Germany Booklet 4: Aspects of life 1918-33 Flashcards
Outline the ‘new woman’
Younger women in Weimar Germany who were different in their appearance, behaviour and employment from the older generation.
Explain why attitudes towards women worsened as Weimar progressed
The people wanted someone to scapegoat for the problems they were facing, and women had recently gotten many of their rights, so many men blamed them for the failure of Weimar.
Which women experienced the biggest changes in their lives?
Young single women who lived in cities, middle class/educated
In what ways were women’s lives worsened during the Weimar years?
They were expected to maintain all domestic chores as well as working, so worked a ‘double shift’
Abortions were illegal and contraceptives hard to get, although both were common. By 1930 there were 1 million abortions, with 10,000 to 12,000 deaths annually.
The largest and most influential feminist group still thought that women should have domestic duties
What are some significant ways in which women’s lives improved during the Weimar years?
Women were meant to get equal pay and education rights according to the constitution. (they also had the vote).
There were 32 women deputies in 1926
Maternity benefits were improved and legal protection to domestic servants was extended.
In what political and legal ways did the lives of the ethnic minorities improve?
Article 113 guaranteed the rights of ethnic minorities, covering their culture, religion and language. There were five cabinet members of Jewish descent
In 1920 how many women were elected to the reichstag?
over 100
What percentage of women worked in the paid labour force in 1925? How had this changed by 1931?
33%, mostly in low paid factory & office jobs - this remained roughly the same in 1931 (35%)
What area of politics did Women support most commonly in the Weimar years?
The centre, conservative parties which promoted traditional family values.
In what political and legal ways did the lives of the ethnic minorities get worse?
In 1930, Frankfurt passed an act to remove the ‘gypsy plague’
The jews were mainly kept out of the judiciary and most of the judges were anti-sematic
In what social ways did the lives of the ethnic minorities improve/not get worse?
Poles and Danes were mostly treated well.
Most Germans treated the black people with curiosity and enthusiasm rather than hostility
In what social ways did the lives of the ethnic minorities get worse?
Jews were attacked in the streets and discriminated against more and more throughout the 1920s and early 30s, about 20% of Jews were impoverished.
Some nationalists were hostile to black people - affected by events such as the black horror.
In what cultural ways did the lives of the ethnic minorities improve/not get worse in the Weimar years?
Poles and Danes were allowed to retain their culture and languages.
Jazz music was highly popular and many black musicians wanted to play in Germany
In what cultural ways did the lives of the ethnic minorities get worse in the Weimar years?
Many cities refused the Gypsums entry
there were stereotypes against Jews - some Jews were seen to be more focused on wealth than Germany and so were selfish and cruel (not true). It was argued that the Germans brought culture, civilisation, prosperity and order to Africans and therefore they had no right to make homes in Germany
What were some key changes in education between Weimar and the Kaiserreich?
Teachers were required to have reached the Abitur standard and the government introduced an inspection system for all schools - private and religious schools had to meet same requirements
Elite preparatory schools were abolished and 4 year basic schools were introduced
Reduced religious control of schools
