Youthful rebels killed for daring to stand up to Hitler’s brutal regime

SICK of seeing the Hitler Youth corrupt Germany’s young people, the Edelweiss Pirates fought back, writes Craig Campbell.

The teenagers avoided becoming part of the Nazis’ groups by leaving school at 14. They would gather at street corners, defy restrictions on free movement and generally make a mockery of the Hitler Youth.

On October 25, 1944, Heinrich Himmler decided he’d had enough and decided to crush them.

Thirteen people, mainly teenagers, were hanged in Cologne.

However, if the Nazis thought such despicable behaviour would terrify other German youngsters into submission, they were wrong.

Driven underground, the Pirates continued to cause mayhem in any way they could.

Following the end of the war, it emerged the Edelweiss Pirates were not very pro-Allies.

Some groups who described themselves as Edelweiss Pirates attacked Soviets and displaced Poles, so they were no angels.

However, they made many young Germans think twice about joining the Hitler Youth and for that they deserved respect.