Georg, Liesl and Rolfe.

Bearing in mind the isolated life the kids must have lead, I think it quite likely that Georg was in denial about his 'sixteen year old' being interested in boys at all!   

It's very easy for parents to think their children remain in the prepubescent phase forever, especially if they see no evidence to the contrary.

I think it would have been a big shock to this regimented, often-absent father to realise that Liesl was in a relationship at all, let alone a Nazi sympathiser!

To me, Georg appears to be willfully ignorant about Liesl and Rolfe. He knows she slipped out during dinner after she confirmed that Rolfe delivered the telegram, and he let her know he knew by questioning about her in Maria's room later. Does he know Rolfe is a Nazi supporter at this point? Absolutely not. Though, if he did, and explained that to Liesl, would she even understand it? These kids seem SO sheltered, and he seems to want it that way. He doesn't talk about politics in front of them. This is risky because then all of their (very limited) info is coming from other sources (friends at school, people in town, etc.) who may have different views than Georg does. Though, Liesl doesn't seem to have any views at all, even from other people. "Who's we?" says to me that she doesn't know anything about Rolfe's politics at all, nor has she even considered them. 

For Georg, I think some of this really hits home during The Argument. Maria very bluntly points out that Liesl is fast approaching being a woman, and Georg is ignoring that. Friedrich wants to be a man and his father doesn't spend any time with him. These kids are growing up and if Georg wants to influence the adults they turn into, he'd better start being part of their lives. At first galwaygal87 I was thinking that Friedrich and Kurt being lured into the Hitler Youth was unthinkable. How could children of an Austrian Navy captain turn against Austria? But, if Georg never explains to them what is actually going on, and is never even really at home, they could be easily been swayed by someone telling them lies that sound like truths. It's scary stuff. 

"In a world that's disappearing, I'm afraid" is very vulnerable. I'm glad you brought that up. I tend to focus on his vulnerable moments falling in love with Maria, but you are right, this is one of the first vulnerable moments we see from him. I always imagined him to think of himself and his children as a unit that are trying to navigate the very uncertain times, but maybe part of the uncertainty is about his children and their potential views as adults. Idk. I don't see him as acknowledging that his children will ever be adults, so I still think he is talking about everyone around him, not his family. It is telling that Elsa makes no attempt to discuss what is bothering him. Maria, on the other hand, seems very attuned to his inner struggles once they are a couple. 

Liesl is pretty naive, but I'm of the opinion she would understand if Georg told her her bf was a Nazi. The kids are sheltered, but they do go to school so they're not completely isolated, and Austrian Nazis were already causing trouble before the Ancshluss, like assassinating the Austrian chancellor (which I somehow never heard of until recently!). That's big enough news that I don't think the older kids could've missed it. So even if Liesl doesn't have the full picture and doesn't realize the urgency of Austria's situation in 1938, I think she would know what Nazis are and the basics of what they believe. 

But yeah, I agree that Liesl had no idea what Rolf's politics were and didn't think to ask. It's pretty common for teenagers (and many adults tbh) to be in their own little worlds and not realize how politics affect their lives. She probably learned a big lesson about choosing her next boyfriend 😂 Though I guess another question is how Rolf himself never said anything if he was already drinking the Kool-Aid...

I see what you're saying thoughts-of-joy-dreams-of-love, maybe Liesl isn't quite as "innocent as a rose" as she seems. She might understand the ugliness of Rolf's beliefs if it were pointed out to her. Do you think Rolf knows this and that is why he doesn't tell Liesl about them? Or does he see himself as secretive and important, and talking to Liesl about politics would diminish the mystique he thinks he has?

As for choosing her next boyfriend - Rolf was a Nazi who was potentially just using her to spy on her father, he broke her heart, he pointed a gun at her family, and he turned them in to the Nazi superiors. She has nowhere to go but up! I think she learned several life lessons here. 

Why is this? Because he doesnt know who is loyal is Austria and who isn’t, so it might not be safe for them to saying they are loyal? He isn’t shy about stating his beliefs. Though he can handle himself better than children can. I’m was going to say it was probably obvious to everyone what his children’s politics were, with him being a war hero and all. Though maybe previous service did not guarantee that you were against the Nazis? Maybe people’s views and motives were not obvious at all. Therefore there is a lot of “worrying about not finding a friend at the party” or not finding like minded people for your children to associate with so it’s better to just stay quiet.

It's hard to say because Rolf is obviously a conflicted young man at the end, and he's only a side character so we don't know why he does anything... But if I had to guess, he was instructed to keep his ears open for useful info about the Captain. He met Liesl and thought that getting close to her would help his "mission." At first, he didn't take her seriously so he never bothered to make sure their politics lined up. After he did catch feelings (and I really think he did; bro looked so smitten in that gazebo lol) he might have been scared she would disagree with him, since he seems to know Georg is anti-Nazi, and/or that he would lose his chance to keep gathering info if she did. His sexism probably also plays a role -- after all, he tells her during "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" that she doesn't know anything about the world, so he would assume she also has no meaningful opinions on politics. 

It's interesting Rolfe lets them go in the play vs. the movie.

I feel like I like the movie version better because it does make it more intense. Also because and this might be my own ideals and beliefs getting in the way, but... Is Rolfe letting them go because he kinda doesn't actually agree with the movement or letting them go because it's Liesl and he does care for her? If it's the former... Does he plan on ever escaping himself so he won't be a part of the Third Reich? Or does he actually agree with their movement? Because if it's the latter, it's a very very nice gesture, but it won't change his beliefs and who he would become.