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Nazi Views About Women and the Family

The Nazis had a policy of 'gleischaltung' (meaning bringing into line or creating control and conformity). They used social policies to make sure that all parts of society supported the Third Reich.

Nazi views on women

The ideal woman was Aryan, with blonde hair and blue eyes. She would look traditional, with no make-up, hair in plaits, flat shoes, and plain clothes.

Nazi views on women and the family

The Nazis believed women had a very clear role in German society.
Women were expected to look after the home and bear children for the Third Reich.
- Women were encouraged to be sturdy in their build because this was believed to help childbirth.
Attitudes to women were shaped by the three ‘K’s: Kinder (children), Küche (Kitchen), Kirche (Church).

Nazi views on marriage

The Nazis wanted all women to marry.
To do this, they passed the Law for the Encouragement of Marriage.
- This gave married couples a loan of 1,000 marks.
While the number of marriages did increase, we cannot automatically assume it was because of these marriage loans. Wider improvements to the economy could have also affected this.

Nazi Views About Women and the Family

The Nazis had a policy of 'gleischaltung' (meaning bringing into line or creating control and conformity). They used social policies to make sure that all parts of society supported the Third Reich.

Childbirth

The Nazis had a ‘pro-natalist’ policy.
- This meant they wanted women to have lots of children to increase the Aryan race.
For every child a family had, they were allowed to keep 250 marks of their marriage loan. If you had 4 children, you would not have to pay any money back.

The Motherhood Cross

The Motherhood Cross was another incentive to have children.
- A bronze medal was for 4 children.
- A silver medal was for 6 children.
- A gold medal was for 8 children.
The birth rate did increase from 15 babies per 1,000 in 1932 to 19 babies per 1,000 in 1938.
- But it is difficult to tell how much of this was down to the Nazis.

Women in the home

To keep women in the home, they were discouraged from working.
- From 1933, women were banned from having professional jobs.
- Propaganda (information designed to influence people) stressed that women were not to steal jobs from men.
But this policy was not as successful as the Nazis hoped.
- Women were cheap labourers and female employment rose by 2.4 million between 1933 and 1939.

Female education

The Nazis wanted to educate women on how to look after their family and home.
The German Women’s Enterprise (DFW) ran classes and radio shows to teach women how to run their home.
Schools began to teach girls domestic skills.
From 1937, girls in grammar schools were forbidden to prepare for university.

1Dictatorship

1.1Hitler & The Nazi Party in 1933

1.1.1The Origins of the Nazi Party

1.1.2Hitler & The Growth of the Party

1.1.3The 1932 Election

1.2Establishing Dictatorship, 1933-1934

1.2.1Establishing Dictatorship

1.2.2Achieving Total Power, July 1933 - August 1934

1.2.3End of Topic Test - Dictatorship

1.2.4Grade 9 - Dictatorship

2Control & Opposition

2.1The Machinery of Terror

2.1.1Police State & Legal System

2.1.2The Gestapo & SS

2.1.3Concentration Camps

2.1.4End of Topic Test - Control & Opposition

2.2Nazi Propaganda

2.2.1The Effectiveness of Nazi Propaganda

2.3Opposition to Nazi Rule

2.3.1The Left

2.3.2Church Leaders

2.3.3Youth Groups

2.3.4Support for Nazi Rule

2.3.5End of Topic Test - Propaganda & Opposition

2.3.6Grade 9 - Propaganda & Opposition

3Changing Lives, 1933-1939

3.1Work & Home

3.1.1Work

3.1.2Home

3.2The Lives of Young People

3.2.1Education

3.2.2Youth Movements

3.3Nazi Racial Policy

3.3.1Racial Policy

3.3.2Persecution of the Jews

3.3.3End of Topic Test 0 Changing Lives

3.3.4Grade 9 - Changing Lives

4Germany in War

4.1The Impact of War

4.1.1Impact of the War Economy on the People

4.1.2Impact of Total War on the People

4.2Growing Opposition from the German People

4.2.1Opposition from the People

4.2.2Opposition from the Army

4.2.3End of Topic Test - Germany in War

4.2.4Grade 9 - Germany in War

5Occupation

5.1Nazi Rule in Eastern and Western Europe

5.1.1The Start of World War 2

5.1.2Western Europe

5.1.3Eastern Europe

5.1.4End of Topic Test - Occupation

5.2The Final Solution

5.2.1Ghettos & Executions

5.2.2Death Camps

5.2.3End of Topic Test - The Final Solution

5.3Responses to Nazi Rule

5.3.1Collaboration

5.3.2Accommodation

5.3.3Resistance

5.3.4End of Topic Test - Responses to Nazi Rule

5.3.5Grade 9 - Occupation

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