Nazi domestic policies, 1933-39 Flashcards
Describe schools and education in Nazi Germany.
- Separation of boys and girls.
- New subjects to support Nazi ideology, such as race studies.
- Children indoctrinated; told Aryans were superior.
- Mein Kampf became compulsory text.
- Girls taught domestic/household subjects, whilst emphasis on physical education for boys.
At what age could boys join the Hitler Jungvolk?
Age 14
What did boys do whilst part of the Hitler Youth?
They did training activities that prepared them for the military, just like the SA.
What was the League of German Maidens?
- An alternative Hitler Youth for girls.
- Focused on training for health and motherhood.
Before Nazis gained power, describe women’s freedoms and opportunities during the Weimar Republic?
- Women over 20 years were given the vote.
- 20 female members of Reichstag.
- Females more likely to work, there were 100,000 female teachers.
- More social freedoms
What did the German Women’s Enterprise do?
Arranged classes and radio broadcasts, teaching women to be good mothers.
This meant focusing on the three Ks (Kinder, Kirche, Kuche).
Why were professional women encouraged (or even forced) to leave employment?
- Women were meant to be housewives and mothers, not professionals.
- Professional jobs were needed for men, so by moving women into kitchens and homes, unemployment would fall.
The birth rate was falling in Nazi Germany. How did Nazi policy try and tackle this?
- 1933, Law for the Encouragement of Marriage introduced. This law meant 1000 mark loans given to young couples to marry (provided wife left work). For each of their first children, the couples could keep a quarter of the loans. Other payments to encourage childbirth.
- From 1939, Mother’s Cross was an award given to women based on the number of children they had. Bronze for four or five, silver for six or seven, gold for eight or more.
- Lebensborn (fountain of life) programme provided nurseries and support for women who had children with SS men. Later, it made all single women available for fertilisation by SS men. These children would then be adopted by worthy German families.
Describes features of Nazi policy toward workers.
- Trade unions banned (deemed disruptive to economy).
- Instead, the DAF was setup (German Labour Front) to ensure that workers served the interests of the Nazi regime.
- DAF also regulated labour market for employers:
- Employment rights, regulated working hours and rates of pay.
Workers lost right to collective bargaining, but gained a set of minimum employment standards enforced by the DAF.
Describe features of Nazi policy toward the unemployed.
- Hitler wanted to reduce unemployment, as unemployed people were likely to become left-wing or communist supporters. He also thought men needed to be put to work for a nation to thrive.
- Nazis setup the RAD (National Labour Service) to providem manual work for unemployed. In 1935, made compulsory for all young men to serve 6 months in the RAD.
- Men in RAD organised along lines of army, training drills and parades take place. Low rates of pay, but projects useful for Germany. For example, by 1939, Germany had 7000 miles of autobahns.
Describe the features and effects of Hitler’s ‘Four Year Plan’ for rearmament from 1936 on the German economy.
- Government spending on rearmament increased from 3.5 billion marks in 1933 to 26 billion marks in 1939.
- German production of iron and steel trebled from 1933 to 1939.
- Government began producing its own materials such as plastic oil and rubber in order to establish autarky (economic self-sufficiency). German production of plastic increased by 460% in 1930s.
- The German army grew from 100,00 in 1933 to 900,00 in 1939
From 1933 to 1938, how far did unemployment fall?
In 1933, unemployment was at 4.8 million.
In 1938, unemployment was at 0.5 million.
Compared to 1933 levels, how much had wages risen by 1938?
20%
Describe the features of two organisations setup to improve conditions and lives for workers.
- SdA (Beauty of Labour) setup to ensure good standards at work - safety, cleanliness, lighting, noise, ventilation and hot meals.
- KdF (Kraft durch Freude, Strength through Joy) setup to provide leisue activities for workers. Included films, outings and sports facilities. Became largest tour operator during 1930s.
Explain and justify the argument that living standards rose between 1933-39.
- In 1938, wages were 20% higher than they had been in 1933.
- Consumer spending was up 45% in 1938 on 1933 levels.
The higher wages and higher consumer spending indicated that people were buying goods to improve their lives (e.g. clothes and household goods).
Furthermore, the launch of the Volkswagen meant that car ownership was possible for the masses. The number of car owners trebled during the 1930s.
