Role and impact of women in Nazi Germany (1 Viewer)

[miss_depp]

Anyone got any information? This is what I have so far...

The Nazi’s also pressed the importance of family and clearly defined the gender roles; the woman’s place was in the home, having children and caring for her family while the man’s job was as breadwinner and had ultimate authority and influence in the home. When women complained about their rights, Hitler promised them that in the Third Reich each woman would have a husband.

The Nazis needed the population to increase so that they could have a great nation and the decline in birth rates (from over 2 million in 1900 to fewer than 1 million in 1933) had scared them. The government offered loans to new brides who agreed not to take a job. 800,000 took up on this offer. Hitler knew the importance of healthy women and they were encouraged to stop smoking, to stop slimming and to do more sport to increase their fertility. There were mother and home economic classes for young women. In 1936 there were over 30% more births than in 1933.

 

[rama_v]

This is in fact a huge section, the book by Mason (I dont know what its called though, but its on Nazi Germany) is a very good source. Basically it says that a woman's place in the Volksgemeinschaft was to be a housewife and look after the Children (the slogan "Children, Kitchen, Church" was heralded at this time. There were many benefits given to women to have more kids in order to increase the poplulation. The indocitrination started at an early age with the League of German Maidens, and other such organisations that taught women to be fit and healthy adn also taught them how to do housechores like cookign and washing. Soon after the Nazis gained power there were almost no women left in any high ranking posiitons. Any women who did work in 1933 were discriminated agaisnt and soon most of them left.

Basically incentives for having kids included loans which were given out to couples. Every time they had a child, the loan was cut. Another incentive was a bronze, sivler and godl medal given to mothers of children. If you had 4 kids, you earned a bronze, if you had 6, silver, and if you had 8, you got a gold medal and were entitled to be saluted by teh Hilter Youth. Despite these incentives the population did not rise greatly and many attirbute the slight rise simply to the better living standards after the depression, not because of any government initiative. Women did in fact hold a high position in general society but their roles were different to men.

When the war came around Hitler was adamant that women were not to work in factories but still reamin in the home. It was only after Albert Speer persisted did women finalyl start contributing to the war effort, in 1944 and onwards. Even then however, not all positions were open to them and their impact in the war was significant but they did not turn the tide of the war - the war had already been lost by then (this ties into the falure of Hitler as commander in chief). Thats all I can think of now, phew

 

[ChoppedLiver]

There are some notes on the role, psoition and impact of the Nazi State upon women about a third of the page down here:

http://www.kdhs.org.uk/history/v2/as/as_unit3/index.htm

You will especially find this article handY:
German Wife And Mother: The Role Of Women In The Third Reich
http://www.kdhs.org.uk/history/v2/as/as_unit3/women7a.htm

CL

 

[Jennibeans]

This is in fact a huge section, the book by Mason (I dont know what its called though, but its on Nazi Germany)

its called REPUBLIC TO REICH