Weimar Germany - Women Flashcards
Evidence that women had an increased status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (politics)
-Suffrage and involvement in government
- Women were granted the vote by the council of People’s Representatives
- First election turnout for women was 90%
- Women took seats in the local government & the Reichstag
Evidence that women had an increased status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (politics)
-The constitution
Article 109, marriage should be an equal union & women should be able to enter legal professions
Evidence that women had an increased status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (politics)
-Campaigning
women’s associations campaigned for free contraception & the right to abort under certain circumstances such a rape
Evidence that women had an increased status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (work & employment)
-doctors
- Over 2500 women doctors were employed in 1925
- & that doubled by 1933
Evidence that women had an increased status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (work & employment)
-education
Possible for single women to go into further education
Evidence that women had an increased status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (work & employment)
-‘white blouse’
‘White blouse jobs’ were available due to WWI - meaning women could work as secretaries & in shops
Evidence that women had an increased status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (work & employment)
-lawyers
- Women could qualify as lawyers
- by 1933, 36 women lawyers
Evidence that women had an increased status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (new women)
-qualities of new women
- shorter hair
- more revealing clothes
- smoke
- drank
- greater sexual freedom - greater access to contraception
Evidence that women had an increased status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (new women)
-media
new fashion movements were promoted via magazines such as German Vogue
Evidence that women had an increased status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (The Depression)
- women suffered a less steep level of unemployment, as they were cheaper to employ
- 46% of men were unemployed from The Depression compared to 33% of women
Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (politics)
-The constitution
Women were still perceived as second class citizens, and their status was not changed under the civil code
Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (politics)
Opposition
- Resistance to women in politics came from a majority belief:
- rising divorce rates, falling birth rates & campaigns for abortion were the result of less domestic female roles
- believed by many that women should return to ‘Kinder, Kuche, Kircher’
Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (work & employment)
-‘white blouse jobs’
- In the long term, government policy was that women should give up jobs to returning soldiers
- this meant the female workforce declined from 36% to 34% nearing pre-war levels
Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (work & employment)
-trade unions
trade unions didn’t like women working & were avidly against women being paid
Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (work & employment)
-single/married women
- Single working women were accepted more than married working women,
- with married women having practicality issues (schooldays/restricted work life)
Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (work & employment)
-pay gap
women were paid 33% less than their male counterparts
Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (new women)
rural vs urban
- Rural areas such as the Rhineland were still very traditional,
- it was only in urban areas that such progressive ideas were pursued
Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (new women)
discrimination
‘new women’ were sexually discriminated against in the workplace
Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (new women)
the media
- Heavily criticised by the media for:
- their new image
- not planning their futures or saving
- being ‘selfish’
- causing the downfall of society by going against the norms taking a boyish style & manner
Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (The Depression)
Decree
Chancellor Bruning passed a decree allowing for the dismissal of married women in government service if they had husbands who were earning
Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (The Depression)
Hostility
-rise in male unemployment caused more hostility towards working women
Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (The Depression)
restrictions of work
- women were the first fired
- and the last hired
- & usually only had part-time jobs
Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (The Depression)
campaigns
campaigns for equality became scarce during economic crisis