The role of women

1
The role of women within Nazi Germany
2
Why did the Nazis focus on physical education for
girls and how does this fit in with their
vision of the primary role of women within
society?
Hitler writing in Mein Kampf In the education of
girls in the German state the emphasis must be
placed primarily on physical education only
after that should the spiritual and mental values
be considered. The one goal always kept in mind
when educating girls is that some day they aim to
be mothers.
3
According to Hitler, why should German women have
as many children as possible?
From Hitlers speech at the Nuremberg Rally of
8th September 1934 The world of a woman is her
husband, her children, her house. But where would
the greater world be if there was no one to care
for the small world? Every child that a woman
brings into the world is a battle fought for the
existence of her people.
Discuss Which of Hitlers main ideas regarding
the family are being shown here?
4
How did Hitler encourage the growth of families?
How does this fit in with Nazi ideas regarding
the family?
Taken from www.schoolhistory.co.uk When Hitler
came to power in 1933, he introduced a Law for
the Encouragement of Marriage. The law said that
the government would give all newly married
couples loans of 1000 marks (about nine months
wages). When the first child was born, the couple
could keep a quarter of the money. On the birth
of the second child, they could keep the second
quarter. They could keep the third quarter on the
birth of their third child, and the entire amount
on the birth of a fourth.
5
How does knowledge of the Reichs Mother Service
reinforce the conclusions that you have already
reached regarding the expected role of women
within Germany after 1933?
Frau Gertrud Scholtz-Klink the Nazi Womens
leader in 1938. In 1933 we set up the Reichs
Mother Service to train women. The object of such
training is to teach them about their great
duties upbringing and education of their
children and domestic and economic tasks.
Domestic tasks
Economic tasks
6
What does this source tell you about the
importance that Hitler placed upon women starting
a family? Why was this seen as being so
important?
For outstanding service in the fight against a
falling birth rate. Bronze four children Silver
six children Gold eight children The
Mutterkreuz (The Mother Cross)
7
What does this stamp from the Nazi period tell
you about the importance placed upon the role of
motherhood?
What can you see?
It may be of interest to note how the oldest
boy is dressed how many male children there
appear to be compared to female
8
According to this source had the Nazi propaganda
drive to push up the birth rate been successful
by 1936?
Germany 1918-1945, Greg Lacey and Keith
Sheppard. In 1900 there had been over two million
live births per year but this had dropped to just
under one million in 1933.In 1936 there were
over 30 more births than there had been in
1933.
Roughly how many more births (as a figure) were
there in 1936 compared to 1933?
9
According to this source not all women were happy
to comply with the wishes of the Nazi Party? Why
not?
Weimar and Nazi Germany Stephen Lee, 1996 A few
women joined opposition groups like the
Communists or the Social Democrats. A large
number however, actually worked within the
systemThey criticised the policy on three
groundsmany women would remain unfulfilledwomen
were being deprived of (life) experience which
was vital for their (personal development)women
had particular talents for certain types of
employment.
10
The Nazis wanted women to stay at home and raise
a family. Look at the following statistics.
The number of women employed in 1933, 1936 and
1939 1933 11.48 million 1936 11.7
million 1939 12.7 million
How successful were the Nazis in encouraging
women to stay at home during the 1930s and why
do you think this was?
11
Further sources and information can be found
at http//www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/GERwomen
.htm Information and sources http//www.users.glo
balnet.co.uk/aliandy/naziwomen_2.htm An
Interactive Revision Test http//www.schoolhistor
y.co.uk/lessons/germany/women.html An
interactive revision diagram
END