Chapter 6 Flashcards
What social welfare reform happened in 1924?
The Public Assistance system was modernised, providing help to the poor and destitute.
When was the Public Assistance system modernised?
1924
What social welfare reform happened in 1927?
A national unemployment insurance system was introduced to provide benefits to the unemployed.
When was the national unemployment insurance system introduced?
1927
What were the two issues with the social welfare reforms made under the Weimar Republic?
- It was very expensive.
- It required a very large and expensive bureaucracy to administer it.
How many disabled war veterans was the state supporting by 1926?
800,000
Why did people on benefits feel humiliated and less inclined to support the Weimar Republic?
- Means testing was tightened.
- Snoopers were used to check that claimants were not cheating the system.
- There were delays in paying the benefits.
What happened to the living standards of millions of Germans between 1924-28?
They improved.
What was the ‘new woman’?
The symbol of the way women’s lives changed during the Weimar years.
What was the ‘new woman’ portrayed as?
- Free
- Independent
- Sexually liberated
- Visible in public life
What had the Weimar Constitution given women?
- Equal voting rights
- Equal access to education
- Equal pay
How had the First World War changed women’s position in society?
- Over 2 million German men had died, meaning women could not follow the traditional path of marriage.
- During the war many women had entered the workforce while the men were away fighting, and were not about to give those jobs up easily.
What law remained in force during Weimar which undermined women’s independence?
The Civil Code of 1896
What did the Civil Code of 1896 state?
That in a marriage, the husband had the right to decide on all matters concerning family life, including whether his wife should be in paid employment.
What was the most popular women’s group in the 1920s?
The League of German Women (BDF)
What is the BDF?
The League of German Women
How many members did the BDF have?
900,000
What did the BDF support?
Traditional family values - definitely not the ‘new woman’.
How much of the German workforce were women in 1925?
36%
How many women teachers were there by 1933?
100,000
How many women doctors were there by 1933?
3000
What were ‘demobilisation’ laws?
Laws after the war that required women to give up their jobs to ex-soldiers.
What were many women required to do once they married?
Leave their job.
What were women who continued to work after getting married called?
They were attacked as ‘double-earners’ and blamed for male unemployment.