the role and status of women, 1918-32 Flashcards
LO: women in politics, perceptions of the 'New Women', sexual reform, prostitution
to what extent was there sexual equality in the Weimar constitution?
equal political rights - women could vote and stand for office like men
equal education rights - women and men were guaranteed equal access to education
equal opportunity in civil service appointments
equal pay in the professions
how many women were in the Germany’s Reichstag in 1926?
32
what did that number mean?
that women had gained better political representation at the national level in Germany than they had in most other European countries
what other issues remained a problem for women and why?
conservative values meant that issues like abortion and contraception remained illegal
what was the most influential feminist group in 1918-32?
BDF
how many members were there in the BDF?
approx. 900,000 members by 1929, majority middle class
what was the BDF’s belief?
women should plan an essentially nurturing role
what did the BDF campaign for?
campaigned for women to play a leading role in ‘nurturing professions’ such as teaching, nursing, and social work
what were the SPD views on women?
wanted to improve women’s rights but still assuming a domestic role. supported extending legal protection to domestic servants and improving maternity benefits
what were the KPD’s views on women?
claimed to be in favour of women made up a tiny majority of the party and it had a very macho ethos
what was the conservative backlash against in the 1920s in Germany?
there was a large conservative backlash against movements of sexual equality, inc. women’s rigths, birth control, female emancipation, and homosexuality
what groups campaigned against cultural changes such as female emancipation in the 1920s?
groups like KDK campaigned against cultural changes, emphasising traditional German values like church attendance
how did right-wing dominance in state govts affect women’s opportunities?
right-wing dominance reduced cultural developments and opportunities for women, esp. after the 1929 Wall Street Crash
what was the posiiton of the DVP and DVNP on women’s political involvement?
the DVP and DVNP supported women’s involvement in politics but rejected feminism. they believed women had a crucial role in nurturing the nation and supporting national unity
what defined the ‘New Woman’ in Weimar Germany?
the New Woman lived in cities, economically independent, often working in offices, and adopting a fashionable, confident and sometimes androgynous appearance
how did conservatives view the New Woman?
conservatives saw the New Woman as a threat to traditional gender roles, believing that their activities were unsuited to motherhood and symbolised a crisis in society
what was the New Woman portrayed in the film Pandora’s Box?
in Pandora’s Box, the character Lulu, portrayed as a New Woman, was a sexually uninhibited seductress whose unnatural behaviour led to ruin, symbolising the conservative view of societal decay
what did radical sexual groups like the World League of Sexual Reform advocate?
these groups advocated for sexual freedom, female sexual pleasure, marriage reform, easier access to contraception, and moral reform to challenge values of chastity and monogamy
who were some key figures involved in sexual reform movements in Weimar Germany ?
key figures included feminists like Helene Stocker and Marianne Weber, and male sexologists like Emile Hollein
what was the legal status of prostitution in Weimar Germany?
it was legal and highly regulated, with special Moral Police forces overseeing women in the trade and enforcing curfews
what movement developed to oppose state-licensed prostitution in Weimar Germany?
a movement led by women, supported by the enfranchisement of women in 1919, campaigned to end state-licensed prostitution and replace male police officers with female social workers
what significant change occurred in the regulation of prostitution by 1927?
in 1927, prostitution was decriminalised, leading to the abolition of legal brothels and a reduced role for the Moral Police. prostitutes were entitled to support from Care Officers
what was the role of the Care Office in relation to women leaving prostitution?
the Care Office provided education and financial support for women leaving prostitution, helping them rehabilitate and preventing vulnerable women from returning to sex work
what role did the Bremen morality scandal play in changes to prostitution laws?
the Bremen morality scandal of 1926 led to national legal change in 1927, resulting in the decriminalisation of prostitution and the abolition of legal brothels
