I can say from experience, I’ve been hearing — and wincing at — the term “Hitler Youth” or “Nazi Youth” to describe haircuts hipster dudes want here in Austin for awhile now. Apparently its appeal is sweeping the farther reaches of the world at large, and it’s not yielding the most understanding of responses. Jezebel recently ran an article about it, which made my ears perk up, since I usually think my proprietary pricklings are just that, isolated to my occupational bubble. Turns out I’m not alone in the discomfort, but where did this begin?
When you find yourself Google-Image searching through old black and white photos of the young and impressionable minions of the Third Reich, it’s difficult not to want to just back away… run and hide. But when The Inglourious Basterds released in ’09 with several big names making detached 1940s-style chop jobs look ruddy-chic, I didn’t expect people not to follow suit. However, the term has become entirely OK within the confines of the hair world, at least in the small scope I have, in that we seem to regard it as a historical reference. It’s like saying “German Military Issue.” We simply exchange it in order to get a cohesive idea of the haircut a guy wants, and try to not to conjure up the disturbing thoughts that its context implies.
The cut is a disconnected tight fade with a deep side part or the top left so long it folds all the way back. It’s flattering and avant garde at the same time. My client, a well-known musician, just came in yesterday with the above picture for this article as his inspiration. Of course Brad Pitt’s character was playing for the “good guys” but the hairstyles have blended in the blurry hindsight of movies and history. The bottom line is it’s an easy style to wear, especially with the rise of sophisticated ready-to-wear for men. Not everyone wants a pompadour, or to bring in a picture of a celebrity. The term translates, but it just sounds bad.
So, what’s right? Is it OK to have a term that isn’t kid-friendly when we’re describing a trend? Is this the same as people’s hangups with “Navajo” print and “Oriental” girl charms on necklaces? Or is this something universally deeper? Or do we all just need to lighten up?
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Very… flock of seagulls.
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i agree, the name itself is uncomfy. it wasn’t the haircut that tried to take over europe and exterminated countless cultural and religious undesirables based on psychotic politico-social doctrine, but the association is hard to avoid.
all that said, i still think the cut is hawt and i guess i’ll burn in hell for it or whatever.
daisy / 501 posts
It’s similar to everyone calling men’s white, ribbed tanks “wife-beaters”. It’s disgusting and I doubt people even really think about what they are saying when they refer to it.
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I don’t think it’s that terrible of a look. There are far worse hair styles out there lol
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It’s not that bad of a haircut itself. The term is terrible. No way in hell would I walk into a haircutting place and say I want a Hitler Youth haircut. Wtf, bring in a picture or something.
daisy / 727 posts
Well, if you bring in a picture you can avoid calling it by its name haha. I work in a hair salon for guys in California and I have never seen anyone ask for this haircut by name, by picture, or at all. Totally off topic, but I have seen a lot of the high school boys come in asking for the Biebs haircut and it always makes me giggle and I’ve seen people come in asking for Jersey Shore haircuts, too. I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. The name obviously has a negative connotation and for good reason, but if it’s just being used to describe a hairstyle it’s not a big deal.
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I personally love it. Sure the name isn’t the best, but it doesn’t mean they wish to be Nazi’s because they get that haircut..
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I think it’s stupid that being politically incorrect is making a come-back. Sure it’s eaiser to give the haircut a name, but it’s better to describe it. I also think it’s stupid that people will wear something that’s associated with a hate group for fashion.
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i like the look, just not the name.
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I love boys with this haircut. Especially Ash Stymest. HOT.
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I think it looks hot!
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first guy is so hot !
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I think people have the right to raise their eyebrows if someone asks for a “Hitler youth” haircut. I know I would.
Seriously, I know thinking about what you say is, like, totally not cool because the PC police are oversensitive crybabies, but come on people. It’s not THAT hard to think about semantics before you open your mouth.
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Mmm, hot. The name.. not so much.
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Awwwwh yeaaaaah!
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Are you serious? Get over yourselves. Why would you ask for “a disconnected tight fade with a deep side part” when you could say “Hitler youth cut” and have everyone know exactly what you’re talking about? Obsessing over political correctness is what is wrong with our society.
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TThis haircut is SO hot on the right guy. LOVE IT!!
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Lighten up. It looks hot <3
rose / 834 posts
I was thinking more shaved on the side, like the top picture.
Actual neo-nazis shave their heads ritualistically. That’s why they call themselves skinheads.
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It’s insanely flattering. We need to all lighten up. It’s a haircut.
Instead of “Hitler youth”, people could start calling it “Inglorious cut”
((note:sarcasm))
sunflower / 397 posts
@belleorecluses@xanga - Agreed.
OP: Not a good name, but the haircut itself is fine.
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I don’t care what it’s called, it’s fucking hot.
orchid / 109 posts
This hair cut didn’t make me think of nazismous. Bad name…
I know many person with this haircut, uncluding university teachers, my boyfriend (less longer on the top but still this haircut). They are not Nazi at all ! And they don’t look “extreme right” (they are not).
It’s retro, and can be “delicously 19th” if just athe “bang” is just a bit smaller. Or Rock’n roll !
Another “famous” people with this haircut (a Big German far away from nazismus too):
http://perlbal.hi-pi.com/blog-images/22706/gd/1175517349/Till-Lindemann.jpg
(just for the pleasure ^^)
By the way, it’s a nice haircut. I prefer this to “all shaved” GI haircut
(It has been to said : I’m french living near Germany, so it’s a big issue here to speak about nazismus…)
sunflower / 264 posts
..I actually really like it.
sunflower / 396 posts
take away my jew card but I think its smexy
rose / 980 posts
We have to be careful here. It is a touchy subject. I’m sure the hair cutting industry can come up with a more pleasant name.
While I believe 1930/1940s era Germans had a choice in being in the Nazi Party or not, the Hitler Youth program was somehow mandatory for every German youth. They weren’t taught to be nice people exactly, but as with any type of forced program like that many youths would come out without being changed into vile people (though of course many did indeed become vile). Many, many German youth were victims of that program too. Sad. We don’t want to perpetuate anti-German sentiment either. So, it would be nice if someone coined a new friendlier term.
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People have critized emo-culture a lot, because it apparently made it seem cool to cut yourself. Sure liking black eyeliner doesn’t mean you SI or want to.
But I think some uneducated young kids might identfify with a style and a culture so much, that they fully adapt it as their role in society.
What’s next? just setting some syngogues on fire because it’s somethng new, and rebellious…avant-garde, ruddy-chic, and soo sexy and badass? Or a little “euthanasia” for everyone who is not productive? Oh no, people should just get over themselves, right? It’s not so bad. That’s what they said in the 1930′s too.
That it’s inspired by inglorious basterds more precisely by Leonardo Di Caprio’s role, doesn’t make it better. Following the movie it should be called the Elite-Jew style or something, Hans Landa’s style should be the Nazi haircut.
They obviously just picked the term, because they think it’s cool and “refreshing” to do what people don’t expect and take this badass word Nazi, and present it as something positive.
That is a disgusting and ignorant attitude. The Nazis still exists. Not only the old people in Germany who actually shot people in concentration camps, or deported them. Also the network of neo-Nazis who beat black people and un-aryan immigrants to death, and spray swastikas every few meters. And they don’t just exist in Germany. The might feel “offended”… but also might feel glorified.
And the whole term could make it seem an acceptable bad-boy attitude to young people.
I can’t predict the consequences for sure…but I am more shocked by the fact that people are already at the point to pick such a ter for said (and unaccepatble) reasons.
call me a party pooper or whatever.
But ignorance and longing for a sense of “being special” are decisive factors that made the holocaust possible.
The hair cut looks good, the term is SO ignorant. It’s not cool. It doesn’t suit the style. I wouldn’t want to get a hair cut like that if it is known by this name.
daisy / 507 posts
No matter what the name is as long as it looks good (: (:
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nazi…bullfeathers
a few years ago, skinhead was called a nazi thing. my granddad had the same haircut back in the 1920′s & ’30′s.
check out Shemp of the 3 Stooges
or Jimmy Cagney.
or any other celeb of that time.
in fact, this kinda haircut is the origin of the comb-over
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i think its very edward scissorhands.
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@Nele - Do you really believe Till Lindemann isn’t prejudice? Do you understand the lyrics in his music or are you in denial? You can’t tell me that a band that has so many Nazi/Hitler/Third Reich influences isn’t even a little bit prejudice.
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@movealongnow@xanga - I’m sure a good hairstylist would know what you’re talking about when you say, “a disconnected tight fade with a deep side part”. If not, then you need a better stylist. Besides, who are YOU to complain about people having a problem with the name? Just because you don’t have a problem with it doesn’t mean other people should follow suit.
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can i help my hear does this at times??
orchid / 109 posts
@under_the_carpet@xanga - totally agree with you too. In Europe, we have a problem with the rise of extreme right politics. In France, Spain, Norway and also Germany where “Nazismus Unterground” group just killed ten people (including a cope) because they were not “true german” (aka immigrants or sons of immigrants).
It’s a big deal, that has nothing to do with stereotypes or haircuts, or willing to be “cool”. It’s a real problem that we try to struggle with.
That nerves me out when people are spreading false informations or rumours or even “trends” that are so prejudicable for … well for humanity !
orchid / 109 posts
@theflowerstem@xanga - Rammstein
is definitly NOT a nazi group.I speak german. I’m not in denial. Find
me a song where they speak about it, or make allusions that are about it
(in favor of it). Give me quotes, song names.
They are big
german men, they have “metal band” look , they like playing with
controversal subjects. But reading “messer” (poetry book from Lindemann)
and song’s lyrics, I never find something making them extreme right or
even racists. Links 2,3,4 is even “clearly” left wing ! Stereotypes…
against Germany itself often (always ?), for many persons.
@TiredSoVeryTired@xanga -
I totally agree. We need to stop associating german with nazi too, so we need to stop giving names that are ambiguous.Even concerning other issues.
There are extreme right activists (racists and such) in every country. KKK is a good exemple (plenty of others of course).
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lol, i really wish i was a dude, primarily to use this term upon entering a barber shop…
guest
History isn’t child friendly, but we should teach it anyways, from all sides of the story. A word is defined by the people who read it. Its just a hair cut though, like Hitler’s mustash, Charlie Chatmen has the same stash but every one knows it as the Hitler stash not so much the Charlie Chatmen stash and Charlie had it before Hitler did.
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@Nele - And I would applaud you for not being a pussy liberal.
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@Nele - Absolutely nothing wrong with the rise of the right wing in Germany. I have no doubt Germany has a greater future, the more they rise. We may therefore see more of this haircut in Germany. It would symbolise hope in a country destroyed by liberalism.
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@FascistCanuck@xanga - Was bist du hoffst für? Rassismus macht nicht ein Land stärker.
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@Nele - Just because you speak German doesn’t mean you will automatically understand a reference to nazisims. Their song Mein Land is pretty xenophobic. What do you think about that?
orchid / 109 posts
Not an explicit reference to german nazismus, and it takes place in California. Beach boy parody, pin ups, Batman references in the end (Jokers, Marvels, decadence). USA are not immigrants friendly… not at all. They already made some critic against Amerika, even if they are not against this country ( interviews, you can also find interview of them saying they are NOT nazi. You seem to speak german it won’t be a problem for you). We can read what we want in this song, but singing something about xenophobia can’t make someone xenophobic. When they sing songs about sexual tourism and pedophilia, they are not themselves pedophile or practicing sexual tourism. They show out social facts by adopting the point of view of the “non formal” person or fact which is problematic. It’s like..acting ? Maybe too implicite for some people.
I’m against the rise of extrem right personnally. TOTALLY.
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@Nele - ”[. . .]and it takes place in California. Beach boy parody, pin ups, Batman references in the end (Jokers, Marvels, decadence). USA are not immigrants friendly… not at all”. I’ve seen the music video a couple of times and didn’t think anything about the setting being in California until now. I’m starting to think they could be referencing to the problem that the U.S.A has with illegal Mexican immigrants. I know there are minute men staying around the border “protecting” America from the immigrants. For the record they believe that whites are the “true” Americans. So now I’m starting to think that this song is about people that think like the minute men.
orchid / 109 posts
Answer on this “making off”. In german, british subtitles. (botton of the page)
http://www.rammsteinworld.com/discographie/clips/mein-land
Concerning lyrics, start 17minutes. It’s about immigration. You don’t have passport ? You can’t go in MY country (Mein Land). I got it so. Denoucing this fact…Not bad, for people brought up behind a communist wall (east germany before 1989). Far away from extreme right and nazi.
I don’t know why I’m speaking about it then. No need to prouve what is obvious.
magnolia / 1369 posts
bad name . hot hair cut .