Aspects of life in Germany and West Germany, 1918-89
To what extent did the role of women and attitudes towards them change and
develop in Germany in the years 1918-89?
Before the First World War
-German Civil Code (1900), could not vote, could not take exams to qualify for professional
careers.
-A women’s role was seen as Kinder, Kuche, Kirche (children, kitchen, church).
-1.6 men were killed, so many ‘surplus’ women
Weimar
-November 1918, women given the vote
-Turnout of women 90%, 112 women in Reichstag 1919-32
-Reichstag split, SPD supported equal rights, others did not
-Campaign for abortion under certain circumstances- rape.
-Falling birth rate, fell from 128 live births 1911, 80 in 1925
Women and work
-Weimar policy, women should give up jobs to returning soldiers
-Many ‘white-blouse’ jobs after the war
-Paid about 33% less than men
-Women could now qualify as lawyers, but only 35 in 1933
-Many women worked from home, school day finished lunchtime
-1925, 250,000 women doing poorly paid work from home
New Women
-Mainly worked in ‘white blouse’ industries
-Took advantage of contraception, sexual freedom
-Like ‘flappers’, independent
-Media called them immoral
-Film industry loved them
-In reality faced wage and sexual discrimination
-Many later in life settled down and married
The Depression
-Women affected less by unemployment cheaper to employ
-1932, 46% of men unemployed, 33% of women
-However women did more part time work
-May 1932, Chancellor Bruning dismissed married women from working if they had a
breadwinning husband
Nazis, 1933-45
-Kinder, Kuche, Kirche, but against Church membership as it competed with their influence.
Women as mothers
-Reichstag emptied of women
-National Socialist Womanhood, woman own Nazi organisation
-Encouraged ‘pure’ German couples to breed
-Given marriage loans if racially acceptable
-Lebensborn programme (1936), SS members encouraged to mate with ‘racially pure’ young
women, many from the BDM.
To what extent did the role of women and attitudes towards them change and
develop in Germany in the years 1918-89?
Before the First World War
-German Civil Code (1900), could not vote, could not take exams to qualify for professional
careers.
-A women’s role was seen as Kinder, Kuche, Kirche (children, kitchen, church).
-1.6 men were killed, so many ‘surplus’ women
Weimar
-November 1918, women given the vote
-Turnout of women 90%, 112 women in Reichstag 1919-32
-Reichstag split, SPD supported equal rights, others did not
-Campaign for abortion under certain circumstances- rape.
-Falling birth rate, fell from 128 live births 1911, 80 in 1925
Women and work
-Weimar policy, women should give up jobs to returning soldiers
-Many ‘white-blouse’ jobs after the war
-Paid about 33% less than men
-Women could now qualify as lawyers, but only 35 in 1933
-Many women worked from home, school day finished lunchtime
-1925, 250,000 women doing poorly paid work from home
New Women
-Mainly worked in ‘white blouse’ industries
-Took advantage of contraception, sexual freedom
-Like ‘flappers’, independent
-Media called them immoral
-Film industry loved them
-In reality faced wage and sexual discrimination
-Many later in life settled down and married
The Depression
-Women affected less by unemployment cheaper to employ
-1932, 46% of men unemployed, 33% of women
-However women did more part time work
-May 1932, Chancellor Bruning dismissed married women from working if they had a
breadwinning husband
Nazis, 1933-45
-Kinder, Kuche, Kirche, but against Church membership as it competed with their influence.
Women as mothers
-Reichstag emptied of women
-National Socialist Womanhood, woman own Nazi organisation
-Encouraged ‘pure’ German couples to breed
-Given marriage loans if racially acceptable
-Lebensborn programme (1936), SS members encouraged to mate with ‘racially pure’ young
women, many from the BDM.
