Life in Nazi Germany Flashcards
Economic policies, rearmament, role of women
What was the DAF?
- Replaced trade unions (banned)
- Couldn’t dispute pay / working hours
- This led to low pay and long hours
- Organised Strength through Joy and Beauty of Labour
- Difficult too find a job if you weren’t a member
What was the Beauty of Labour scheme?
A scheme organised by the DAF that improved working conditions by building toilet facilities, canteens, shower rooms, etc.
What was the Strength Through Joy scheme?
A scheme organised by the DAF that organised holidays, cheap theatre tickets, etc.
30 million members by 1936
How did the Nazis reduce unemployment?
- RAD
- Jobs taken from Jews/women
- ## Building schools, hospitals, autobahns, etc.
What was the Four-Year-Plan?
- Organised by Goering
- Aimed to make Germany an autarky within 4 years
- To prevent another naval blockade if another war broke out
- However it was unsuccessful in the end and by 1939 Germany still imported 2 thirds of it’s goods needed
- Industrialists told what to produce
How much did Hitler reduce unemployment since the Wall Street Crash?
Unemployment fell from six million to half a million
Why was rearmament so important to Hitler?
The Treaty of Versailles limited Germany’s army to 100,000 men, no air force, and less battleships. Hitler resented the Treaty and wanted to make Germany a leading military power
What did Nazi’s believe the role of women was?
- Children
- Church
- Kitchen
Why did Hitler find increasing birth rates so important?
- Wanted an 1000-year Reich
- Ensured he could have lots of future supporters
How were women encouraged to have children?
- Propaganda (posters, radio, TV, etc.)
- Medals for having children
- Marriage loans of 1000 marks given to couples, 25% paid off per child born
How were women’s rights decreased?
- Wearing makeup, trousers, and high heels was strongly discouraged
- Only allowed to make up for 10% of university places
- Encouraged to stop working
- Not allowed to work in politics, medicine, law, etc.
How did Hitler create more jobs?
- Jews sacked and women encouraged to stop working, not included in unemployment registers
- Unemployed men aged 16-25 forced to join RAD for six months
- Building autobahns (80,000)
- Rearmament
What were the benefits of the economic policies?
- Lower unemployment
- Improved infrastructure
- Beauty of Labour/Strength through Joy
- Industrialists exploited their workers (no trade unions) and profitted
What was rearmament?
Rebuilding Germany’s military after the Treaty of Versailles reduced it
What were the drawbacks of the economic policies?
- Workers unable to dispute low pay and long hours
- Women and Jews couldn’t work, and not included in unemployment registers
- VW Beetle scheme failed
- Four Year Plan failed
