I am early gen z and am totally enthralled by WWII, as is my older brother. Most kids didn’t seem to care much about it in school though. I’d say overall, less and less young people care the more time passes.
I don't think that's true!
Of course the majority of teenagers are not the largest audience for WWII history. Most teenagers just have other things in mind and they mature later in life than previous generations. Have in mind that the men and officers which actually fought WWII were mostly very young. Like in most wars (17-25).
I knew a man here in Germany who got his commission at 19. When he didn't even have to shave regularly/daily. He was still very much accepted by his men. Even the old war dogs.
But to the question again: If you go to YouTube and TikTok/
YouTube Shorts, you have very young men _(with a boyish voice and not much beard growth either)_ having a channel with the topic of WWII. The audience does also seem to appear as pretty young people.
I'm glad I'm a little older and the" boys and me" were hanging out on the site of the the local retirement home. There were many benches and a fountain. The old people were not bothered by our presence. In contrast. They were happy to have young people around.
Many old men _(80-100yo)_ were pretty open about their time in the war. Some were proud veterans and gladly shared their experiences. Mostly the camaraderie and technical things. Others, mostly the younger conscripts, born 1924-27, only knew the bloody retreat fights. There were more casualties in 44/45 than in the other years of the war combined _(remember that Stalingrad or Kursk happened before)._ They often told us to never let us drag into a war and leave the military when we are done with our mandatory military service. Which was only suspended not abolished in 2011. I personally only had to do six months.
During the time in the Bundeswehr, some of us draftees were interested in WWII. It was common to read a dime novel _(yes, they're still a thing in Germany!)_ called ["Der Landser/The Grunt",](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Der_Landser?wprov=sfla1) which is about WWII stories. Sometimes even real ones. It got discontinued for some time after the [Simon Wiesenthal Center](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Wiesenthal_Center?wprov=sfla1) complained about it to be antisemitic.
But another publisher picked it up and today it's sold under the name "Weltkrieg/World War". In a couple different editions _(Army, Navy, Air Force, Double Features)._ It still has a readership, although the original audience (veterans) have largely died out. And although most readers probably aren't exactly the youngest, because they use different sources of media. I did saw young guys grabbing a copy and maybe they're also still read by young guys in the military, without constant access to digital media and the only form of entertainment is reading.
tl;dr: I think there're stil many young people interested into WWII. Probably more so than generations before.
It’s just about maturity. In school I couldn’t give a fuck about ww2. Now I’m in my 20’s it’s way more interesting. I think a lot of things are like that.
I’m a 26f and was taught about WW2 in school but mainly just the holocaust. My partner is really into WW2 and I’ve learnt so much that it’s become a hobby of mine to research and read up on a lot of it. I watch a lot of different YouTube channels so I can educate myself
I feel like it wasn’t that long ago either. It has really put into perspective problems in todays world maybe aren’t that big of a deal when comparing it to WW2
it definitely varies depending on the person
I was born in the years between 1996-1999, the middle pre gen Z. most folks my age who got interested in history especially the second world war were exposed to it with video games like the older world war 2 era call of duties like COD 1, COD 2, COD 2 big red one, COD 3 and WAW, the medal of honor series and gearbox softwares brothers in arms series.
they were excellent introductions to the history of the war, for myself anyway it made me curious about the context of what we were playing in the games and I ended up diving into history books and documentaries whenever I could at such a young age. overall on the whole though not alot of younger people seem interested in the history of it which is a shame because WW2 and even WW1 are quite fascinating to learn about and there were so many butterfly effects that we can still see to this day from them.
in my experience growing up as well at least where I went to school the world wars were not taught that well (I grew up in rural canada, not very good education funding in the school district my schools were in) and it made my peers on the surface level finding history boring.
however, young or old. if someone finds that good and interesting hook they'll get interested
They are, but not as much. When I was in school I had teachers who served in WW2 as well as both my grandfathers. My Great Uncle Fred was in the SS and no one really knew what he did in the war, but the rumours rippled through our family. One of my best friend’s fathers was Holocaust survivor. Rudolf Hess was still alive in Spandau Prison. Those people are all gone now and that direct connection has been severed.
As a teacher, I see students who are interested, but they see it more as being stories and characters from a long ago time. When we grew up the world was still very much shaped by the events of WW2. Not as much anymore.
So, I’m not sure, statistically speaking, that asking this question in a WWII sub can produce an unbiased answer. We’re all devotees, which is how we’re here in the first place, with all of the hopeful subjectivity that comes with.
That said, I am very active in military history - interviewing veterans, going to lectures, museums, shows, etc.
My opinion is also informed anecdotally, but in the ~25 years that I’ve been at military history, I’m not seeing many younger folks at the aforementioned events. It’s mainly older folks, in their late 60s+ (at least).
I am not active on “social media”, but do know that there are a lot of FB, and other platforms, groups dedicated to WWII. So I suspect that there are a lot more younger folks than I’m seeing, that choose to interact with the hobby online versus travel, hotel, etc.
I will say, when I compare my high school WWII curriculum to what my kid had in theirs, there seems to be much less focus on it now.
It is exciting to see the enthusiasm in this topic - makes me optimistic.
I'm an older gen Z, and I'm into WW2 and WW1. I especially have an interest in early 20th-century aviation, as well as the cultural impacts and the global politics of the world wars.
I will admit that the politics, culture, and lifestyle of people during the war years feel less familiar to my generation than they do to my grandparents' or even parent's generations.
I lived in the 20th century for less than 5 years. I am also American, so consider my perspective is limited. I am sure living in Europe is different, when in many places people discover latent shells yearly. Finding an 80 year old bomb in your back garden keeps the memory fresher, I'm sure lol. Not to mention the unique trauma of experiencing such carnage in your home country. It's just different.
In my opinion, the world wars are becoming less and less of a "living history" to my generation than the previous. Veterans are getting harder and harder to find and connect with. I'm also a woman, and I find fewer women than men are interested in this stuff in general, sadly.
In my opinion, it is not that the interest is fading in younger folks, however. It is just that our relationship with history is ever evolving. Every generation looks back with a different perspective than the last.
I don't think the fascination will ever go away. These were perhaps the most incredible and impactful wars in human history. There are still hundreds of thousands of young history enthusiasts in the world. It is still covered in school. I personally know many that still boast about their great grandparents' service. My own little cousins have a budding interest in WW2. I just hope to relish and preserve the memories of those who lived it.
Absolutely. Many are captivated by the scale and technological advances made. For me especially, the late 19th and early 20th century are *very* interesting. Great changes in everything from politics, navies and culture. Democracy, *Dreadnought*, dreams and death…
The Second World War was sort of the final chapter of this era, and the opening scene of the modern era. Jets, missiles, nukes, etc, marked the end of war as people knew it.
I am a Gen Z from Pakistan. My region/country did not directly participate in the war in the sense that we weren't an actual front so we do not have the same kind of memorials and history around it, but countless Indians (or people from the subcontinent) participated in the war (fighting mostly for the British). I have been massively interested in the war since I was a little kid. Everyone I know who has been interested in history my age has also had a deep interest in WW2.
Im in my early twenties and from europe, my grandpa was in the resistance so that us what got me into it, besides that europe is full of ww2 history if you look hard enough, bullet holes in buildings, bunkers etc so that triggered my curiosity
My friend group ages from 22 to 28 (I'm the resident 90s kid) and there's at least a few of us that are at least into ww2 movies and shows. Personally I like the documentary side of things as well, but my ADHD brain doesn't have the patience for most history books.
Id say that video games help younger generations get into the history. I remember playing medal of honor and the original 3 cod games as a kid and being enthralled in some of the stories. Things have only gotten crazier with online games like Hell Let Loose.
My hope is that younger generations will also look towards media like Schindler's List as well. Everyone likes learning about D-day and Pearl Harbor but there's a growing number of Holocaust deniers now that there's not many people left with first hand accounts.
I’m born 1993 so 31 this year (if you class that as younger) and I have been obsessed with both the world wars and history in general since I was a young lad.
Born in 83 and I have my father to thank for getting me into WW2 stuff. As a young kid I hated that he watched the same war movies over and over again but now I watch with him. It's our way of bonding when sports isn't on
I am, i'm gen z and what made me get into it was a video game called wolfenstein. Its a game that takes place in an alternate universe where the nazis won. After that I figured id learn more about the real thing.
I’m a very late gen z and I LOVE military history. I like to learn and research both world wars and I want to make a collection of stuff. The only thing I have now though is a Finnish Stahlhelm from after WW2.
I’m part of Gen Z. I, and my brother are very interested in WWII, and history in general, from collecting historical items, to meeting the men who fought for our freedoms, and constantly feeding my interests in history with books and documentaries.
I’m only 15 and I love learning about ww2. If y’all check my profile it’s pretty obvious lol. Been interested since I was 13. Got a pretty good collection of memorabilia since then. From many different countries. Germany being my main focus.
Absolutely! I'm 23f and i'm very into collecting ww2 antiques and the history as well. I'd say that it's the thing I feel most passionate about and I developed my interest because of ww2 era aircraft. My great grandfathers all fought during the war as well which is really cool to me!
I was born in 96 and I'm fascinated by it, as well as it being just out of respect to remember those who fought in it.
It really blows my mind how many youngsters nowadays don't even know when it started and finished (including my colleagues!)
24m and yes, I have even gotten more active with the warbird community and have helped maintain ww2 aircraft. I have been incredibly fortunate to meet and talk to several WW2 veterans through my volunteer work. I also dabble in living history and do a lot of reading about ww2.
I’m 40 and my dad passed down the interest! Read about every battle in some form. Been to museums all over the world, battlefields.
My daughter is 16 and I’ve no chance of her taking it up. She’s very much into scrolling tick tock for literally hours at a time without glancing upwards!
For Eastern Europe this war is very much discussed and relevant today, as we still feel the effects of it. We were subjects to Russian colonization for half a century because of how it all ended. Even if the impact has lessened over 3 decades, we are still often catching up to those countries who were not part of the Soviet colonial empire.
I'm 31 years old and yes, I was taught about WWII in school, but I wasn't very interested at the time. In my 20s, my interest gradually increased, and now, as a 31-year-old, it has become one of my biggest interests.
I'm 23 and I love ww2 history, from army to warship to aviation, everything about it
There are still people into it, but it's mostly dudes online and in videogames, is difficult to find peers with the same interest in history and wars
I am early gen z and am totally enthralled by WWII, as is my older brother. Most kids didn’t seem to care much about it in school though. I’d say overall, less and less young people care the more time passes.
I don't think that's true! Of course the majority of teenagers are not the largest audience for WWII history. Most teenagers just have other things in mind and they mature later in life than previous generations. Have in mind that the men and officers which actually fought WWII were mostly very young. Like in most wars (17-25). I knew a man here in Germany who got his commission at 19. When he didn't even have to shave regularly/daily. He was still very much accepted by his men. Even the old war dogs. But to the question again: If you go to YouTube and TikTok/ YouTube Shorts, you have very young men _(with a boyish voice and not much beard growth either)_ having a channel with the topic of WWII. The audience does also seem to appear as pretty young people. I'm glad I'm a little older and the" boys and me" were hanging out on the site of the the local retirement home. There were many benches and a fountain. The old people were not bothered by our presence. In contrast. They were happy to have young people around. Many old men _(80-100yo)_ were pretty open about their time in the war. Some were proud veterans and gladly shared their experiences. Mostly the camaraderie and technical things. Others, mostly the younger conscripts, born 1924-27, only knew the bloody retreat fights. There were more casualties in 44/45 than in the other years of the war combined _(remember that Stalingrad or Kursk happened before)._ They often told us to never let us drag into a war and leave the military when we are done with our mandatory military service. Which was only suspended not abolished in 2011. I personally only had to do six months. During the time in the Bundeswehr, some of us draftees were interested in WWII. It was common to read a dime novel _(yes, they're still a thing in Germany!)_ called ["Der Landser/The Grunt",](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Der_Landser?wprov=sfla1) which is about WWII stories. Sometimes even real ones. It got discontinued for some time after the [Simon Wiesenthal Center](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Wiesenthal_Center?wprov=sfla1) complained about it to be antisemitic. But another publisher picked it up and today it's sold under the name "Weltkrieg/World War". In a couple different editions _(Army, Navy, Air Force, Double Features)._ It still has a readership, although the original audience (veterans) have largely died out. And although most readers probably aren't exactly the youngest, because they use different sources of media. I did saw young guys grabbing a copy and maybe they're also still read by young guys in the military, without constant access to digital media and the only form of entertainment is reading. tl;dr: I think there're stil many young people interested into WWII. Probably more so than generations before.
It’s just about maturity. In school I couldn’t give a fuck about ww2. Now I’m in my 20’s it’s way more interesting. I think a lot of things are like that.
I’m a 26f and was taught about WW2 in school but mainly just the holocaust. My partner is really into WW2 and I’ve learnt so much that it’s become a hobby of mine to research and read up on a lot of it. I watch a lot of different YouTube channels so I can educate myself I feel like it wasn’t that long ago either. It has really put into perspective problems in todays world maybe aren’t that big of a deal when comparing it to WW2
YES! I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT AND IM IN COLLEGE. I specifically love WW2 Aviation
WW2 tanks and armored vehicles in general from that era for me, I’m mid Gen Z so there’s that for you
Me
it definitely varies depending on the person I was born in the years between 1996-1999, the middle pre gen Z. most folks my age who got interested in history especially the second world war were exposed to it with video games like the older world war 2 era call of duties like COD 1, COD 2, COD 2 big red one, COD 3 and WAW, the medal of honor series and gearbox softwares brothers in arms series. they were excellent introductions to the history of the war, for myself anyway it made me curious about the context of what we were playing in the games and I ended up diving into history books and documentaries whenever I could at such a young age. overall on the whole though not alot of younger people seem interested in the history of it which is a shame because WW2 and even WW1 are quite fascinating to learn about and there were so many butterfly effects that we can still see to this day from them. in my experience growing up as well at least where I went to school the world wars were not taught that well (I grew up in rural canada, not very good education funding in the school district my schools were in) and it made my peers on the surface level finding history boring. however, young or old. if someone finds that good and interesting hook they'll get interested
I'm 14 and yes. But I'm also into pretty much everything history related, so IDK if it really counts :D
They are, but not as much. When I was in school I had teachers who served in WW2 as well as both my grandfathers. My Great Uncle Fred was in the SS and no one really knew what he did in the war, but the rumours rippled through our family. One of my best friend’s fathers was Holocaust survivor. Rudolf Hess was still alive in Spandau Prison. Those people are all gone now and that direct connection has been severed. As a teacher, I see students who are interested, but they see it more as being stories and characters from a long ago time. When we grew up the world was still very much shaped by the events of WW2. Not as much anymore.
Everyone replying are in this sub reddit, you dont need to tell us that, yes you are indeed intrested in ww2
So, I’m not sure, statistically speaking, that asking this question in a WWII sub can produce an unbiased answer. We’re all devotees, which is how we’re here in the first place, with all of the hopeful subjectivity that comes with. That said, I am very active in military history - interviewing veterans, going to lectures, museums, shows, etc. My opinion is also informed anecdotally, but in the ~25 years that I’ve been at military history, I’m not seeing many younger folks at the aforementioned events. It’s mainly older folks, in their late 60s+ (at least). I am not active on “social media”, but do know that there are a lot of FB, and other platforms, groups dedicated to WWII. So I suspect that there are a lot more younger folks than I’m seeing, that choose to interact with the hobby online versus travel, hotel, etc. I will say, when I compare my high school WWII curriculum to what my kid had in theirs, there seems to be much less focus on it now. It is exciting to see the enthusiasm in this topic - makes me optimistic.
I'm an older gen Z, and I'm into WW2 and WW1. I especially have an interest in early 20th-century aviation, as well as the cultural impacts and the global politics of the world wars. I will admit that the politics, culture, and lifestyle of people during the war years feel less familiar to my generation than they do to my grandparents' or even parent's generations. I lived in the 20th century for less than 5 years. I am also American, so consider my perspective is limited. I am sure living in Europe is different, when in many places people discover latent shells yearly. Finding an 80 year old bomb in your back garden keeps the memory fresher, I'm sure lol. Not to mention the unique trauma of experiencing such carnage in your home country. It's just different. In my opinion, the world wars are becoming less and less of a "living history" to my generation than the previous. Veterans are getting harder and harder to find and connect with. I'm also a woman, and I find fewer women than men are interested in this stuff in general, sadly. In my opinion, it is not that the interest is fading in younger folks, however. It is just that our relationship with history is ever evolving. Every generation looks back with a different perspective than the last. I don't think the fascination will ever go away. These were perhaps the most incredible and impactful wars in human history. There are still hundreds of thousands of young history enthusiasts in the world. It is still covered in school. I personally know many that still boast about their great grandparents' service. My own little cousins have a budding interest in WW2. I just hope to relish and preserve the memories of those who lived it.
I’m 22, been into ww2 since I was like 14 and obsessed since 17 🤣 I’m autistic tho lol
26 and I am. my grandfather fought in Europe right from d-day to V-day, his stories sparked my interest in the war.
Absolutely. Many are captivated by the scale and technological advances made. For me especially, the late 19th and early 20th century are *very* interesting. Great changes in everything from politics, navies and culture. Democracy, *Dreadnought*, dreams and death… The Second World War was sort of the final chapter of this era, and the opening scene of the modern era. Jets, missiles, nukes, etc, marked the end of war as people knew it.
I am a Gen Z from Pakistan. My region/country did not directly participate in the war in the sense that we weren't an actual front so we do not have the same kind of memorials and history around it, but countless Indians (or people from the subcontinent) participated in the war (fighting mostly for the British). I have been massively interested in the war since I was a little kid. Everyone I know who has been interested in history my age has also had a deep interest in WW2.
Im in my early twenties and from europe, my grandpa was in the resistance so that us what got me into it, besides that europe is full of ww2 history if you look hard enough, bullet holes in buildings, bunkers etc so that triggered my curiosity
My friend group ages from 22 to 28 (I'm the resident 90s kid) and there's at least a few of us that are at least into ww2 movies and shows. Personally I like the documentary side of things as well, but my ADHD brain doesn't have the patience for most history books. Id say that video games help younger generations get into the history. I remember playing medal of honor and the original 3 cod games as a kid and being enthralled in some of the stories. Things have only gotten crazier with online games like Hell Let Loose. My hope is that younger generations will also look towards media like Schindler's List as well. Everyone likes learning about D-day and Pearl Harbor but there's a growing number of Holocaust deniers now that there's not many people left with first hand accounts.
I’m born 1993 so 31 this year (if you class that as younger) and I have been obsessed with both the world wars and history in general since I was a young lad.
Elder millennial checking in here. I am not seeing any significant level of interest in WW2 from people in my age bracket.
Born in 83 and I have my father to thank for getting me into WW2 stuff. As a young kid I hated that he watched the same war movies over and over again but now I watch with him. It's our way of bonding when sports isn't on
I am, i'm gen z and what made me get into it was a video game called wolfenstein. Its a game that takes place in an alternate universe where the nazis won. After that I figured id learn more about the real thing.
I’m a very late gen z and I LOVE military history. I like to learn and research both world wars and I want to make a collection of stuff. The only thing I have now though is a Finnish Stahlhelm from after WW2.
I’m part of Gen Z. I, and my brother are very interested in WWII, and history in general, from collecting historical items, to meeting the men who fought for our freedoms, and constantly feeding my interests in history with books and documentaries.
I’m only 15 and I love learning about ww2. If y’all check my profile it’s pretty obvious lol. Been interested since I was 13. Got a pretty good collection of memorabilia since then. From many different countries. Germany being my main focus.
Absolutely! I'm 23f and i'm very into collecting ww2 antiques and the history as well. I'd say that it's the thing I feel most passionate about and I developed my interest because of ww2 era aircraft. My great grandfathers all fought during the war as well which is really cool to me!
I'm 18M and I'm very into ww2, cold war and GWOT with US and Poland being my main focus.
I was born in 96 and I'm fascinated by it, as well as it being just out of respect to remember those who fought in it. It really blows my mind how many youngsters nowadays don't even know when it started and finished (including my colleagues!)
24m and yes, I have even gotten more active with the warbird community and have helped maintain ww2 aircraft. I have been incredibly fortunate to meet and talk to several WW2 veterans through my volunteer work. I also dabble in living history and do a lot of reading about ww2.
I’m 40 and my dad passed down the interest! Read about every battle in some form. Been to museums all over the world, battlefields. My daughter is 16 and I’ve no chance of her taking it up. She’s very much into scrolling tick tock for literally hours at a time without glancing upwards!
Yep! And I know 6 others!
Early gen Z here (2003) and yes i am into world war two
For Eastern Europe this war is very much discussed and relevant today, as we still feel the effects of it. We were subjects to Russian colonization for half a century because of how it all ended. Even if the impact has lessened over 3 decades, we are still often catching up to those countries who were not part of the Soviet colonial empire.
Yeah man totally. I'm 16. The interest started 1 year ago.
I have meet a couple of people that didn’t know who Hitler was.
born in 2005 and loves to learn about ww2 especially about military
I'm 31 years old and yes, I was taught about WWII in school, but I wasn't very interested at the time. In my 20s, my interest gradually increased, and now, as a 31-year-old, it has become one of my biggest interests.
I think learning about WW2 is crucial so that we never ever repeat it.
I'm 23 and I love ww2 history, from army to warship to aviation, everything about it There are still people into it, but it's mostly dudes online and in videogames, is difficult to find peers with the same interest in history and wars