In What Ways Qs

Question 1

In what ways were lives of women in Germany affected by Nazi social policies?

Answer 1

1. In the 1920s in Weimar Germany, women had many rights and freedoms that women in other countries did not have. They had the right to vote, and if they worked for the government, their pay was equal to men. Many women attended universities and became lawyers and doctors.
2. However, the Nazis had very different views about the roles of women. They were worried about the declining birth rate in Germany, which was the result of career-driven women having less children. In 1900 there had been over 2 million births per year but this had dropped to under 1 million by 1933. A smaller population didn’t fit in with Germany’s plans to expand their empire. The Nazis felt that a woman’s patriotic duty was to stay at home, have lots of children, raise them as loyal Nazis and support their husbands.
3. Hitler said that women should stick to the three K’s (Kinder, Kirche and kuche) or children, church and cooking. Women were not seen as equal to men.
4. WORK. Within months of Hitler coming to power, many female doctors, teachers, lawyers and judges were sacked. Working was discouraged as it might impact producing children. Women were even banned from jury service because the Nazis claimed they were unable to think without emotion. When the war started, the labour shortage meant women were sent to work in factories to replace the men who were fighting the war.
5. BEHAVIOUR. Women were banned from wearing trousers or high heels and smoking in many cities as it was “unladylike”.
6. CHILDREN. Loans were given out to newly married couples to encourage them to have children. The nazis also banned abortion and contraception. Once per year, the Motherhood medal was awarded to women with the most children. Mothers with 8 children received the gold cross. The Nazis also set up the Lebensborn movement as an attempt to increase the birth rate. Around 8,000 children born from this.
7. ORGANISATIONS. The German Women’s league was established to coordinate all adult women’s groups, and they were given advice on cooking and childcare. The Nazi women’s organisation was an elite femal group dedicated to Nazi beliefs and ideas.