Employment andliving standrads Flashcards
What did the Nazi promise?
The Nazis had been brought to power with a promise to reduce unemployment. Hitler and the Nazis needed to prove that they could tackle the problem. The Nazis used a method of public works programmes to address the problem. The National Labour Service was essential for this.
How could they reduce unemployment by autobahn?
One such was of reducing unemployment was the Autobahn project. This ambitious project planned to build a modern road network of motorways across Germany. In all there would be 7000 miles of road. Such was the importance of this project that Hitler was personally involved. Much of the network they built is still in place today, however, the Nazis only managed to construct around half of the total planned network before the Second World War broke out.
How was the war economy a war of reducing unemployment?
The war economy was also a method of reducing unemployment. The Nazis were open with their plans to rearm Germany in defiance of the Treaty of Versailles. This meant that the Nazis required huge numbers of people to join the armed forces and huge numbers of people to work in the factories producing the arms required. This war footing for the economy meant that large numbers of people were provided with jobs which hadn’t existed before under the Weimar Republic.
What was the National Labour Service?
The National Labour Service was a form of employment for the unemployed. It was created in 1933, and fulfilled a key Nazi promise to bring employment. The National Labour Service, provided the workforce for the huge public works programme which the Nazis were implementing. The projects which the National Labour Service completed included road building and other projects which were good for the Reich.
How was the National Labour Service run?
Membership of the Labour Service was made compulsory in 1935 for all young men. Service to the Labour Service was for six months. The Labour Service was run like the military, a similarity to many other Nazi organisations. Members lived in camps near the projects and wore a special uniform. The pay was low, but as far as the Nazis were concerned, the projects were for the good of the Reich.
What was German Labour Front ?
The German Labour Front was set up to protect the rights of workers, especially as the Nazis had banned Trade Unions due to their political work. Therefore to appease the workers, and as a method of control, the Nazis set up the German Labour Front.
What did the German Labour Front cover?
The German Labour Front protected the rights of workers, and dealt with issues of pay and working hours. Contained within the Labour Front was the Strength Through Joy movement and the Beauty of Labour programme.
What was the adavantge of the German Labour Front ?
Whilst under the protection of trade unions, workers had their hours protected and could collectively bargain for improvements in pay and conditions, under the German Labour Front, they could not. The Labour Front acted as the arm of the Nazi Party in employment, ensuring that workers were producing goods for the nation. The Labour Front’s allegiance was to the Reich and not the people it represented.
What was the Beauty of Labour?
The Beauty of Labour was a strand of the Strength Through Joy programme with the mission to improve working facilities for ordinary Germans. They wanted employers to improve their facilities for workers and would give employers help with the cost of making the changes.
How could this be used to improve their conditions ?
Despite this help, employers used their employees to improve the facilities, without pay, and often after they had finished for the day. Employers would look to improve the conditions in toilets, canteens, and showers for their employers. The Nazis wanted the conditions for the German worker to be of excellent quality.
