I understand but that was not the mindset taught in that time period. And there is a reason people were indoctrinated from a very young age in the Hitler Youth. Keep in mind a soldier 19 years old in 1944 was 7 years old when Hitler came into power and the Hitler Youths were organized. Doesn't leave much freedom of will does it?
I agree with Francis, these boys were just on the wrong side, and probably most didn´t even know. Like a fellow French FReeper said on another thread: the German propaganda made it looking as if Germany was the victim (and especially the bombs on civilians made the soldiers feel as if their nation was at stake). Today, we hear from many German veterans that all this killing was so unnecessary, that they didn´t know that the western allies weren´t in reality how Goebbels said they were... It´s a huge tragedy, and I see no reason why we shouldn´t remember all the deads (Germans included). I don´t mourn the death of People who supported mass murder on Jews or other minorities, who treated humans like cattle, but I know that many men in the Waffen-SS weren´t there voluntary, either.
That's a very interesting question, and one that can't be definitively answered. My own take is that humanity can win out, even over attempted brainwashing. Otherwise, how do you explain countries where there have been revolutions/popular uprisings against tyranny after long periods of totalitarian control? I think you can't let people completely off the personal responsibility hook, regardless of their upbringing.