4. germany- nazi economic and social policies Flashcards
how did the nazis seek to combat unemployment?
- The national labour service was set up
- Men aged 16 to 25 were given jobs, and from 1935 it was compulsory to serve in this for six months
- Hitler established public work programmes where unemployed men aided in the construction of motorways, schools and hospitals
what happened to workers due to the banning of trade unions?
all the workers had to join the German labour front
when was military conscription introduced?
- in 1935- men aged 18 to 25 had to serve for two years
when was the Four- Year plan announced and what did it aim to do?
- in 1936
- Aimed to get the German economy ready for war
what did the strength through joy scheme do?
It provided workers with cheap holidays and leisure activities
what did the Beauty of Labour scheme do?
Improved working conditions in factories
what did the volkswagen beetle scheme do?
It meant Germans could save five marks per week to purchase their own car
how did big business benefit from these economic policies?
Wages became stable and the role of trade unions diminished
what did all workers have to join?
The general labour front- which controlled the workers and striking was forbidden
what did the Reich Food estate 1933 do?
- it meant that farmers had a market for their goods at guaranteed prices
what did the Reich Entailed Farm Law do?
meant banks couldn’t seize farms and aimed to show that farmers were the backbone of the master race
why didn’t workers benefit from these economic changes?
- they couldn’t strike which led to dissatisfaction with working conditions
- By the late 1930s workers complained that their standard of living was still lower than it was before the Depression
what type of businesses found it harder to survive because of the economic changes?
smaller businesses
why did the economic changes lead to a shortage of agricultural workers?
People moved from rural to urban areas because of the difference in wages
what did the unemployment statistics not show?
It didn’t show ‘invisible unemployment’ as women and Jewish people were not counted
what were the limitations of the Reich Entailed Farm Law?
-it only applied to 20% of farms
-Restricted farms from expanding and modernising
what were women expected to do?
-stay home, raise children, cook for their families and go to church
kinder, küche, kirche
how were women encouraged to have children?
received a gold medal for 8 children, silver for 6 children and bronze for 4 children
what did these actions lead to?
- increase in birth rate from 15 per 1000 in 1933 to 20 per 1000 in 1939
- an increase in pregnancies outside marriage
why did this stop when war broke out?
male workforce was deployed and women were needed again in the workforce
what was made compulsory in 1936?
membership of the Hitler Youth
how many members were in the Hitler Youth in 1939 compared to 1933?
7 million members in 1939 compared to 100,000 in 1933
what happened to all other youth organisations?
they were banned
what was the hitler youth?
it was for boys and focused on military training
what was the league of german maidens?
for girls and focused on domestic service
what did teachers join?
the Nazi Teachers League and swore an oath of loyalty to Hitler
how was the curriculum rewritten?
to promote Nazi ideas, for example in biology they would learn how Germans were a superior race to Jewish people
what was there a greater emphasis on in school?
physical education - 15% of timetable was devoted to this
