Life For Workers Flashcards
What were some economical issues in Germany?
Unemployment- this had risen to over 6 million by 1932
Inflation and hyperinflation- Germany faced devastating hyperinflation in 1923, when $1 = 4,200,000,000 marks.
Germany relied on overseas trade for vital raw materials and food supplies. Part of the reason Germany had lost the Great War was because it hadn’t been able to maintain these supplies.
Why did the economic depression occur?
The Wall Street crash of 1929.
Who did Hitler appoint as president of the Reichsbank (and later minister for economics) in 1933?
Hjalmar Schatcht, a respected economist.
How did Hitler fix the economy?
Welfare spending was cut e.g. health insurance, unemployment benefits
The amount of goods imported into the country was cut
Trade arrangements were made with other countries
The government focused spending on key industries e.g. iron and steel
What is Autarky?
Self sufficiency.
Not relying on imports from other countries
How did Hitler try to achieve Autarky?
Four year plan. The aim of which was to get Germany ready for war in four years.
What did the Nazi four year plan involve?
New factories were built e.g. to build tanks, airplanes, etc.
Industry was placed under strict government control. This was to ensure that factories were focusing on making the things Hitler wanted and in the right amounts
Targets were set for the production of essential materials, such as oil, rubber and steel.
Industries were encouraged to develop substitutes for raw materials e.g. nylon
Targets were set to increase food production.
What was conscription?
Conscription into the German armed forces had been publicly reintroduced in 1935 and helped to reduce the numbers of unemployed. In 1933 there were 100,000 in the army by 1939; the army was 1.4 million strong.
What is Rearmament?
To equip the newly conscripted men with weapons etc., factories for rearmament were built creating new jobs so this took even more off the unemployment figures.
What is RAD?
National (Reich) Labour service.
Hitler announced this as a means of employment for unemployed men. From 1935 all men aged between 19-25 had to work for the government for 6 months. Later women were included in the scheme.
They were mostly employed in construction jobs, e.g. schools, hospitals, autobahns and also in farming. Women were given teaching and domestic service jobs.
The men lived in camps and given army like uniforms. They received free meals and pocket money instead of wages.
How did Nazi actions impact the lives of workers?
The government banned the use of some labour saving machinery,
Workers had to get government permission before reducing their labour force.
Women in certain professions were dismissed. Unemployed women were not recorded on statistics and their jobs were given to men.
The unemployed were given a choice of do whatever work the government gives to you or be put in a concentration camp.
Jews were dismissed from their jobs.
What was the KdF?
Strength through joy.
This organisation took care of leisure time.
What did the KdF do?
Cheap holidays e.g. a cruise to the Canary Islands cost 62 marks.
They introduced a hire purchase scheme where workers could get a free Volkswagen. No one actually got one, but no one complained to avoid getting into trouble.
What is the SdA?
What did they do?
The Beauty of labour was introduced to improve workplaces.
Better lighting and wash facilities were introduced.
Why were rent and price controlled?
To ensure prices did not rise dramatically.
Workers benefited despite low wages.
