Comments on: The Daily Agenda for Saturday, September 22

By: ebohlman

ebohlman — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 12:16:14 +0000

Sipple was a “former Marine” or a “retired Marine”, not an “ex-Marine”. The latter refers to someone who was kicked out of the Corps.

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 20:41:11 +0000

Btw, TampaZeke, Germany recently abolished conscription. Even before, the service obligation hadn’t been two years since some time during the Cold War. I think it was slightly below a year at the end.

By: Steve

Steve — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 20:38:54 +0000

The Nazis had extremely restrictive gender roles. They also kicked women out of leaderships positions at universities for example.

But there was a separate youth organization for girls that was organized along similar lines as the Hitler Youth, just without the paramilitary focus. Membership was mandatory too from 1936 on. At least a year of service as a worker was mandatory as well (for example on farms). And later on girls served in the military in anti-aircraft artillery and other support units.

By: J. Peron

J. Peron — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 19:03:53 +0000

It should be noted that another White Rose member, Josef Soehngren was also gay. Soehngren provided a secret meeting place for the group, the basement of his bookstore. He is also believed to have provided them with a copy of a banned book, The White Rose by B. Traven, from which it is believed the group took their name.

Hans Scholl went to his death protecting Soehngren. On the day of his execution, he was was visited by his father, and he sent out message of love to his family and to Soehngren.

Soehngren was one of the very religious members of the group—most were no more religious than average and some less so—and conflicted about being gay because of his Catholicism. Scholl himself seems deeply conflicted because of the previous arrest, an incident that scared him and Sophie deeply.

By: TampaZeke

TampaZeke — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 13:51:34 +0000

Correction: Not ALL German children joined the Hitler Youth. Only MALE children were forced to join just like only males were drafted into the Nazi military and just like only males are forced to join the German military for two years today. Funny that, in a country and continent that prides itself on gender equality.