Germany In Transition (1919-1939) - Nazi Economic, Social And Racial Policy

Question 1

How did Hitler control the workforce?

Answer 1

Nazi Trade Union (DAF) - German Labour Front
Disagree with Hitler sent to concentration camps
Don’t have freedom to vote (dictatorship)
Hitler got rid of all Trade Unions - noone to protect the workers
Hitler is Fuhrer and can control anyone

Question 2

Who were the Leading Nazis involved in the Economic Policy?

Answer 2

Dr Schact looked after the economy when the Nazis came to power in 1933, he did a lot to sort out the economic crisis in Germany but fell out with Hitler
Need for iron and steel increased - German production tripled 1933-39
Economic war policy
Increased spending on rearmament
German army increased
Schact resigned in 1936 and was replaced by Goering - Schact wasn’t preparing for war quickly enough
Goering in charge of 4 year plan - ready for war in 4 years

Question 3

How did Hitler keep the workforce happy?

Answer 3

Start payment towards the new Volkswagen people’s car - no cars delivered because the money was used for war production
Strength through Joy (KDF) organised leisure time for workers - reward for working so hard
Holidays including weekend trips and cruises, hiking, expeditions and sports fixtures
Films, shows, concerts and museum trips
SdA was set up to persuade employers to improve working condition - organised campaigns
Provided at cut cost - ordinary workers more opportunities

Question 4

How did Hitler reduce unemployment?

Answer 4

7000 miles of autobahns built - 1933-38 18.4 billion marks - 37.1 billion marks
Built schools, hospitals and houses
The Nazis put hundreds of thousands of people into concentration camps - makes unemployment appear lower
Women and Jews were forced to give up jobs - not eligible to work
18-25 year olds had to do 2 years military service and 6 months in National Labour Service (RAD)
By 1939, armaments jobs 3.5-26 billion marks
1/2 a million unemployed in the Labour Service
1.3 million men in the armed forces, need peacetime jobs
Employed in SS, SA, Gestapo
Public works programme, far too expensive to afford for long

Question 5

In 1933, how many people were unemployed?

Answer 5

6 million

Question 6

What were the National Service Corps (RAD)?

Answer 6

18-25 year old men had to do 2 years military service and 6 months in the RAD
Didn’t count in unemployment figures
Built autobahns, schools, hospitals, 1936 Olympic stadium
Groundskeepers
6 months in camps with small pay
As many jobs as possible
Manual Labour was favoured

Question 7

What was the German Labour Front (DAF)?

Answer 7

All other trade unions banned.
DAF was the Nazi Trade Union
It set wages and kept people working long hours
Followed wishes of employers not employees

Question 8

What was Strength through Joy (KdF)?

Answer 8

Organised leisure time - film shows, concerts, theatre trips, sports fixtures, holidays
Invest in Volkswagen cars but never received them
Dr Robert Ley in charge

Question 9

What was Beauty of Labour (SdA)?

Answer 9

Tried to improve working conditions
Organised building of canteens, sports facilities and swimming pools
It organised better lighting and heating in the workplace
These improvements had to be made by workers in their spare time

Question 10

What were the Nazi expectations of women?

Answer 10

Three Ks - children, kitchen, church
Not expected to wear makeup or trousers
Couldn’t dye hair or smoke in public
Discouraged from being slim - it was thought slim women had trouble giving birth
Emulate traditional peasant fashions - plain peasant costumes, hair in plaits or buns, flat shoes
Lebensborn - women can volunteer to have a baby for an SS member
Law for the Encouragement of Marriage 1933 - newlywed couples loaned 1,000 marks - could keep 250 marks for each child they had
High birth rate - Mother’s Cross - 5=bronze, 6/7=silver, 8+=gold
Law for Reduction of Unemployment - financial incentives to stay at home
Female labour was cheap
Between 1933 and 39 employment of women rose by 2.4 million
Women discouraged from working
Not conscripting women until 1943
Equal voting rights in 1920s led to a rise in women professionals

Question 11

What did Hitler call his Nazi Empire?

Answer 11

The Thousand Year Reich

Question 12

What did Lebensborn mean?

Answer 12

Fountain of life

Question 13

In 1937 what were women encouraged to do?

Answer 13

Go back to the work place

Question 14

What two things did teachers have to do?

Answer 14

Join Nazi Teachers League
Swear an oath to Hitler

Question 15

When did it become compulsory to join the Hitler Youth?

Answer 15

1939

Question 16

In what year were Jews banned from schools altogether?

Answer 16

1935

Question 17

What did teachers have to do?

Answer 17

Swear an oath of loyalty to Hitler and join the Nazi Teacher’s League. By 1937, 97% of teachers had joined

Question 18

What were students taught in History?

Answer 18

Germany lost the war due to Jewish and Communist spies
Jealousy of Germany’s power was the reason behind the Treaty of Versailles

Question 19

What were students taught in Geography?

Answer 19

How land was stolen from Germany
The need for lebensraum

Question 20

What did children learn in Biology?

Answer 20

Aryan superiority
Necessity of blood purity

Question 21

What did students learn in PE?

Answer 21

Fitness tests, those who failed were expelled
Strongest and fittest sent to special Hitler schools
15% weekly lessons were PE

Question 22

What was learnt in race studies?

Answer 22

Nazi ideas on race and population
Measure skills on classifying racial types

Question 23

Who was in charge of the Hitler Youth?

Answer 23

Baldur von Shirach

Question 24

How many members of the Hitler Youth were there in 1939?

Answer 24

7 million

Question 25

How poor was attendance?

Answer 25

25%

Question 26

What did boys do at Hitler Youth?

Answer 26

Physical exercise
Political indoctrination
Military uniforms
Fired guns and marched
Fitness classes
Regular meetings and events prioritised over school
Racial conscience

Question 27

What did Girls do at the League of German Maidens?

Answer 27

Domestic activities
Preparation for motherhood
White blouse, blue skirt
Fitness classes
Indoctrinated as to their role in society

Question 28

When were Jewish teachers banned from giving private tuition to German students?

Answer 28

1936

Question 29

How were rights taken away from the Jews in the 1930s?

Answer 29

Boycott of Jewish shops
Banned from inheriting land
Excluded from government jobs
Banned from public areas
Nuremberg Laws
Had to carry identity cards
Marriage and sexual relations between Jews and Germans forbidden
Children excluded from schools and universities
Had to register all possessions