Set 3 But Better Flashcards
(17 cards)
What was life like for women in Nazi Germany?
Women were expected to embrace traditional roles: marry, stay at home, and raise children. They were discouraged from working or going to university. The Nazi ideal was that a woman should be Aryan, modest, obedient, and focused on family. Slogans like “Kinder, Küche, Kirche” (Children, Kitchen, Church) reinforced this.
How were mothers rewarded in Nazi Germany?
Women with large Aryan families were awarded the Mother’s Cross: bronze for 4 children, silver for 6, and gold for 8 or more. Loans were given to Aryan newlyweds if the woman gave up work. Motherhood was seen as a duty to the state.
What was the Nazi view of the ideal woman?
The ideal woman was Aryan, with blonde hair and blue eyes, did not wear makeup or trousers, avoided smoking or drinking, and was fully devoted to family life and loyalty to Hitler.
What was the Hitler Youth?
A Nazi youth organisation for boys aged 14–18. It trained boys in military discipline, physical fitness, Nazi ideology, map reading, and obedience. It aimed to prepare them for roles as soldiers and loyal citizens.
What was the League of German Maidens?
A youth group for girls. It focused on preparing them for motherhood, domestic duties, physical fitness, and loyalty to Hitler. Girls were taught the importance of raising racially pure Aryan children.
How did Nazis change education?
Education was reshaped to support Nazi ideology. History emphasised German greatness and WWI blame on the Allies. Biology included eugenics and racial theory. PE took up 15% of time to build strong bodies. Jewish teachers were fired, and all teachers had to join the Nazi Teachers’ League and teach loyalty to Hitler.
What was Strength Through Joy (KdF)?
A Nazi organisation that offered affordable leisure activities like holidays, concerts, theatre trips, and cruises. It aimed to keep workers loyal and occupied while showcasing Nazi generosity.
What was the German Labour Front (DAF)?
A Nazi-run workers’ organisation that replaced trade unions. It banned strikes and negotiated wages. All workers had to join. The DAF controlled working conditions and promoted Nazi values in the workplace.
What were the positives of Nazi economic policies?
Unemployment dropped from 6 million in 1933 to under 0.5 million by 1939. Massive public works (like autobahns) and military rearmament created jobs. The Volkswagen scheme promised affordable cars for loyal workers (though no cars were delivered).
What were the negatives of Nazi economic policies?
Real wages remained low, and hours increased. Workers lost the right to strike or change jobs freely. The Volkswagen savings scheme was a scam — no workers ever received the car they were promised.
How did the Nazis use propaganda?
Joseph Goebbels controlled propaganda. Posters, films, radio broadcasts, and rallies were used to glorify Hitler and spread Nazi values. Radios were cheap and widely distributed to ensure the public could hear Nazi messages.
How did the Nazis control the press?
The press was tightly censored. Only Nazi-approved stories were allowed. Journalists had to join the Reich Chamber of Press and risked arrest if they published anything critical of the regime.
What was the Gestapo’s role?
The Gestapo was the Nazi secret police. It spied on citizens, encouraged informants, and could arrest and imprison people without trial. It created an atmosphere of fear and paranoia.
What was the SS’s role in society?
The SS, led by Heinrich Himmler, was an elite force loyal to Hitler. It controlled the police and ran concentration camps. It enforced racial policies and was responsible for suppressing opposition.
How did the Nazis persecute Jews before WWII?
Jews were excluded from jobs, schools, and public life. They were attacked in propaganda and publicly humiliated. Anti-Semitic laws gradually stripped them of their rights and isolated them from society.
What were the Nuremberg Laws?
Passed in 1935. These laws removed German citizenship from Jews and banned marriage or sexual relations between Jews and non-Jews. Jews were defined racially, not religiously.
What was Kristallnacht?
The “Night of Broken Glass” on 9–10 November 1938. A state-sponsored attack on Jewish synagogues, homes, and businesses. 91 Jews were murdered, over 30,000 arrested, and Jewish property was destroyed while police did nothing.
