changing living standards, 1933-39

Question 1

what was the social impact of the Strength Through Joy (KdF) program?

Answer 1

by 1937, KdF had a budget of RM29 million, organised over 1.7 million subsidised holidays for workers, and was responsible for half of the theatre bookings in Berlin.
however, KdF holidays often had poor facilities and limited entertainment options

Question 2

how did the working class situation improve in the late 1930s?

Answer 2

take-home pay increased in 1938-39, particularly for those in skilled jobs in armament industries, and the KdF aimed to create a Volksgemeinschaft (a harmonious ‘people’s community)

Question 3

what caused a decline in the working class between 1933-39?

Answer 3

the destruction of trade unions left workers with little influence over pay and conditions
the average working week increased from 43 to 47 hours, and wages in 1939 were still below 1932 levels

Question 4

how did Nazi policies affect women in the workforce?

Answer 4

the number of women employed increased from 11.4 million in 1933 to 14.8 million in 1939, but women’s wages were significantly lower than men’s, often around half, and many women were forced into low-paying or exploitative work

Question 5

what were the improvements for industrialists under Nazi rule?

Answer 5

industrialists benefitted from the destruction of trade unions, govt contracts for munitions, and military goods, leading to increased profits
IG Farben, a chemical company, thrived through close collaboration with the govt

Question 6

what challenges did small businesses face during the Nazi regime?

Answer 6

while small businesses initially benefitted from the destruction of unions, rearmament policies, textile import bans, and competition for labour from larger firms negatively impacted their profitability

Question 7

how did the Nazi refime impact farmers?

Answer 7

Nazi minister of agriculture, Walther Darré, implemented reforms to protect farmers, including price controls on food.
however, the Recih Food Estate took a large portion of their income, and restrictions on land sales limited farmers’ access to loans

Question 8

what was the vision of Walther Darré for farmers?

Answer 8

he envisioned German farmers colonising Eastern Europe for Lebensraum, while also enacting reforms like price controls and land-scale restrictions to protect farmers