Ratzinger was part of the Hitler youth, when participation was mandatory. He never was part of a Nazi party, and his familiy was opposed to Adolf Hitler's regime.  It was in 1952 as a priest that he started to teach the dogma of faith in several German schools and universities. He was a teacher until 1977. The picture shows Ratzinger celebrating a mass in the mountains of Ruhpolding, in the south of Germany.