Women

Question 1

How did the general views on gender differences change?

Answer 1

Weimar

• Women’s role was domestic and men’s role was to work
• Women had to have children
• While men were off to fight, it was up to women to uphold German values onto children

*These values were generally held by rural conservatives, but views on women in cities like Berlin were much more liberal

Nazis

• Had inherently different skills and roles
• Had to bear the next generation of aryans
• Female emancipation was put down as a Jewish conspiracy
• Had to be naturally beautiful
• Had to nurture children

Changed during WW2, but the general views remained the same

FRG

• Basic Law stated that men and women are equal
• Still favoured conservative gender roles
• Not encouraged to be involved in politics

Question 2

How did women in politics change over the three eras?

Answer 2

Weimar

• Women had a lot of equality in legislation:
• Equal pay
• Same voting rights
• Allowed to work in civil service
• In 1926, there were 32 women in the Reichstag
• BUT, contraception and abortion were illegal