# HAHA, the new pope was a member of the Hitler youth **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 19, 2005, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152 "2005-04-19T23:31:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![uglybeech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/82dd89/32.png) [@uglybeech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglybeech)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152/21 "2005-04-20T02:15:56Z")
Max and Wesley, The Hitler Youth was not the Nazi Party. It was something done _to_ the German children \*by \* the Nazi Party. It’s called indoctrination. The Soviet Union did it too. Give it a rest. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152/22 "2005-04-20T02:17:49Z")
If we’re gonna laugh at the guy, why not point out the fact that Benedict XVI [strongly resembles](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v220/Guinastasia/popesidious.jpg) a certain [_Star Wars_ villain](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v220/Guinastasia/palpypope.jpg)? ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152/23 "2005-04-20T02:17:59Z")
> [@ur8it](#): > > ACTUALLY, it was COMPULSORY. Did you even read the rest of his sentence? > [@Clothahump](#): > > Every kid that age in Germany at that time either joined **or got himself and probably his family shot or sent to the Russian front.** ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152/24 "2005-04-20T02:19:56Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > If we’re gonna laugh at the guy, why not point out the fact that Benedict XVI [strongly resembles](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v220/Guinastasia/popesidious.jpg) a certain [_Star Wars_ villain](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v220/Guinastasia/palpypope.jpg)? Uh, I don’t know about that. Senator Lieberman, on the other hand… ---
**Author:** ![ur8it](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecd19e/32.png) [@ur8it](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ur8it)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152/25 "2005-04-20T02:32:17Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > Did you even read the rest of his sentence? I did, and for the sake of clarity regarding Ratzinger’s membership in the Hitler Youth, HIS membership was COMPULSORY. I’m sure other childrens’ membership in the HY was compulsory as well. And Ratzinger, much to your disappointment I’m sure, didn’t turn in his family or get them shot. **yawWWnn** ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152/26 "2005-04-20T02:33:52Z")
> [@Nicodemus2004](#): > > That is interesting. Is there another source you know of besides the Guardian? Is that one of the National Enquirer type rags in the UK? Thanks for the insight either way. Hardly. The Guardian is not the Star. It’s a real newspaper. If a bit left wing by American standards. That said, I’d like to see a local cite for this 'cause I certainly hadn’t heard anything about it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@The\_Hook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hook)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152/27 "2005-04-20T02:39:42Z")
He was a Hitler jew? :eek: No, wait… Oh. 😛😃 ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152/28 "2005-04-20T02:40:06Z")
I think the point was that the choice _either join or get shot_ kind of means the same thing as compulsory. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152/29 "2005-04-20T02:41:36Z")
> [@betenoir](#): > > Hardly. The Guardian is not the Star. It’s a real newspaper. If a bit left wing by American standards. That said, I’d like to see a local cite for this 'cause I certainly hadn’t heard anything about it. How about CNN? [http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/04/19/ratzinger.profile/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/04/19/ratzinger.profile/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152/30 "2005-04-20T02:45:21Z")
> [@ur8it](#): > > I did, and for the sake of clarity regarding Ratzinger’s membership in the Hitler Youth, HIS membership was COMPULSORY. I’m sure other childrens’ membership in the HY was compulsory as well. And Ratzinger, much to your disappointment I’m sure, didn’t turn in his family or get them shot. > > **yawWWnn** Don’t make yourself an ass. What part of “either joined or got shot” does not imply “compulsory?” On preview, what **thirdwarning** said. ---
**Author:** ![uglybeech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/82dd89/32.png) [@uglybeech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglybeech)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152/31 "2005-04-20T02:50:30Z")
> [@Jenaroph](#): > > Don’t make yourself an ass. What part of “either joined or got shot” does not imply “compulsory?” Hehe, I think I can actually answer this. (Abstractly anyway) If somebody puts a gun to my head an tells me I have to go to, oh say a gathering of the moonies. I haven’t actually “joined” the Moonies have I? ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152/32 "2005-04-20T02:56:18Z")
> [@uglybeech](#): > > Hehe, I think I can actually answer this. (Abstractly anyway) If somebody puts a gun to my head an tells me I have to go to, oh say a gathering of the moonies. I haven’t actually “joined” the Moonies have I? Yeah, but what if someone puts a gun to your head and orders you to **join** the Moonies? This arguing over semantics is rather stupid, considering the actual circumstances are quite clear. ---
**Author:** ![uglybeech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/82dd89/32.png) [@uglybeech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/uglybeech)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152/33 "2005-04-20T03:05:55Z")
> [@Absolute](#): > > This arguing over semantics is rather stupid, considering the actual circumstances are quite clear. It may be stupid, but as a doper I’m not sure I can resist the temptation. Because on the basis of semantics people are slamming the guy. Saying he “joined the Hitler Youth” tends to equate to “joining the Nazi party” in people’s minds. If you put it this way: “as a teenager was forced to go to indoctrination sessions,” IMHO we wouldn’t get quite the number of people willing to implicate him in the Holocaust. It’s all spin I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![ur8it](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecd19e/32.png) [@ur8it](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ur8it)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152/34 "2005-04-20T03:11:32Z")
> [@Jenaroph](#): > > Don’t make yourself an ass. What part of “either joined or got shot” does not imply “compulsory?” The context of the OP IMPLIED Ratzinger “joined” at his own will… just ftr, you ass. ---
**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152/35 "2005-04-20T03:36:35Z")
> [@uglybeech](#): > > It may be stupid, but as a doper I’m not sure I can resist the temptation. Because on the basis of semantics people are slamming the guy. Saying he “joined the Hitler Youth” tends to equate to “joining the Nazi party” in people’s minds. If you put it this way: “as a teenager was forced to go to indoctrination sessions,” IMHO we wouldn’t get quite the number of people willing to implicate him in the Holocaust. It’s all spin I suppose. Well, that’s not so much semantics as ignorance. If someone doesn’t know the difference between the Hitler Youth and the Nazi Party, then I have no problem with educating them on the difference. My complaint about semantics was directed at the people saying things along the the lines of “Well, did he really technically join if he was forced to, or did he just go to the meetings?” That issue strikes me as off-topic - does it really matter what we call it? ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152/36 "2005-04-20T06:14:27Z")
> [@ur8it](#): > > The context of the OP IMPLIED Ratzinger “joined” at his own will… just ftr, you ass. Note that the article referenced by the OP says he was an unwilling participant. Why did you single out and deride **Clothahump** ’s post? He wasn’t the OP, and he was _agreeing_ that it was compulsory. That’s what was asinine on your part. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152/37 "2005-04-20T06:15:51Z")
> [@uglybeech](#): > > Max and Wesley, The Hitler Youth was not the Nazi Party. It was something done _to_ the German children \*by \* the Nazi Party. It’s called indoctrination. The Soviet Union did it too. Give it a rest. Give it a REST? Riiiiight, I’ve been constantly harping on and mocking this issue. Why, I’ve posted, like, ONCE about it, and that post only had SOME disclaimers in it, as opposed to being entirely CONSISTING of disclaimers. Man, I’m a one-trick pony. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152/38 "2005-04-20T06:32:18Z")
> [@Casey1505](#): > > He was forced to do something against his will when he was 14 years old. Sixty four years ago. And even if he willingly joined, he was 14 years old. Surely attitudes don’t change over the course if 64 years. > > HAHA, indeed. That’s comedy gold right there. Gold, Jerry. Gold! > > :dubious: Complete agreement. If I still lived by what I knew and trusted when I was 14, I would have already taken over world power and killed everyone that ever pissed me off. Leaving a world population of me, my dogs, and a deaf/mute nymphomaniac homebrewer that loves to cook and gets turned on by 6’4" blue-eyed blond men. (How’s that for a coincidence to this subject?) 😛 Nope, I think fighting ignorance really is on the downswing here. That or anti-Catholic hatred. But that can’t be right because we’re all for understanding difference in people rather than condemning them for it, right? Hey, **Wesley** , you knew you’d get a lot of responses to your shit stirring, so let me put it back on you. Before April 2005 where was your sneering rage of St Benny XVI (I have to have a personal nickname for Il Papa)? Surely you remember that JP the Deuce formally apologized for inaction during WWII and formally denounced any blame of the Jews being responsible for killing Jesus. Right? Eh, probably not as you just live to bash Catholics. I’m used to it. Douchebag ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152/39 "2005-04-20T11:15:04Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > If we’re gonna laugh at the guy, why not point out the fact that Benedict XVI [strongly resembles](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v220/Guinastasia/popesidious.jpg) a certain [_Star Wars_ villain](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v220/Guinastasia/palpypope.jpg)? Sweet. I’m not the only one who thinks that. This is why I love this message board. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2005, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152/40 "2005-04-20T20:16:26Z")
Nearly every 14-year-old is a very impressionable **damn fool.** (Yes, young Doper, even you!) Even if Ratzinger, now Benedict, wholly believed in the Nazi program at 14, I’m not ready to call him a Nazi. I’m not a Catholic, and I’m usually on the opposite side of any political issue from them. I’m really uncomfortable defending Benedict, but on this issue, I will. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/haha-the-new-pope-was-a-member-of-the-hitler-youth/300152.md?page=3)