"FAITH AND BEAUTY."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 139, 15 June 1938, Page 21

"FAITH AND BEAUTY."

MOVEMENT IN GERMANY. TO PRODUCE THE IDEAL WOMAN*. BERLIN. Wanted: The ideal German woman. Material: Members of the Association : of Nazi Maidens between the ages of 17 and 21. Method: The organisation, "Faith aud Beauty." To bring forth the ideal of German womanhood is the task of the newest of Nazi youth organisations, "Faith and Beauty." The organisation, a branch of the Association of Nazi Maidens, will seek to train its charges to become a "faithful, proud, and strong sex—faithful because it will be the bearer and preserver of German character and custom, proud and strong because it will be natural and healthy," according to the official Nazi Youth organ, "Will and Power." "Faith and Beauty" leaders advocate a return "to the Grecian ideal of beauty" and liberation "from the churchly devaluation of the physical." Emphatically denouncing "the lost ideal of a painted and external beauty," they seek "that hones, beauty which lies in the harmonious training of the body and noble accord of body, soul, and mind." The picture of pigtailed ranks of husky German girls marching along dusty roads with their camping outfits on their backs is to disappear to a great extent, says "Will and Power." Last summer the first step was taken when girls were forbidden to camp in tents —which is expected to make them more aware of the need of some sophistication and careful grooming. "Girls between the ages of 17 and 21 cannot be led to the ideal which is the goal of 'Faith and | Beauty' with full kit marches and camping trips," says "Will and Power." "The service in the organisation will avoid a gap between the political and the natural life of girls of these ages by adjusting itself to the natural change in their lives from young girlhood to womanhood." Congenial Social Life. The "ideal type of young woman" will be created by "dances, sports, congenial social life and sharing of the cultural life," according to the leaders of the movement. "Joy in beautiful human beings, must awaken with feminine vanity and be joined with care of the body and elegance. We know that pretty girls will be enthusiastic about this new movement. But it is also clear that a girl not bequeathed with all the gifts of nature will be equally' corusideYed," they assert, providing encouragement for ugly ducklings. The name "Faith and Beauty" is explained by the Nazi organ. "The faith of the young generations must show in their Nazi reactions to everyday things," it is stated. "It shows itself in the awe of the creative of the past and the present. Thus remains unmistakably clear what beauty means to us in this connection. We do not want to prostitute beauty —it must increase the dignity of womanhood, serve her natural aim in life, and awaken a real joy of living which will preserve joyous and satisfied people for our nation." "Faith and Beauty" leaders anticipate trouble from the church because of the value the movement places on the physical, but they shake it off with the words, "though the church may look at this increasing of the valuation of mortal life with malicious eyes, when the moral laws of nature grow into our work, dogmatic laws of custom will cease to be a hindrance to those who to-day 6till need biblical parables in this most human of problems. May life itself and awe of the beautiful let us I become more 6ure and more faithful."