of a reorganization of the professional school, the institution of four years of uniform preparation for higher education, the support of students of special talent with limited means, the cancellation of tuition fees and often even of the cost of textbooks. Respect for the opinions of others! Do all these things really, according to the Hitler-Hugenberg Cabinet, deserve to be condemned and done away with?"

This quotation from the Leipzig Teachers Journal appeared one month after Hitler came to power. It was the last expression of courage from the German teachers that reached the public. It also demonstrates the complete unpreparedness of the teachers and their helplessness before what was to take place. They ask blankly whether 'freedom of teaching and science' and 'consideration of the opinions of others' are to be condemned. 'Yes,' comes the answer. 'Of course, they are to be condemned and done away with.' And there is no further effort made by the teachers to save their souls. In 1937, 97% of all teachers belonged to the National Socialist Teachers Union... and as Nazis they cannot be attacked, no matter how they function as teachers.

Mann could be referencing the cowed professoriate today when she writes, "the small heroisms of daily life exhaust any independence or courage left in them".

America should take notice of what is happening to freedom in its schools.

[Smiley III · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book shows — aside from Werner Heisenberg — the perspective of (one would guess) the only German people of Note who could see that, inevitably, the nation-state would be in tatters and doomed to failure. Erika Mann's sense of humor-amidst-the-ridiculousness and empathy-amongst-the-wringing-of-hearts,-mind,-and-souls for the irretrievable tragedy it is: years before the scope of the Death Camps became known, let alone conceived of by Outsiders, it was clear the German Nationalists were gutting their psyches in a power-mad rush to the grave.

(Got that?)

The "fault lines" are laid bare, and shown to be more pervasive in their rotting, than one would guess from mere historical accounts could render: taking us to the "front lines" — as Hitler & his yes-men certainly saw the up-and-coming generation(s) — Mann shows us how low-down and dirty the National Socialists were willing to go.

Echoes of nightmarish school-rituals and media-manipulations abound for any Westerner living in the Post-WWII era — THIS MEANS YOU!!!

(Try listening to Interpol's "The Heinrich Maneuver" before you settle down to this. (Yes, Heinrich was her uncle.) You'll "feel" better!)