Originally posted by Lady's Human
Find me someone who survived in Bavaria during WW2 who WASN'T a member of the Hitler Youth. The Hitler youth was hardly the Schutzstaffel (SS). Also on that count, Remember, Saul was transformed on the road to damascus from Saul the Christian persecutor to Paul, who spread the gospel far and wide.
I do not have detailed information about Ratzinger's membership in Hitler youth but I have been a little surprised when I heard it.

Membership in Hitler youth was something you could avoid. I know it because my husband "survived in Bavaria during WW2". He is born in 1935 and he was never a member. Why? Because his family was very very catholic and his parents didn't trust Hitler. Some of the Hitler rituals had to be seen rather in opposition to the church (as the communist youth rituals in former GDR later) and his parents didn't like that.

He says that the consequences were some bullying and one time a stone in the window- but not more. It would have been different if he was older and would not have wanted to go to war- the consequence would have been the death sentence- but not the Hitler youth thing.

On the other hand I think many young people were just in because you did it. If Ratzinger had not been in you could know he was in the active opposition. While he was a member, this information alone is not enough to judge whether he shared nazi thoughts.