Nazi Economic, Social, and Racial Policy Flashcards
What were Hitler’s 3 targets when appointed Chancellor?
- To reduce unemployment (would also help Hitler politically by increasing his popularity
- To rearm the German army to create jobs
- To make Germany self-sufficient in important raw materials and foods (not reliant on imports of goods from other countries)
What did Hermann Goering do as President of the Reichsbank?
He introduced the Four Year Plan which aimed to speed up rearmament and prepare Germany for war.
It lead to the push for autarky (self-sufficiency) in raw materials e.g. oil and metals, and also food production
Was Goering’s Four Year Plan successful?
It had mixed success. Production targets for aluminium, steel and explosives were nearly achieved but Goering failed to supply enough oil. Germany continued to import large amounts of food like butter and vegetable oil
What did Hitler do about Trade Unions?
He banned them in May 1933 as he saw them as a breeding ground for socialism and communism, and made strikes illegal
What was the DAF?
The German Labour Front
Led by Dr Robert Ley
Technically membership was voluntary, but all workers were essentially forced to join otherwise they would struggle to find a job
What did the DAF do?
- Increase working hours to over 60h/week
- Froze wages
- Removed right to strike
- Made it so workers could not leave their jobs without permission
What were the two schemes run by the DAF called?
Beauty of Labour programme
Strength Through Joy (KDF) programme
What did the Beauty of Labour programme achieve?
Aimed to improve working conditions in factories with the slogans:
“Good lighting - good work”
“Clean people in a plant”
What was the theory behind the Strength Through Joy (Kraft Durch Freude) programme?
Dr Robert Ley had calculated there were 3,740 hours of free time for workers in a year and wanted to make sure this free time wasn’t wasted.
He said they would become bored and frustrated if they had nothing to do, which in turn would make them bored and frustrated workers
If people were happier and more content, they would be more likely to work hard in their jobs
What sort of benefits did the KDF offer?
- Cheap holidays e.g. cruises on one of the two KDF ocean liners or a walking holidays in the mountains
- Trips to concerts and sporting events (KDF had its own orchestra which toured in places orchestras wouldn’t usually go)
- A hire-purchase scheme in which workers paid 5 marks out of their wages per week towards a new Volkswagen car (nobody actually received one due to outbreak of war)
How did Hitler ‘solve’ unemployment?
- RAD created jobs through public works schemes and construction of new housing
- Conscription so all males 18-25 forced to join the army/navy/air force for at least 2 years
- Rearmament created millions of jobs in production of military equipment and supply of essential materials
By how much did the unemployment figure fall between 1933 and 1939?
1933: 6 million unemployed
1936: 3 million unemployed (half original number)
1939: Below 500,000 unemployed
Why were unemployment figures misleading?
- From 1933 women were no longer included in figures
- Most Jews were sacked from their jobs and removed from the unemployment register
- The unemployed were classed as “work-shy” and imprisoned
- Conscription removed >1m men from unemployment figures
- Part-time workers were classed as fully employed
What were the “Three Ks” that embodied the role of the perfect Nazi woman?
Kinder
Kuche
Kirche
What were women forbidden from doing to their appearance?
- Wearing trousers
- Perming their hair
- Slimming (thought it would reduce chance of pregnancy)
- Wearing high heels
What changes were made to women’s work/education?
- They were encouraged to leave their employment
- They were fired from government jobs (e.g. teachers)
- They were not counted in unemployment figures
- They were only allowed 10% of university places
What were marriage loans?
They were given to newly married couple and consisted of 1000 Reichsmarks (1/4 years income)
The repayment reduced by 1/4 for each child. Therefore, 4 children born meant no repayment
What was the German Motherhood Medal?
An award to honour women who had more than 4 children. It was given out on Hitler’s mother’s birthday.
Those who had 8 children were given the gold motherhood cross. People on the street saluted these women.
Which methods (excluding rewards) were used to increase the population?
- Contraception and abortions were banned
- Childless couples were encouraged to divorce or have children elsewhere
- The Lebensborn programme was set up
What was the Lebensborn programme?
Also called the the “Spring of life”
Involved state sponsored homes where unmarried women and single mothers could be looked after and become pregnant from aryan SS men
Up to 12,000 children were born this way