How did people's lives change in Germany in the years 1933-45? Flashcards
How did young people’s lives change in Nazi Germany?
Non-Nazi teachers and university professors were sacked, textbooks were re-written to include Nazi ideas. Focus on physical fitness. Girls were taught domestic science (cooking & sewing).
The Hitler Youth was compulsory from 1936 it indoctrinated boys and prepared them for war.
The League of German Maidens prepared girls for the 3K’s - church, children and kitchen.
Why did young people’s lives change in Nazi Germany?
Hitler wanted to create a German empire by invading other countries - he would need a generation of loyal, strong soldiers (young boys’ role) and large population of Germans to maintain his empire (young girls’ role).
How did the position of women change in Nazi Germany?
Women had to stay at home and look after the family, focusing on the 3K’s, church, children and kitchen. Women doctors, teachers and professionals were forced to give up their careers.
The Law for the Encouragement of Marriage gave newly wed couples a loan of 1,000 marks, and allowed them to keep 250 marks (25%) for each child they had. Mothers who had more than eight children were given a gold medal (the Mother’s Cross). Unmarried women could volunteer to have a baby for an Aryan member of the SS.
Women were supposed to wear plain clothes, hair in plaits or buns and flat shoes. They should not wear make-up or trousers, dye their hair or smoke in public.
Why did the position of women change in Nazi Germany?
Hitler wanted women out of the workforce to bring down unemployment - they were not counted in the government figures.
He wanted a high-birth rate to increase the population for his new German empire.
He had a very traditional view of women and felt they should be the centre of family life.
How did the position of Jews change in Nazi Germany before WW2 (1933-38)?
1933 Economic persecution - Boycott of Jewish businesses. Jewish government workers, lawyers and teachers were sacked.
1935 Legal persecution - Nuremberg laws said Jews could not be citizens. They were not allowed to own property or to marry a German.
1938 Violent persecution - Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) was an organised attack on Jewish homes, businesses and synagogues.
How did the position of Jews change in Nazi occupied Europe during WW2 (1939-45)?
1939 Ghettos & Concentration camps - Jews forced into walled out areas of the city without basic utilities (heat or running water). 30% of population forced into 3% of area. Camps worked people to death, prisoners were fed 300 calories per day.
1942 The Final Solution - Death camps such Auschwitz created to gas all Europe’s Jews. 6 million Jews were murdered.
