Women in the Weimar Republic

Question 1

Women’s lives before WW1

Answer 1

-Expected to give up jobs when married
-Paid less than men
-Stay home and look after their family
-No women in government
-Had no say in how the country was ran
-Expected to be accompanied by a man at all times

Question 2

Improvements in politics for ‘new’ women

Answer 2

-90% of women turned out to vote
1932, almost 10% of members were female
-In November 1918, the new Weimar Republic gave women the vote and the right to stand for election
-Women had equal rights in a marriage
-Marriage was an equal partnership

Question 3

Improvements in work for ‘new’ women

Answer 3

-Women got lots more jobs in shops and offices
-More women became teachers and doctors

Question 4

Limitations in work for ‘new’ women

Answer 4

-Women had to give up their jobs at the end of the war
-by 1925, only 36% of women were in
work
-Women were paid 33% less than men doing the same work
-women were expected to give up their jobs when they got married

Question 5

Improvements in leisure for ‘new’ women

Answer 5

-Often single, had a job and more freedom
-Showed freedom by wearing make up, smoking, drinking and being less interested in marriage

Question 6

Limitations in leisure for ‘new’ women

Answer 6

-New women were not very popular in Germany. Some people were worried about it changing traditional society. For example:
-The birth rate was falling
-The divorce rate was rising