Life in Nazi Germany (1933-39) Flashcards
What were the three K’s that Hitler believed women should follow?
Kirche (Church)
Kuche (Kitchen)
Kinder (Children)
What did Josef Goebbels say about the role of women?
“The mission of women is to be beautiful and to bring children into the world”
How did Hitler attempt to achieve a high birth rate for the Aryan race through women?
- Introducing the Law for the Encouragement of
Marriage which gave newlywed couples a loan of
1,000 marks, and allowed them to keep 250 marks for
each child they had - Giving an award called the Mother’s Cross to women
who had large numbers of children - Allowing women to volunteer to have a baby for an
Aryan member of the SS
What measures did Hitler take in order to keep women out of the workplace?
- The introduction of the Law for the Reduction of
Unemployment in 1933, which gave women financial
incentives to stay at home - Not conscripting women to help in the war effort until
1943
What was the Law for the Reduction of Unemployment, and when was it issued?
A law giving women financial incentives to stay at home, passed in 1933
What was the Law for the Encouragement of Marriage?
A law which gave newlyweds a loan of 1000 marks, and let them keep 250 for each child they had
How did the number of women in the workplace change between 1933 and 1939 despite Hitler’s attempts to stop this?
Female labour was cheap and between 1933 and 1939 the number of women in employment actually rose by 2.4 million. As the German economy grew, women were needed in the workplace.
What were Nazi beliefs over women’s appearances?
Women were expected to emulate traditional German peasant fashions - plain peasant costumes, hair in plaits or buns and flat shoes. They were not expected to wear make-up or trousers, dye their hair or smoke in public. They were discouraged from staying slim, because it was thought that thin women had trouble giving birth.
When was the Hitler Youth made compulsory for boys over 10?
1936
When was the Hitler Youth established?
1926
What percentage of German boys over 14 were a part of the Hitler Youth by 1939?
90%
What was the Hitler Youth?
- Its aim was to prepare German boys to be future
soldiers - Boys wore military-style uniforms
- Activities centred on physical exercise and rifle
practice, as well as political indoctrination
What was the League of German Maidens?
- Its aim was to prepare German girls for motherhood
- Girls wore a uniform of blue skirt, white blouse and
and heavy marching shoes - Girls undertook physical exercise, but activities mainly
centred on developing domestic skills such as sewing
and cooking
What organisation did all teachers have to join under Hitler?
The Nazi Teachers’ Association
How did Hitler use the education system to consolidate his power?
The curriculum was altered to reflect Nazi ideology and priorities:
- History - lessons included a course on the rise of the
Nazi Party. - Biology - lessons were used to teach Nazi racial
theories of evolution and that Jews were biologically
inferior to the Aryans - Race study and ideology - this became a new subject,
dealing with the Aryan ideas and anti-Semitism. - Physical Education - German schoolchildren had five
one-hour sports lessons every week. - Chemistry and Mathematics - were downgraded in
importance.
How did Hitler use rearmament to decrease unemployment?
- In 1933, 3.5 billion marks was spent on producing
tanks, aircraft and ships, and by 1939 the figure was
26 billion marks. This created millions of jobs for
German workers. The use of oil, iron and steel all
tripled, creating a variety of different jobs. - Rearmament started almost as soon as Hitler came
to power but was announced publicly in 1935. This
created millions of jobs for German workers and was
responsible for the bulk of economic growth
How did Hitler the National Labour Service to decrease unemployment?
The introduction of the National Labour Service (NLS) meant all young men had to work for six months without pay, and were then conscripted into the army. They were no longer counted in the unemployment figures.
How did Hitler use public works to decrease unemployment?
He began a huge programme of public works, which included building hospitals, schools, and public buildings such as the 1936 Olympic Stadium. The construction of the autobahns created work for 80,000 men.
How many jobs did the production of the Autobahns provide for German workers?`
80,000
How did Hitler make Germany’s unemployment figures seem lower than they were?
- Although Germany claimed to have full employment
by 1939, many groups of people were not included in
the statistics, including: - The 1.4 million men in the army at this time. There
were also a number of men working on public works
schemes. - Jews who were sacked and their jobs given to non-
Jews. - Women who were encouraged to give up their jobs
to men
How did big businesses benefit under Hitler?
By 1937 monopolies controlled over 70 per cent of production and the Nazis had links to major companies such as Krupp Steel and IG Farben (which produced chemicals). Both of these areas would be important for rearmament, and from 1935 onwards major industrial companies definitely benefited. Profits rose by 50 per cent between 1933 and 1939
Name two large industrial companies that had links to the Nazi party
IG Farben and Krupp Steel
What percentage of industrial production was controlled by monopolies in 1937?
Over 70%
How were small businesses disadvantaged under Hitler?
Rules on opening and running small businesses were tightened, which resulted in 20 per cent of them closing.
How did farmers’ lives improve under the Nazis?
The Hereditary Farm Law of 1933 prevented farms from being repossessed from their owners, which gave farming families greater security. By 1937, agricultural prices had increased by 20 per cent and agricultural wages rose more quickly than those in industry
How much had agricultural prices risen by in 1937?
20%
What was the Hereditary Farm Law and when was it passed?
It prevented farms from being repossessed by their owners, and was passed in 1933
What law gave farmers more security by preventing their farms from being repossessed?
The Hereditary Farm Law of 1933
What 3 organisations were established by the Nazis for German workers?
- The German Labour Front (DAF)
- Strength Through Joy (KDF)
- The Beauty of Labour
What was the German Labour Front (DAF)?
- An organisation which replaced banned trade unions,
it set wages and followed the wishes of employers
instead of employees
What was the Strength Through Joy scheme (KDF)?
A scheme that rewarded workers for their work with theatre trips, picnics and cheap holidays etc.
Its purpose was to keep support for the Fuhrer and keep workers happy after abolishing trade unions
What was the Beauty of Labour scheme?
A scheme which encouraged factory owners to improve work conditions with canteens, toilets and sometimes sports facilities
How did living standards debase from 1933 to 1939?
From 1933 to 1939 wages fell, the number of hours worked rose by 15 per cent, serious accidents in factories increased and workers could be blacklisted by employers if they attempted to question their working conditions
What was the Nazi word for “subhuman”?
“Untermensch”
How did Hitler use sterilisation to persecute people?
In order to keep the Aryan race pure, many groups were prevented from reproducing. The mentally and physically disabled, including the deaf, were sterilised, as were people with hereditary diseases.
How did Hitler use euthanasia to persecute people?
Between 1939 and 1941 over 100,000 physically and mentally disabled Germans were killed in secret, without the consent of their families. Victims were often gassed - a technique that was later used in the death camps of the Holocaust.
What types of people were sent to concentration camps?
Homosexuals, prostitutes, Jehovah’s Witnesses, gypsies, alcoholics, pacifists, beggars, hooligans and criminals were often rounded up and sent away to camps.
What organisation did Himmler establish in order to persecute homosexuals?
The Central Office for the Combatting of Homosexuality and Abortion
Describe the Nazis’ persecution of the Jews in 1933
- Nazis organised a boycott of Jewish businesses.
Books by Jewish authors were publicly burnt. - Jewish civil servants, lawyers and teachers were
sacked. - Race science lessons were introduced, teaching that
Jews were sub-human.
When were the Nuremberg laws?
1935
What did the Nuremberg laws entail?
- Jews were no longer German citizens
- Jews and non Jews couldn’t marry
- Sexual relations between Jews and non Jews were
banned
When were Jews forbidden from joining the army?
1935
Describe the persecution of the Jews by 1938`
- Jews were banned from all employment
- Jews had to add the name Israel (men) or Sarah
(women) to their name. - Jewish children were forbidden to go to school
- Kristallnacht - 9 November. The SS organised attacks
on Jewish homes, businesses and synagogues in
retaliation for the assassination of the German
ambassador to France by a Jew
Describe the persecution of Jews by 1939
- Jews were forbidden to own a business, or even a
radio - By the outbreak of World War Two in September
1939, the Jews were stateless, their employment
options in Germany were severely restricted and they
feared for their safety.
When was Kristallnacht?
9th November 1938
Describe the cause of Kristallnacht and what happened during it
- A German diplomat was murdered by a Jew in Paris
- There was anti Jewish rioting throughout Germany,
thousands of Jewish shops were smashed and
almost every synagogue was burnt down. In the
following days, thousands of Jews were arrested and
sent to concentration camps
What were Hitler’s views on the Church?
He thought that religion should comply with the state and wanted churches to promote Nazi ideals. He was also worried that some members of the Church might publicly oppose Nazi policies
How many Catholics were there in Germany in 1933?
22 Million
How many Protestants were there in Germany in 1933?
45 Million
What church did Hitler establish to unify different branches of Protestantism?
A state Reich Church under the leadership of the Nazi Bishop Ludwig Müller was established in 1936 to unify the different branches of Protestantism. This enabled the Nazis to use a group called the ‘German Christians’ within the Reich Church to promote Nazi ideas.
What agreement did Hitler make with the Pope, claiming that he wouldn’t interfere with the Catholic church if they stayed out of political matters?
The Concordat (1933)
- Hitler later broke his promise and attempted to
infiltrate the church and spread propaganda
Who was the Nazi leader of the Reich Church?
Bishop Ludwig Müller
How did Hitler use the Reich Church to suppress Christianity?
The Reich Church attempted to ban the use of the Old Testament in religious services as it was considered a ‘Jewish book’. Eight hundred Pastors of the Confessional Church, a non-conforming Protestant group, were arrested and sent to concentration camps.
How many pastors from the Confessional Church were sent to concentration camps under Hitler?
800
How did Hitler attempt to suppress the Catholic church?
- In 1936 all crucifixes were removed from schools
- The Nazis began arresting priests
- Catholic newspapers were suppressed
- The Catholic Youth group was disbanded in favour of
the Hitler Youth - Four hundred Catholic priests were sent to Dachau
concentration camp.
How did the Reich Church “Nazify” Christianity?
The cross was replaced with a Swastika, and the Bible was replaced with Mein Kampf. Only Nazis were allowed to give sermons and all non Aryan members were suspended
How did Hitler’s attempts to control the Church backfire?
- In 1937 Hitler was forced to return control of the
Church to the old Protestant leadership, in return for a
promise that the Church would stay out of politics. - Attendance at Catholic churches increased
substantially under the Nazis, especially during World
War Two, showing that Hitler’s attempts to reduce the
influence of religion in Germany was ultimately
unsuccessful
In what year was Hitler forced to return control of the Church to old Protestant leadership?
1937
Describe the Catholic opposition to Hitler
- Despite the Concordat, some Catholic priests
opposed Hitler. In 1937, the Pope’s message ‘With
Burning Concern’ attacked Hitler as ‘a mad prophet
with repulsive arrogance’ and was read in every
Catholic Church. - The Catholic Archbishop of Munster, von Galen, led a
campaign against the euthanasia of mentally-
disabled people. While his protests didn’t end the
killings, they forced the Nazis to keep them secret.
Only the need to maintain support from the Catholics
prevented them from executing him - 400 German Catholic priests were imprisoned in
Dachau concentration camp by the regime.
Which Catholic Archbishop led a campaign against Hitler’s euthanasia plan of the mentally ill?
Von Galen (Archbishop of Munster)
How did the Pope oppose Hitler?
In 1937, he issued a message “With Burning Concern”, attacking Hitler as a ‘mad prophet with repulsive arrogance’
How many Catholic Priests were imprisoned in Dachau concentration camp by the Nazi regime?
400
Name 3 youth groups which opposed the Nazis
- Edelweiss Pirates
- White Rose
- Swing/Jazz Youth
Who were the Edelweiss Pirates?
A youth group based in the Rhineland. They reacted to the discipline of the Hitler Youth by daubing anti-Nazi slogans and singing pre-1933 folk songs. In 1942 over 700 of them were arrested and in 1944, the Pirates in Cologne killed the Gestapo chief, so the Nazis publicly hanged 12 of them.
What was the White Rose group?
A group formed by students at Munich University in 1943. They published anti-Nazi leaflets and marched through the city in protest at Nazi policies. Its leaders, brother and sister Hans and Sophie Scholl, were arrested to and sentenced to the guillotine.
What was the Swing Youth?
These were young people who rejected Nazi values, drank alcohol and danced to jazz. The Nazis rejected jazz music as degenerate and called it Negro music. These youths were closely monitored by the Gestapo, who regularly raided illegal jazz clubs.
How did Nazi opposition come from ordinary people?
German workers, often helped by communists, posted anti-Nazi posters and graffiti, or organised strikes. In Dortmund the vast majority of men imprisoned in the city’s jail were industrial workers who went on strike over high food prices in 1935 and during the Berlin Olympics in 1936.
What was the Autobahn programme?
A major motorway building programme (1933)
What was the Volkswagen scheme?
(The People’s Car)
- People would be able to pay for it in instalments and
receive the car after fully paying
Who was the leader of the Strength Through Joy programme?
Dr Robert Ley
When was the Reich Church established?
1936
Describe the purpose of the National Labour Front
- To reduce unemployment and indoctrinate the
workforce, workers aged 18-25 had to: - Complete six months training at the RAD
- Wear military uniform
- Live in camps
- Receive pocket money only - no wages
- Do military/physical exercise every day such as
planting forests and digging ditches on farms
When was the National Labour front made compulsory?
1935
