Weimar Germany - Women

Question 1

Evidence that women had an increased status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (politics)
-Suffrage and involvement in government

Answer 1

• 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

Question 2

Evidence that women had an increased status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (politics)
-The constitution

Answer 2

Article 109, marriage should be an equal union & women should be able to enter legal professions

Question 3

Evidence that women had an increased status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (politics)
-Campaigning

Answer 3

women’s associations campaigned for free contraception & the right to abort under certain circumstances such a rape

Question 4

Evidence that women had an increased status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (work & employment)
-doctors

Answer 4

• Over 2500 women doctors were employed in 1925
• & that doubled by 1933

Question 5

Evidence that women had an increased status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (work & employment)
-education

Answer 5

Possible for single women to go into further education

Question 6

Evidence that women had an increased status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (work & employment)
-‘white blouse’

Answer 6

‘White blouse jobs’ were available due to WWI - meaning women could work as secretaries & in shops

Question 7

Evidence that women had an increased status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (work & employment)
-lawyers

Answer 7

• Women could qualify as lawyers
• by 1933, 36 women lawyers

Question 8

Evidence that women had an increased status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (new women)
-qualities of new women

Answer 8

• shorter hair
• more revealing clothes
• smoke
• drank
• greater sexual freedom - greater access to contraception

Question 9

Evidence that women had an increased status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (new women)
-media

Answer 9

new fashion movements were promoted via magazines such as German Vogue

Question 10

Evidence that women had an increased status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (The Depression)

Answer 10

• 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

Question 11

Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (politics)
-The constitution

Answer 11

Women were still perceived as second class citizens, and their status was not changed under the civil code

Question 12

Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (politics)
Opposition

Answer 12

• 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’

Question 13

Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (work & employment)
-‘white blouse jobs’

Answer 13

• 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

Question 14

Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (work & employment)
-trade unions

Answer 14

trade unions didn’t like women working & were avidly against women being paid

Question 15

Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (work & employment)
-single/married women

Answer 15

• Single working women were accepted more than married working women,
• with married women having practicality issues (schooldays/restricted work life)

Question 16

Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (work & employment)
-pay gap

Answer 16

women were paid 33% less than their male counterparts

Question 17

Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (new women)
rural vs urban

Answer 17

• Rural areas such as the Rhineland were still very traditional,
• it was only in urban areas that such progressive ideas were pursued

Question 18

Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (new women)
discrimination

Answer 18

‘new women’ were sexually discriminated against in the workplace

Question 19

Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (new women)
the media

Answer 19

• 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

Question 20

Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (The Depression)
Decree

Answer 20

Chancellor Bruning passed a decree allowing for the dismissal of married women in government service if they had husbands who were earning

Question 21

Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (The Depression)
Hostility

Answer 21

-rise in male unemployment caused more hostility towards working women

Question 22

Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (The Depression)
restrictions of work

Answer 22

• women were the first fired
• and the last hired
• & usually only had part-time jobs

Question 23

Evidence that women had a restricted status in society from the Second Reich to the Weimar Republic (The Depression)
campaigns

Answer 23

campaigns for equality became scarce during economic crisis