Social and Cultural Developments 1924-28 Flashcards
(11 cards)
Why was the German social welfare reform very expensive?
It supported over 2 million war widows, orphans and war disabled
Why did the position of women in Germany improve due to WW1?
-Over 2 million German soldiers had been killed in war and there were less opportunities for young women to get married
-Th war had brought many more women into paid employment - many wanted to stay in work
What was the viewpoint of the League of German Women (BDF), which was the most popular women’s group in the 1920s?
With 900,000 members, they promoted traditional family values and maternal responsibilities
Give evidence of their being more rights for Weimar women?
Employment - 36% workforce were women
-By 1933 there were 100,000 female teachers and 3,000 female doctors
Sexual freedom - birth control was more widely available
-Divorce rates increased
-Rise in number of abortions
Politics and public life - gained equal voting rights
-41 women elected to the new Reichstag
Give evidence to show that Weimar women’s rights were not as perfect as often thought
Employment - required to give up their employment when married
-Paid less than men doing the same job
-Married women who continued to have paid jobs were blamed for male unemployment
Sexual freedom - abortion still a criminal offence and performed unsafely
-Cath and Prot churches vigorously opposed birth control, divorce and abortion
Politics and public life - no woman became cabinet member during Weimar Republic
-Only KPD made gender equality a key element in its programme
-None of other parties gave support to female issues
What were some popular German youth groups in the Golden Age?
-Wandervogel: highly nationalistic and enjoying the outdoors
-Church Youth Groups: both for Cath and Prot children
-Political youth groups: e.g. Social Democratic Youth movement, the Bismarck Youth, Hitler Youth
How many Jewish people lived in Germany under the Weimar Republic?
More than 500,000 (less than 1% pop)
Over 80% were well-educated
What percentage of banks did Jewish families own?
50%. they also owned 18% of the whole banking sector in Germany
How did Berlin’s nightclubs change during this time period?
Adopted American styles of jazz music and liberation. Nudity was featured strongly and individuals did not need to conceal their sexuality any longer
What is the name of the predominant movement in German art, music and literature?
Expressionism. Many believed that forms of art should express meaning or emotion rather than reality
What is Jewish Bolshevism?
Term used by anti-Semites in Weimar period to imply that Jews and communists were closely associated
