One of the most striking aspects of this history is the role that young, ecologically minded Germans played in the success of the Nazi Party. As Staudenmaier writes, the German youth movement in this period was the key cultural force that popularized volkisch ideas amongst the general public. The youth culture rejected civic engagement outright and embraced a communal, back-to-the-land lifestyle instead. They perceived the social and ecological challenges of the day as too great to be resolved through the political process. As Staudenmaier points out, however, this passive attitude predisposed them to fascist zealotry and the youth movement was “actively realigned” when many thousands of them later joined the Nazi Party. Staudenmaier suggests that this mass transition from political passivity to Nazism is unsurprising, however. The youth movement’s total rejection of the emerging social landscape did not accompany a willingness to examine it critically or transform it through the political process. And as a result, Nazi propaganda and promises of irrational “quick fixes” to social problems struck a deafening chord.
This story offers us a cautionary tale for the contemporary moment—a tale that speaks to the importance of forging learning environments for young people in which feelings of powerlessness and hopelessness about the state of society can be met with empathy; transformed through critical thinking and dialogue; and channeled through civic engagement. It is also a tale about the importance of examining the motivations of some parties calling for ecological sustainability today, as well as who is included in the sustainable worlds they envision.
Does this give you any ammo for over breakfast debate? The sad fact is history is being castrated for political correctness in some educational establishments, so your father's interest will soon become sub judice 
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