social and cultural developments in germany, 1924-28 Flashcards
What social welfare reforms where there between 1924 and 1927?
- 1924: The Public Assistance System, providing help to the poor, was modernised
- 1925: The State Accident Insurance System, helping those injured at work, extended to cover those suffering from occupational diseases
- 1927: A National Unemployment Insurance System was introduced, providing benefits for the unemployed and financed by contributions from workers and employers
What was the main problem with the welfare system?
It was very expensive.
Who were the state supporting with its welfare system in 1926?
800,000 disabled war veterans, 360,000 war pensions and over 900,000 war orphans.
Why was the welfare system expensive to run?
It needed a large and expensive bureaucracy to administer it.
What did those administering benefits at a local level do to keep expenditure down?
- Means tests were tightened, a financial check to see if the claimant truly needs supports
- Snoopers were used to check claimants weren’t cheating the system
- There was an increasing delay in paying benefits
How did those in need of support feel about the welfare system?
They felt they were being humiliated and insulted, which undermined their support for the Republic.
What happened to the living standards of Germans during the years 1924-28?
They had improved for millions.
How did those in work maintain their living standards?
They’d be able to negotiate their wage increases, especially those in strong trade unions.
How did business owners benefit during 1924-28?
They were in an improved trading position that German companies had at the time.
Who were struggling during the years 1924-28?
Farmers’ incomes were falling and food prices plummeted, and those who had lost their savings during the hyperinflation struggled to regain a comfortable lifestyle.
How was the ‘new woman’ portrayed?
As being free, independent, sexually liberated and increasingly visible in public life.
What had the Weimar Constitution given women?
Equal voting rights to men, and equal access to education.
Why was there a major change in gender balance during the 20s?
Because over 2 million Germans, mostly young men, had been killed in the war, and so there were less opportunities for women to marry.
Why were women of the 20s less likely to want to follow the paths of their mothers?
Because the war had brought many of them into paid employment to replace the men who had lost their lives.
What was German opinion on the ‘new woman’?
Not all German citizens approved of the changes, not even all women.
What did the Civil Code of 1896 lay down?
That in a marriage a husband had the right to decide on all matters concerning family life, including whether his wife should undertake paid employment.
What was the most popular women’s group in the 20s and what did this promote?
The League of German Women (BDF) which had 900,000 members.
It promoted traditional family values and maternal responsibilities.
Who supported the ideas of the BDF?
The more conservative parties, and the churches.
What was the true reality of the ‘new woman’?
It was more of a cultivated myth, rather than a social reality for the majority of German women.
What did the achievement of women’s suffrage in 1919 bring?
The debate on women’s rights to the heart of political debate.
What did the Weimar Republic witness a continuing struggle between regarding women’s rights?
Those who wanted Germany to be a modern, free and equal society, and those who fought to retain traditional values.
