Volksgemeinschaft: Women Flashcards
What is “pronatalism” ?
The encouragement of child-bearing and parenthood
What did the Nazis believe was the role of women in Germany ?
To devote time to children and domestic roles
Why were the Nazis in favour of Pronatalism ?
Because they believed Germany would struggle to exist without more man power
What was the birth rate in 1933 ?
14.7
What was the birth rate in 1939 ?
20.4
What fact undermines the birth rate statistic ?
- People only had children as it meant they had something to remember their husband if they died in WW2
- Main reason women had children was due to improved economy
What was the marriage rate in 1933 compared to 1939 ?
1933 = 9.1 1939 = 11.1
What suggests that the reduced female employment was a bad idea ?
- During ww2 the economy couldn’t produce enough and as a result was a main reason Germany lost the war
What was the supposed reason behind the increase in marriage ?
Women only married because they knew that if their husband died in WW2 they would gain compensation
What were the divorce rates in 1933 to 1939 that reduce the success levels of the marriage statistic ?
Divorces increased from 32.6 in 1933 to 38.3 by 1939
What 4 things did the Nazi’s do to encourage people to have children ?
- Financial incentives ( Marriage loan scheme )
- Propaganda ( Honours system )
- Made it impossible for a woman to get an abortion
- Birth training courses ( Deutsches Frauenwerk )
What was the Marriage Loan Scheme ?
Couples planning to marry could receive a loan of 1,000 marks, if the woman gave up her job once married. The amount of money was then reduced by 1/4 for every child
What happened in the honours system ?
Women rewarded for having large numbers of children
What was the greatest award in the Nazi honours system ?
Mother Cross ( 8 children )
