Jungens wollen zur See

"Wer zur See nichts gilt, gilt nichts in der Welt." This text opens the film JUNGENS WOLLEN ZUR SEE. "Englands Vorherrschaft ist vorbei, auch andere Volker haben als seefahrende Nationen ihr Recht auf das Weltmeer angemeldet. Darum erziehen wir unsere Jugend zur Seefahrt." Falangist, fascist, and national-socialist youngsters are being trained to take part in the naval war-machine. the first part of the film shows Spanish youths carrying out a feigned invasion. The boys jump out of their boats and crawl armed onto the beach. The second part introduces young recruits of the Italian Navy School, who drill patrolling in training camps. In the third part we see a training of the Marine Hitler Jugend at the Reichs Seesportschule. They carry out their orders in blind obedience. The boys parade in single file, practise climbing rope ladders, making sailor's knots, and have rowing races. At the end of the film the link is made - by means of a striking editing sequence - between a rowing race of the Hitler Jugend and onrushing war-ships. The commentary is: "Das Spiel wird Ernst." Made under the auspices of the Nazi-authorities, this film is overtly political and propagandistic, both in content and presentation. A typical example of the commentary dominating the images is when Hitler Jugend boys are climbing rope ladders on sand: "Die Sehnsucht des Knabenherzens im Meer." Another example is the series of close-ups of Hitler Jugend members tying sailor's knots with the following commentary: "Unser Jungs strahlt die alte Hansestolz."