Oaths to Hitler

Various organisations in Nazi Germany required their members to swear oaths to Adolf Hitler by name, rather than to the German state or an officeholder.

[8] The oath functioned as intended, forming a moral obstacle for any considering disobeying Hitler's orders or offering resistance to his regime.

[11] The swearing of the oath has been described by German historian and former Hitler Youth member Hermann Graml as part of the "cult-like" nature of the organisation key to attracting recruits.

[12] Like the German armed forces and civil servants, foreign volunteers and conscripts from Nazi puppet states, and occupied countries, were required to swear an oath of personal loyalty and obedience to Hitler.

[13] The requirement could be a source of political friction in contingents which had been promised a high degree of national autonomy.

Significant unrest took place among Flemish volunteers in the SS Assault Brigade "Langemarck", for example, which was required to swear an oath of allegiance in November 1943.

I fully acknowledge that any objection to the obligations hereby accepted will lead to my punishment by the German Military Authorities.