Baldur von Schirach
The fanatical architect of the Hitler Youth, he molded a generation of German children into loyal Nazis before ruling a plundered Vienna.
1907–1974 (age 67)·German Nazi politician·Birthday: May 9·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Baldur von Schirach was not a battlefield commander but an ideologue of profound consequence. Born into aristocracy, he found his purpose in the fervent nationalism of the nascent Nazi Party, becoming a devoted follower of Hitler while still a young man. His true impact began in 1931 when he was appointed head of the Hitler Youth. With chilling efficiency, he transformed the organization from a minor party group into a massive, state-mandated machine. He indoctrinated millions of boys and girls, replacing family, faith, and education with loyalty to the Führer and preparation for war. In 1940, he was rewarded with the post of Gauleiter of Vienna, where he oversaw the deportation of the city's Jewish population to concentration camps. At the Nuremberg Trials, he presented himself as an apolitical youth leader, but the evidence of his active role in the Nazi regime was overwhelming. His legacy is the dark art of corrupting youth for political ends.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Baldur was born in 1907, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Baldur Was Born
The biggest hits of 1907
Baldur's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1907Born
Financial panic grips Wall Street
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1912Started school
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1920Became a teenager
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1923Could drive
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1925Could vote
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1928Turned 21
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1937Turned 30
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1947Turned 40
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1957Turned 50
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1967Turned 60
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1974Died at 67
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
Key Achievements
- He expanded the Hitler Youth from fewer than 100,000 members to a compulsory organization encompassing nearly all German youth by 1939.
- As Gauleiter of Vienna, he was responsible for the deportation of over 185,000 Jews from the city to ghettos and camps in the East.
- He was found guilty of crimes against humanity at the Nuremberg Trials and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
- He authored several books and poems promoting Nazi ideology and the cult of Adolf Hitler.
Did You Know?
He was born into a family of American and German heritage; his maternal grandmother was from the United States.
He claimed to have been unaware of the extermination camps, a defense rejected by the Nuremberg tribunal.
He served his full 20-year sentence in Spandau Prison and was released in 1966.
His son, Richard von Schirach, became a well-known German author and historian, often writing about the burden of his father's legacy.
“He who serves the Führer serves Germany, and he who serves Germany serves God.”
