Work and Employment 1933-1939 Flashcards
How high was unemployment in 1932?
6 million unemployed in 1932
What had Hitler promised during his campaigns?
To reduce and remove unemployment (He campaigned on slogans such as ‘Work and ‘Bread’)
What was the National Labour Service (RAD)?
The National Labour Service (RAD) provided manual work for the unemployed.
When was the National Labour Service (RAD) established?
1933
Was the National Labour Service (RAD) compulsory?
Only after 1935, when all young men (18-25) were forced to spend 6 months in the RAD. Before 1935, it was a voluntary service.
What sort of work did the National Labour Service (RAD) undertake?
- Worked in the fields
- Built public buildings (e.g. Olympic Stadium for 1936 Olympics)
- Built autobahns (motorways) - 7000 kms by 1939
How many men were employed to work on the autobahns?
80,000 men
What was re-introduced in 1935 that helped reduce unemployment?
Conscription (being forced to join the army)
How many men were in the army in 1933?
100,000
How many men were in the army in 1939?
1.4 million
How much money was spent on military hardware (tanks, aircraft, ships etc.) in 1939?
3.5 billion marks - this helped create jobs
Which industries trebled in size between 1933 and 1939, creating thousands more jobs?
The oil, iron, and steel industries
What was Hitler’s ‘Four Year Plan’ and when was it issued?
Issued in 1936, it was a plan to prepare Germany for war within 4 years
What is meant by autarky?
To be self-sufficient (able to survive without importing goods)
Why did Hitler want Germany to achieve autarky?
If Germany achieved autarky (self-sufficiency) then the effect of a naval blockade (during a war) would be minimal
