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Herbert Norkus (July 26, 1916 - January 24, 1932 in Berlin) was a Hitler Youth member who was killed by German Communists. He became a role model and martyr for the Hitler Youth and was widely used in Nazi propaganda.

Background

Born to a working class family in the Tiergarten district of Berlin, Norkus joined the equivalent of the sea scouts of the Hitler Youth organization. He was also reported to have enjoyed playing the piano and drawing. His father had been wounded in World War I, and supposedly had Communist sympathies. The official Nazi biographies of Norkus claimed his father initially opposed his son's Nazi activities but was ultimately converted and became a Nazi too.

Clashes between the Hitler Youth and the Communist Red Front youth movement (Rote Jungfront) were becoming increasingly common as the NSDAP and the German Communist Party struggled for power in the waning days of the Weimar Republic.

Death

On January 24, 1932, Herbert Norkus and other Hitler Youth were distributing leaflets advertising an upcoming Nazi rally. The group was confronted by Communists who stabbed the boy with knives and then fled. Norkus ran to a nearby house for help; a girl named Marie Jobs opened the door, and her mother bent over the body of Norkus, who had collapsed in the corridor, leaving bloody hand prints on the wall where he had tried to pull himself up. Mrs. Jobs rushed Norkus by taxi to Moabit Hospital, where he died shortly after arriving.

"Hitlerjunge Quex"

Writer Karl Aloys Schenzinger made Norkus into a role model for the Hitler Youth in the popular Nazi novel Der Hitlerjunge Quex (1932). In 1933, it was made into a film directed by Hans Steinhoff with Heinrich George in a leading role as the boy's father. The novel was required reading for all members of the Hitler Youth.

Honors

A German Navy school ship called the Herbert Norkus was named in his honor. Many schools, streets, and squares were also named for him during the Nazi period.

External links

The History Place - Hitler Youth

References

Arnold Littmann: Herbert Norkus und die Hitlerjungen vom Beußelkietz. Berlin: Steuben. 1934.
Hermann Gerstmayer (Hsrg.): Herbert Norkus, der Hitlerjunge. Berlin: Neues Verlagshaus für Volksliteratur. 1934.
Rudolf Ramlow: Herbert Norkus? - hier! Opfer und Sieg der Hitler-Jugend. Stuttgart u.a.: Union Deutsche Verlagsgesellschaft. 1933.
Wolfgang Schwarz: Kameradschaft Herbert Norkus. Breslau: Handel. 1934.
Artur Axmann: "Das kann doch nicht das Ende sein." Hitlers letzter Reichsjugendführer erinnert sich. Koblenz: Bublies. 1995. (Norkus gehörte zu Axmanns Gefolgschaft in Berlin) ISBN 3-926584-33-5

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-'''Herbert Norkus''' (July 26, 1916 - January 24, 1932 in [[Berlin]]) was a [[Hitler Youth]] member who was accidently killed. He became a model and martyr for the Hitler Youth and was widely used in [[Nazism|Nazi]] [[propaganda]].
+'''Herbert Norkus''' (July 26, 1916 - January 24, 1932 in [[Berlin]]) was a [[Hitler Youth]] member who was killed by [[Communist Party of Germany|German Communist]]s. He became a role model and [[martyr]] for the Hitler Youth and was widely used in [[Nazism|Nazi]] [[propaganda]].
 == Background ==
-Born to a [[working class]] family in [[Tiergarten]] district, [[Berlin]], Norkus joined the sea group of the Hitler Youth. He was also reported to have enjoyed playing the piano and drawing. His father had been wounded in [[World War I]] and in historical writing has been cited as both a committed National Socialist or as a Communist. The later Nazi characterization of his father emphasized a claimed initial opposition to the boy's Nazi loyalties.
+Born to a [[working class]] family in the [[Tiergarten]] district of [[Berlin]], Norkus joined the equivalent of the [[sea scouts]] of the Hitler Youth organization. He was also reported to have enjoyed playing the piano and drawing. His father had been wounded in [[World War I]], and supposedly had Communist sympathies. The official Nazi biographies of Norkus claimed his father initially opposed his son's Nazi activities but was ultimately converted and became a Nazi too.
-Clashes between the Hitler Youth and the Communist [[Rotfrontkämpferbund|Red Front]] youth movement were becoming increasingly common as the NSDAP and the German Communist Party struggled for power.
+Clashes between the Hitler Youth and the Communist [[Rotfrontkämpferbund|Red Front]] youth movement (Rote Jungfront) were becoming increasingly common as the NSDAP and the German Communist Party struggled for power in the waning days of the [[Weimar Republic]].
 == Death ==
-On January 24, 1932, Herbert Norkus and other Hitler Youth were distributing leaflets advertising an upcoming Nazi meeting. The group was confronted by Communists and fled. However, Norkus fell and was injured by his own knife. He ran to a nearby house for help;  a girl named Marie Jobs opened the door, and her mother bent over the body of Norkus, who had collapsed in the corridor, leaving bloody hand prints on the wall where he had tried to pull himself up. Mrs. Jobs rushed Norkus by taxi to Moabit Hospital, where he died shortly after arriving.
+On January 24, 1932, Herbert Norkus and other Hitler Youth were distributing leaflets advertising an upcoming Nazi rally. The group was confronted by Communists who stabbed the boy with knives and then fled. Norkus ran to a nearby house for help;  a girl named Marie Jobs opened the door, and her mother bent over the body of Norkus, who had collapsed in the corridor, leaving bloody hand prints on the wall where he had tried to pull himself up. Mrs. Jobs rushed Norkus by taxi to Moabit Hospital, where he died shortly after arriving.
 == "Hitlerjunge Quex" ==
-Writer [[Karl Aloys Schenzinger]] made Norkus into a propaganda model in the popular Nazi book ''[[Hitlerjunge Quex|Der Hitlerjunge Quex]]'' (1932), which in 1933 also became a film directed by [[Hans Steinhoff]] with [[Heinrich George]]. It was required reading for all members of the Hitler Youth.
+Writer [[Karl Aloys Schenzinger]] made Norkus into a [[role model]] for the Hitler Youth in the popular Nazi novel ''[[Hitlerjunge Quex|Der Hitlerjunge Quex]]'' (1932). In 1933, it was made into a film directed by [[Hans Steinhoff]] with [[Heinrich George]] in a leading role as the boy's father. The novel was required reading for all members of the Hitler Youth.
 == Honors ==