Unemployment

Question 1

Nazi policies to reduce unemployment

Answer 1

~5 mil unemployed (25% of workforce)
Hitler’s reasons for reducing unemployment:
- politically dangerous for him - people will turn to KDP
- believed unemployed workers were a waste of resources, a burden to society

Question 2

Nazi policies to reduce unemployment - Labour Service (RAD)

Answer 2

Provided plain work for the unemployed e.g. repairing roads, planting trees.
Voluntary at first, but was made compulsory for all young men to serve in the RAD for 6 months.
Unpopular - organised like an army (wore uniforms, had military drills as well as work), got low wages.

Question 3

Nazi policies to reduce unemployment - Autobahns

Answer 3

Building motorways to improve transport around Germany. Other projects for building bridges, buildings were also planned.
Increased employment in the construction sector.

Question 4

Nazi policies to reduce unemployment - Rearmament

Answer 4

Hitler’s main aim was to boost the German army:

• announced military conscription (all young men would have to serve a period in the army)
• increased spending on arms (increased jobs in the arms industry)

Question 5

Invisible unemployment

Answer 5

Some historians believe the Nazis didn’t reduce unemployment (‘reduced’ figures) by:

• forcing women and Jews to give up jobs
• finding jobs for unemployed in RAD and public work
• counting part-time workers as full-time workers

Question 6

Changes in the standard of living - Employment

Answer 6

• more people in work = more people have a regular income. Therefore standard of living improves.
• some people e.g. Jews find it difficult to get jobs
• some workers e.g. RAD members didn’t enjoy work

Question 7

Changes in the standard of living - Wages

Answer 7

• rose quickly between 1936-39. Therefore standard of living improved.
• but some wages rose quicker than others e.g. armaments > RAD
• price of goods also rose, so wages compensated for that. Therefore standard of living didn’t improve.

Question 8

Changes in the standard of living - Hours worked

Answer 8

• increased from 43 to 49 between 1933-39, so had to work longer for more wages

Question 9

Nazi organisations which affected the standard of living of workers - The Labour Front (DAF)

Answer 9

Set up DAF in place of trade unions. DAF was in charge of:

• the rights of workers in the workplace (workers lost their right to negotiate improvements)
• maximum length of the working week (increased by 6 hours per week)
• minimum pay levels

Question 10

Nazi organisations which affected the standard of living of workers - Strength through Joy (KdF)

Answer 10

Loss of trade unions resulted in unrest, so Hitler set up KdF as part of DAF.
KdF improved benefits of workers inc. sports events, films, outings, etc.

Question 11

Nazi organisations which affected the standard of living of workers - Strength through Joy (KdF) - Volkswagen (the people’s car)

Answer 11

Hitler asked Porsche to design a car for four people as part of KdF. Workers were encouraged to pay 5 marks per week, but they never saw their money again because it was going for arms factories.

Question 12

Nazi organisations which affected the standard of living of workers - Beauty of Labour (SdA)

Answer 12

Another division of KdF which campaigned to get employers to provide better facilities for workers e.g. better toilets, canteens. Employers expected workers to make these changes themselves after working hours.