Hey at least the kids aren't send outside to man the AA guns

https://www.ka-news.de/region/karlsruhe/deutschunterricht-an-der-flak-kanone-das-leben-der-karlsruher-kindersoldaten-als-flakhelfer-art-2658924

German lessons at the anti-aircraft gun: the life of Karlsruhe's child soldiers as anti-aircraft gunners

From the school desk straight to the anti-aircraft guns - this was the fate of countless young men towards the end of the Second World War, who were deployed as so-called "anti-aircraft gunners" at the age of just 15 to 17 - "loyal and obedient, as befits a Hitler Youth". The "child soldiers" were also stationed in Karlsruhe - like Wilfried K. and Josef Kessler.

"It was a gripping spectacle as the Karlsruhe batteries staged the purest prize shooting at a four-engined aircraft entangled in the searchlight network," wrote 17-year-old anti-aircraft helper Wilfried K. from Karlsruhe in 1944 in his diary, which later became known as the "Diary of an anti-aircraft helper". "At intervals of just a few seconds, our six cannons also roared and spewed a red flame into the night sky."

The young pupil and almost 40 of his comrades were picked up from the school square on February 15, 1943. Some of the pupils were in Hitler Youth uniform, others had found an old suit. Everyone had a suitcase with them and "nobody knows where we might end up", writes Wilfried.

Lessons at the anti-aircraft installation - when the siren sounds, the teacher takes cover

Adolf Hitler's decree of January 22, 1943 on the "war auxiliary deployment of young people in the Luftwaffe" stipulated that schoolchildren born in 1926 and 1927 were to be drafted into the war effort as so-called Luftwaffe helpers - or as they were later called "flak helpers". The first draft date was planned for February 15. From January 1944, pupils born in 1928 were then called up.

The Luftwaffe helpers (Lwh) were trained by active soldiers on the weapons and equipment, including anti-aircraft guns (Flak), radio and telephone, and lived in accommodation next to the anti-aircraft batteries. To ensure that the helpers did not miss school, 18 hours of lessons were scheduled per week and their school teachers usually came to the anti-aircraft positions to give lessons. As soon as the air raid siren sounded, the teacher took cover and the pupils took their places at the anti-aircraft battery.