Nazi Domestic Policies 1933-39 Flashcards
(33 cards)
During the 1920s how did women’s lives change in most European countries?
Women over 20 were given the vote
There were 20 female members of the Reichstag
Some women were now equally paid to men and they had more chances of employment
Women started to enjoy more social activities outside the family and had more freedom in the way they dressed
What did the Nazis believe women should be like to be good mothers?
Healthy
Be good at cookery and needle work
Marry and enable their husbands to be useful workers
Have children and bring them up to be good Germans
Stay at home and concentrate on domestic matters, not work or politics
What policies did Nazis have to make sure women were achieving what they wanted?
The German women’s enterprise was formed to arrange classes and radio broadcasts to teach good motherhood
Women were encouraged to leave work and concentrate on the 3 K’s - kinder, küche and kirche (children, kitchen and church)
Some professional women were forced to leave their jobs as doctors, lawyers or teachers
What was the Law for the Encouragement of Marriage and when was it set up?
1933
Loans of 1000 marks (worth about nine months wages) were provided for young couples who marry as long as the wife left work. For each one of their first 4 children they could keep a quarter of the loan
How did the Mother’s Cross encourage child birth in Nazi Germany?
Awards were given to women with lots of children
Bronze for four children
Silver for six children
Gold for eight or more children
What was Lebensborn? And when did it start?
1935
It means the fountain of life and was set up by the SS leader - Himmler
At first the policy provided nurseries and financial aid for women who had children with SS men. Later it even made single women available for fertilisation by SS men. This was to create genetically pure children for adoption by worthy German families
What was the Nazi policy towards workers?
They banned trade unions in 1933 meaning strikes couldn’t happen
Hitler set up the DAF (German Labour Front). Their aim was to ensure workers served the Nazi regime
It set out a new employment right for workers in factories, mines, munition plants and shipyards
They regulated working hours and rates of pay and had power to punish workers
It got rid of workers freedom but established a minimum working standard
What was RAD and when was it set up?
1933
RAD is the national labour service and it provided manual work for the unemployed. Butler believed the unemployed probably supported communism and were his greatest rivals. From 1935 it was compulsory for all young men to serve six month in the RAD.
Rates of pay were low and provided very poor food. They mainly built public buildings and motorways. By 1939 Germany had 7000 miles worth of motorways
When was hitlers four year plan for the economy set up?
1936
What things were involved in hitlers Four Year Plan?
Spending on rearmament increased, in 1933 spending on arms was 3.5 billion marks but by 1939 it was 26 billion marks!!!
Production of iron and steel trebled from 1933-1939
Hitler wanted to be an autarky (self-sufficient) so Germans production of plastic increased by 460% in the 30’s
The Germany army was 100,000 in 1933 to 900,000 in 1939
What were the benefits of hitlers actions to workers/unemployment/rearmament?
Reduced unemployment and political opposition to the Nazis. There were also social benefits like protecting workers rights and Germany was ready for war and family life improved as there was less unemployment
Unemployment fell from 4.8 million in 1933 to 0.5 million in 1938
What were the disadvantages of hitlers four year plan to workers/unemployment/rearmament?
It was extremely expensive and employment was only achieved because women and Jews weren’t allowed work and lots of jobs were in the SS and the Gestapo
What was the percentage rise in wages in 1934 compared to 1938
1934 - 6%
1938 - 20%
What was the percentage increase of sales in 1934 compared to 1938?
1934 - 14%
1938 - 45%
What was the SdA?
Beauty of Labour
It tried to ensure good standards at work for safety, cleanliness, lighting, noise levels, ventilation and hot meals
What was KdF?
Strength through Joy
This provided leisure activities for workers, including sport facilities, films, outings and theatre shows
The most loyal workers could win impressive holidays
Overall why was hitler more popular in 1933?
He improved living standards
SdA and KdF motivated workers
Wages increased
Sale numbers increased
In what ways did living standards not improve?
Trade unions were banned so the average working hours in a week went from 43 hours to 49 hours
Many of the employed were in the army, not practical jobs
Food prices rose by 20% from 1933-1939 because the Nazis limited farm output
It was the Great Depression between 1929-1933 with extremely bad living standards so any improvements just meant it went back to normal
What did rearmament do to Germany’s economy?
The government was spending more than its income from taxes so imports and exports were unbalanced
Imports started to rise much higher than exports
(Without the war Germany would have been in major debt and living standards would have fallen again)
What happened to schools during Nazi Germany?
All children attended school until they were 14 and then it was voluntary. Boys and girls went to separate schools
Nazis added the subject Race Studies where they were taught about superior races like Aryans and inferior ones like Jews
Mein Kampf became a compulsory school text and PE was made 1/6 of school time
Domestic science was compulsory for girls (needle work and cookery)
What was Pimpf (little fellows) and Jungvolk (hitler youth)?
The Nazi government ran youth movements including Pimpf where boys aged 6 went there and did hiking and camping
Aged 14 boys would join Jungvolk where they did military training like the SA
What groups were set up for girls?
League of German Maidens to focus on training for health and motherhood
How did some youth rebel against hitlers rules?
Joined rival groups who found simple ways to rebel like growing long hair or listening to modern swing music and their groups included mixed sexes
They also graffitied walls with anti-Nazi slogans
One group called Edelweiss Pirates had 2000 members by 1939
Why was the anti-semitism in Germany?
Jews looked different because their customs and looks
Some Christians accused Jews of killing Christ
People looked for scapegoats - Germans blamed Jews for losing WW1
