Social Improvements

Question 1

national welfare decree

Answer 1

February 1924
developed programs of public assistance
alongside pre-existing unemployment relief and benefits for war victims

Question 2

insurance 1925

Answer 2

insurance for those with occupational illnesses and injuries

Question 3

new employment laws

Answer 3

1927
improved unemployment provision
nation unemployment welfare scheme, covering 17 million workers
sacking both married and unmarried pregnant women was banned
only women in domestic service, agriculture and very small companies were exempt

Question 4

policies for education

Answer 4

Weimar education policy focused on equality of opportunity, regardless of gender, social class or religion
school prayers banned
elite prep schools abolished
- replaced with 4 year basic schools enabling any child with the capabilities to access higher education
reformers pushed for pupil-centred classrooms with active learning environment
200 experimental schools banned corporal punishment and grades

Question 5

consequences of educational policies

Answer 5

religious pressure groups developed, such as the Catholic School Association
The Zentrum party, a supporter of traditional education policies, was important in coalitions, so more ambitious reforms were dropped
numbers of students in state elementary schools dropped by a third between 1921 and 27, with a smaller drop a secondary level
numbers in high education grew, and percentage of women attending went for 7% to 17% by 1932

Question 6

the cost of welfare reform

Answer 6

around 40% of federal government spending went towards war-related pensions
welfare spending led to high taxation of wealthier Germans, especially the elites, which reinforced their suspicions about democracy
Even before the Great Depression from 1932 competing demands for the federal welfare budget couldn’t be met

Question 7

Living standards - workers

Answer 7

real wages rose, but unemployment remained over 6%
trade unions didn’t use strikes or press for workers rights due to high unemployment
welfare provisions were still brought in
overall, living standard did improve for workers

Question 8

Housing under the Weimar Republic

Answer 8

Article 155 of the Weimar Constitution - good quality, healthy housing assured
over 2 million new homes were built between 1924 and 1931, as well as 200,000 being improved
low interest loans were made available by the government, as well as tax breaks and land grants for housing
homelessness reduced drastically
housing, hospitals, schools, roads and electricity supplies were improved by state governments

Question 9

Positive changes for women

Answer 9

‘New Woman’ ideal - sexual liberated and independent, with make up and short hair

• women given equal voting right to men under Weimar Constitution
• Women active in local politics
• 41 women were elected as representatives in the Reichstag in 1919
• attitudes to employment changed due to the high numbers of women working during WW1
• 36% of German workers were women by 1925

Question 10

Negative continuity for women - socially

Answer 10

many were opposed to the concept of the ‘New Woman’

• conservatives believed that it was an attack on social morals
• church was opposed to sexual liberation of women via contraception

Question 11

Negative continuity for women - economically

Answer 11

• many men returned to their jobs after the war and ousted women

Question 12

Negative continuity for women - politically

Answer 12

• no women were part of the Reichsrat

- Only the KPD has an agenda which included feminism, with other parties not campaigning for women’s rights