Life in Nazi Germany, 1933-1939 Flashcards
Treatment of women in Weimar era vs Nazi era- marriage
- Women could marry who and when they wanted- less pressure
- Purpose of life to have Aryan children- marry racially pure ancestry, marriage loans given out if woman left her job
Treatment of women in Weimar era vs Nazi era- work
-Women took up teaching (100,000), doctors (5,000), musicians (13,000) and politicians (1/10 Weimar)
- No work/ gave up work when married to stay at home and focus on Kinder, Kuche and Kirche, jobs given to men
- When conscription started (1937), women were encouraged to get back to work, and do a duty year of work with no pay
Treatment of women in Weimar era vs Nazi era- family
-Women could choose when and how many children they had- less pressure
- Birth rate falling meant less powerful Germany, so encouraged to have lots of children, loans given out, awards given to mothers with many children (gold cross for 8 children)- 30% rise in birth rate by 1936
- Made contraception and abortion illegal, and allowed divorces if a husband or wife couldn’t have children
- Single women could go to a Lebensborn to become pregnant by an Aryan man and donate it to a family
- Classes put on to show women how to cook nutritional food- had to cook one leftovers meal per week so no food was wasted
- Children brought up to have Nazi values- daughters as mothers, sons as soldiers, Fuhrer, Aryan race etc.
Treatment of women in Weimar era vs Nazi era- rights
- Freedom- went out unescorted, drank and smoked, wore make up and fashionable clothes
- Women over 20 could vote
- Very little freedom- no opinions of her own, not to smoke, drink, or get involved in politics
- Ideal women was blonde, heavy hipped, athletic, naturally feminine, dressed in long skirts or dresses with flat shoes, no trousers, heels, or make up
Young people- education
- Teachers had to swear oath of loyalty to Hitler and join Nazi teachers’ league
- Promoted Nazi ideas in the classroom- learnt about German history- Weimar stabbing them in the back etc., questions would have featured Nazi policies, biology showcased Aryan race, textbooks rewritten, race studies introduced
- Race studies taught every day
- 15% dedicated to physical education- healthy
- Curriculum prepared students for future roles- boys prepare for military, girls prepare for being wives and mothers- needlework and cookery
- Lessons began and ended by saluting and saying ‘Heil Hitler’
Young people- oranisations
- Set up Hitler Youth for boys to control them in their spare time- learnt Nazi songs and ideas, athletics, practised military skills, and map reading
- Set up League of German Maidens for girls- learnt domestic skills and Nazi songs and ideas
- All other youth organisations banned and membership made compulsory in 1936- 7 million members by 1939
- Popular because children were kept out of trouble
Young people- opposition
- Edelweiss pirates- group who opposed Nazi ideas
- Swing movement played banned swing music, grew hair long, and wore what they wanted
- Graffitied walls with ant-Nazism
- Badge was an edelweiss or skull and crossbones
- Some hunted down Hitler Youth members and beat them up
Why did the Nazis persecute minorities?
-Believed Aryan race was superior, so persecuted Gypsies (5/6 killed by Nazis), homosexuals, mentally and physically disabled people, Jews and other races
Why did the Nazis persecute Jews?
- Always been a strong hatred for Jews- blamed for T of V, economic depression, seen as greedy bankers
- In Mein Kampf, Hitler wrote about how Jews had corrupted Germany and they should be dealt with
Key features in persecution of Jews- 1933
- Boycott of Jewish shops and businesses- many became unemployed- no money, no home etc.
- Jewish civil servants and university lecturers sacked- no job, no money, no home etc.
- Jewish books burned and banned from inheriting land
Key features in persecution of Jews- 1934
-Banned from public places
Key features in persecution of Jews- 1935
- No longer drafted into army or allowed in restaurants
- Nuremburg laws- Jews no longer German citizens, marriages between Jews and Aryans forbidden (also broke up existing marriages), forced to wear a yellow star
Key features in persecution of Jews- 1936
-Jewish professionals banned- unemployed, no money etc.
Key features in persecution of Jews- 1938
- Jews had to carry identity cards and have red letter ‘J’ stamped on passports
- Men had to add Israel to their first names, women had to add Sarah
- Jews excluded from schools and universities
Date of Kristallnacht
November 1938
