NAZI GERMANY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 August 1940, Page 4

NAZI GERMANY

BASIS OF EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

RADICAL CHANGE EFFECTED.

DR GASCOIGNE'S OBSERVATIONS.

Dr N. H. Gascoigne, of Wellington, is on a visit to Masterton and is a guest at the Catholic Presbytery. In an interview this morning Dr Gascoigne, who visited Germany in 1935, 1937 and 1938, and was private secretary to Archbishop O'Shea on his world-wide tour, touched on some interesting aspects of Nazi Germany in particular concerning education. "Prior to the evolution of Nazism in Germany, the educational system was based on worship of the intellect almost to the exclusion of character and will training,’’ stated Dr Gascoigne. "Under the Nazis the whole system has been radically changed and the cultivation of intellectual values has been subjugated and a stress laid on the intensive building up of character and leadership, with the ideal in view, to quote Hitler, of being ‘as swift as a greyhound, tough as leather, and as strong as Krupps’ steel.’ ” Out of its evil, there were at the same time excellent features which democratic countries could usefully copy. There were: (1), the "Land Year.” On leaving the primary school, at the age of 14, every boy was compelled to spend eight months doing agricultural work in a labour camp. The work entailed draining swamp lands, bringing waste land back into production and road construction. Under the plan, class distinction was eliminated. A labourer's son worked pick in hand with a professional man's son. The dignity of land work was impressed on the German youth, and the drift from the land to the towns, which existed in every country, particularly New Zealand, was stemmed. (2), The “Agricultural Year.’’

The secondary school students did similar work to that done under the land scheme. (3) The German Youth in the 18-19 age group had to carry out a year’s compulsory service under the “Land Year” scheme. Work of national importance, including road construction and forestry work, was carried out under military discipline. The education of the German Youth was finished off by two years’ military service, the youth having reached man's estate.

The Hitler Youth movement was divided into two sections, said Dr Gascoigne. From 10 to 15 years a boy was a member of the “Jungvolk,” and from 15 to 18 years, a member of the Youth movement. Domestic science and housecrafts were the basis of the education of the German girl. In dealing with Germany in general, Dr Gascoigne stated that it was significant that there was little or no unemployment in Germany. The saddest feature of the Nazi regime was the f accthat Hitler had looked to the German"--

Youth for founding a new Germany. The tragedy was that he had captured and inflamed the minds of the young people, who were made to believe that the Nordic and Aryan races were superior to all others. They had been given a pagan outlook on life. Although the Catholic churches were particularly well filled with elderly people, the Nazi persecution was subtle in that the minds of the youth were moulded on a basis which was the antithesis of Christianity. However, the church had its champions in the dark hours in the Bishop of Berlin, Count Von Preysing and Cardinal Faulhaber who had never flinched in the midst of danger in upholding the principles of' Christianity. The Lutheran Church also had its champions.