Social and Cultural Developments Flashcards
During the Weimar republic how many Jews living in Germany?
1/2 million with 80% living in cities many felt more German than Jews as they were well assimilated
State some social reforms in this period
1924- The public assistance system was modernised to help the poor
1925- the state accident insurance system allowed for payments if injured at work or with occupational disease
1927-National Unemployment system created benefits for the poor
=VERY expensive
Means test eventually added
Gov also supporting 800,000 war veterans
and 900,000 war orphans in 1926
in 1925-1926 what percentage of the unemployed were in the 14-21 age group?
17%
What youth groups formed in Hamberg?
“Youth Cliques”
e.g Eagles Claw projecting the image of toughness and masculinity as well as anti-social behaviour
What were the “Wandervogei”?
youth group who romanticised the past and hated German industrialised big cities
What political youth groups formed in this period?
1925- young communist league
By 1929 Hitler Youth had 13,000 members
Where were there such significant social and cultural changes?
Weimar constitution gave citizens more freedoms and rights
-influence of international movement
however conflict between tradition and “modernity” grew
What happened to living standards and lifestyles?
Overall living standards improved
-unions negotiated wage increases
-welfare benefits
However some did not gain e.g farmers, middle class, savers etc
What was the position of women in Weimar republic?
=”New women”
= free, independent. sexually liberated
Weimar constitution given them the right to vote
By 1925 36% of workforce were women
Divorce rates increased
birth control widely available
By 1925 what percentage of the workforce were women?
36%
What counteracted the concept of a “new women”?
women still paid much less than men
many occupations once married expected to give up work
Abortion was a criminal offence
Only KPD who made gender equality in Manifesto
Civil Code 1896 remained in force (in marriage the husband was to make the decision regarding family life)
Most popular womens group of 1920s= League of German Women BDF with 90,000 members
Who was Clara Zetkin?
Female KPD member of Reichstag from 1920-1933
overall opinion of “new women”?
=more of a cultivated myth than a social reality, though to be fair in comparison to other countries, there was a development in liberalism
What was the Barmat Scandal 1925?
3 Jewish businessmen were convicted of bribing public officials for loans = eventually sentenced to 11 months
=growth in anti-semitism
State a prominent film in this period and the star
The Blue Angel
starring Marlene Dietrich
Who won the nobel prize for literature in 1929?
Thomas Mann (leading german writer)
What type of growth was there in art in this period?
expressionism
artisits believed their work should express meaning and emotion
Name a famous Jewish film maker
Fritz Lang
State two famous artists
George Graz and Franz Marc
State a famous play
“The three penny opera” =symbol of Weimar Republic Attacked the right wing and capitalists
