Matilda Plambeck
6/5/20
Women in Nazi Germany
Nazi attitudes to women
-Hitler and most Nazis had a very traditional mindset about the role of
women as wife and mother
--Many German men and women agreed with this
-In traditional rural areas and small towns women felt that their role was
to support their husband
-There was also a lot of resentment towards working women who were
keeping men out of jobs
--This created pressure on women to play a traditional role in society
-There were some prominent women in Nazi Germany:
--Leni Riefenstahl was a high-profile film producer
--Gertrude Scholz-Klink was head of the Nazi Women’s Bureau
---However, she was excluded from any important discussion
----Such as one about female labour conscription in 1942
-Many working-class women and girls gained the opportunity to travel and
meet new people through the Nazi women’s organisations
--However, their opportunities were fairly limited overall
---Professional women were forced to give up their jobs if they were
married
---Discrimination against female applicants was encouraged
Rewards for mothers
-Nazis offered tempting financial incentives for families with at least four
children
--Women who had 8 children got a “Gold Cross”
-Poster, radio broadcasts and newsreels celebrated motherhood and the
idea of homebuilding
-The German Maidens’ League reinforced these ideas
--They focused on good physical health and housekeeping skills
---This was reinforced at school
-All this encouragement meant that between 1933-1939 the birth-rate
went up from 15000 births per year to 20000 births per year
--There was also an increase in births outside of marriage
---These girls were looked after in state maternity hostels
The impact of the war
-In the late 1930’s the Nazis encountered a problem:
--they needed more female workers, but the women were already
struggling with family and work responsibilities
---So, when the Nazis needed more war supplies, their policies clashed:
----Their ideal, traditional stereotypical mother or the actual needs of the
workplace
6/5/20
Women in Nazi Germany
Nazi attitudes to women
-Hitler and most Nazis had a very traditional mindset about the role of
women as wife and mother
--Many German men and women agreed with this
-In traditional rural areas and small towns women felt that their role was
to support their husband
-There was also a lot of resentment towards working women who were
keeping men out of jobs
--This created pressure on women to play a traditional role in society
-There were some prominent women in Nazi Germany:
--Leni Riefenstahl was a high-profile film producer
--Gertrude Scholz-Klink was head of the Nazi Women’s Bureau
---However, she was excluded from any important discussion
----Such as one about female labour conscription in 1942
-Many working-class women and girls gained the opportunity to travel and
meet new people through the Nazi women’s organisations
--However, their opportunities were fairly limited overall
---Professional women were forced to give up their jobs if they were
married
---Discrimination against female applicants was encouraged
Rewards for mothers
-Nazis offered tempting financial incentives for families with at least four
children
--Women who had 8 children got a “Gold Cross”
-Poster, radio broadcasts and newsreels celebrated motherhood and the
idea of homebuilding
-The German Maidens’ League reinforced these ideas
--They focused on good physical health and housekeeping skills
---This was reinforced at school
-All this encouragement meant that between 1933-1939 the birth-rate
went up from 15000 births per year to 20000 births per year
--There was also an increase in births outside of marriage
---These girls were looked after in state maternity hostels
The impact of the war
-In the late 1930’s the Nazis encountered a problem:
--they needed more female workers, but the women were already
struggling with family and work responsibilities
---So, when the Nazis needed more war supplies, their policies clashed:
----Their ideal, traditional stereotypical mother or the actual needs of the
workplace
