Social and cultural 1924-1928

Question 1

Social Welfare Reform

Answer 1

• 1924: Public assistance system for poor and destitute modernised
• 1925: state accident insurance system introduced by Bismarck extended to occupational diseases
• 1927: National unemployment insurance system introduced

Question 2

State overwhelmed

Answer 2

1926 supporting:
- 800,000 disabled veterans
- 360,000 war widows
- 900,000 war orphans
- post 1927: covering unemployed benefits
- those administering benefits at local level used devices to keep expenditure down; means tests tightened up
- Support for Weimar undermined as war veterans felt humiliated and insulted by welfare system

Question 3

Living standards- workers

Answer 3

• Undoubtedly improved 1924-28
• Those in work, especially represented by powerful trade unions, maintained living standards by negotiating wage increases
• those dependent on welfare benefits less well off but prevented from falling into abject poverty
• Business owners and salaried employees benefited from improved trading position
• Big cities most benefited
  EXCEPTIONS
• those who lost savings 1923 hyperinflation
• Farmers poor trading conditions and low prices

Question 4

WOMEN- “new woman”

Answer 4

• “new woman”
  > free, independent, sexually liberated, visible in public life
• Weimar constitution
  > women could vote and participate in civil service, equal pay
  > Coincided with over 2 million mainly young male war deaths, fewer opportunities for traditional marriage
• Traditional Civil Code 1896 remained- husbands right to decide on all family life matters
• League of German Women- 900,000 members; promoted traditional family values
  > traditional church and parties alarmed by changes

Question 5

Myth v reality- new woman

Answer 5

• Employment
  > constitution gave greater equality; women 36% of workforce 1925; 1933: 100,000 female teachers
  ! Demobilisation laws required women to leave jobs
  ! women required to give up jobs when married in many fields
  ! married women attacked as double earners
• Sexual freedom
  > birth control more available, birth rate declined to 20.7 per 1000 people in 1925
  > rise in abortions- 1930 estimated 1 million a year
  ! abortion criminal offence- 10K deaths from abortions 1930
  ! decline in birth rate attacked by conservatives
  ! Churches opposed birth control, divorce, abortion- most women were Church goers
• Politics
  > Women gained right to be Reichstag deputies
  > 1919: 41 women elected to Reichstag but fell; Juchacz member of SPD and first woman to make a speech in legislative body- served in SPD until 1933
  > women active in local governments
  ! no female representatives in Reichsrat
  ! no woman became cabinet member
  ! no female leader in political party
  ! only KPD made gender equality a key element- but least appealing to women
  ! most female voters voted for Centre Catholic party

Question 6

YOUNG PEOPLE

Answer 6

• Concern of youth breaking away from constraints of family, school, religion turning to crime and anti-social behaviour
  > did not attend highly selective Gymnasium schools- at 14 supposed to begin apprenticeship or employment
• Young people suffered disproportionately from rise in unemployment- 1925-26: 17% of unemployed 14-21
  > Benefits system and day centres to gain skills did not compensate for unemployment

Question 7

Cliques- Hamburg

Answer 7

• prevalent in working class districts of big cities
• Farmers’ fear, Death Defiers, etc- physical toughness and aggressive masculinity
• used taverns as meeting places
• Initiation ceremonies included stealing or vandalism
• Had uniform and flag

Question 8

EDUCATION

Answer 8

• Germany had one of best state education systems in Europe
• selective Gymnasiums post 14 for university- mainly higher classes
• Realschule: 6 years of schooling for apprenticeships
• Few elite private schools; but state education system divided in class lines
• Divided religiously; Protestant and Catholic churches powerful influence over education
• Education reformers in Weimar wanted to break down divides and provide free education
  > partially successful
• introduction of elementary schools for further 4 years
  > could not remove influence of churches from schools- both churches successfully defended right to promote religious teachings through state education system

Question 9

Youth Groups

Answer 9

• Wandervogel- mainly middle-class boys; non political but highly nationalistic with romanticised view of past Germany; hated industrialisation and big cities; spent time hiking in forests- some adopted nudism and vegetarianism
• Church groups- Catholic New Germany 1919 aimed at middle-class youth; Protestants did not prioritise youth groups and had fewer members- tasks included promoting religious views like respect for church and family
• Political groups

Question 10

POLITICAL GROUPS

Answer 10

• Social Democratic Youth Movement 1925: most members during Weimar
• Young communist LEague 1925 for KPD children
• Bismarck Youth DNVP founded 1922: membership of 42K by 1928; strong following in protestant areas
• Hitler Youth 1926- 13K by 1929