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St.Cenydd History Department
What do you think is meant by…
What do you think is meant by…
This phrase was often used by the Nazis to describe their vision of what life for women should be like.
As the lesson progresses, see how far they succeeded in creating this vision of a virtuous, domestic and family orientated lifestyle for women within Germany.
Virtuous - Having good qualities. Being morally good.
Domestic - Spending a lot of time living and working in the home
To compare:
• Life for women in Weimar and Nazi Germany
To find out:
• What Nazi policies regarding women were
• Whether Nazi policies regarding women were successfully implemented (carried out)
Read page 65 of your textbook and complete the diagram
What was life like for
women in Weimar Germany?
Women, as a distinct social group, had a clearly defined place in the Nazi world. In a rally at Nuremberg in 1934 Hitler said that ‘man’s world is the State’, while the ‘world of woman is a smaller world. For her world is her husband, her family, her children and her house.’
Stephen Lee, The European Dictatorships 1918-1945 (Routledge, 1987)
According to the Nazis how were the roles of men and women different?
What does Hitler mean when he states that ‘man’s world is the State?’
In 1929, Goebbels stated: ‘The mission of women is to be beautiful and to bring children into the world. This is not at all as.........un-modern as it sounds. The female bird preens herself for her mate and hatches eggs for him. In exchange, the male takes care of gathering food, and stands guard and wards off the enemy.’
Who was Joseph Goebbels and what was his role within Nazi Germany?
Discuss the words and description given by Goebbels.
Why do you think that Goebbels refers to the animal world?
What is woman’s role within society (the ‘mission of women’) according to Goebbels?
In 1929, Goebbels stated: ‘The mission of women is to be beautiful and to bring children into the world. This is not at all as.........un-modern as it sounds. The female bird preens herself for her mate and hatches eggs for him. In exchange, the male takes care of gathering food, and stands guard and wards off the enemy.’
The initial policy was to ease women out of the top levels of the civil service, law, medicine and politics. Women were induced to stay at home by new ‘marriage credits’ and child bonuses. The gradual decline of unemployment, however, created a new demand for labour. The result was the steady recruitment of women into both agriculture and industry, the total reaching 5.2 million by 1938.
Stephen Lee, The European Dictatorships 1918-1945 (Routledge, 1987)
How did the Nazis try to ‘ease’ women out of the workplace?
Did the Nazis remove women completely from the workplace?
Give reasons for your answer using the source and your own knowledge.
Using what you have learnt in this unit complete the diagram
What was life like for
women in Nazi Germany?
How did life change for women in Germany 1919 - 1945?
Pre 1933 Post 1933
Female doctors and civil servants were sacked
Women were free to smoke and wear make-up
There were 3000 female doctors
The Honour Cross of the German Mother was awarded according to how many
children you had
Women were told that the ideal husband would be an Aryan
Women sat in the Reichstag
Married women were encouraged to have children
The ideal man was a matter of personal choice
Married and unmarried women were
encouraged to have children
Loans were offered to brides who agreed not to take a job
Correct this table – some of them are in the wrong columns
Next Activity
Preparing for war ...but don't stop having babies!
Discuss each fact as a class with your teacher. Do there seem to be some contradictions within Nazi Policy?
The Lebensborn Programme: Unmarried mothers 'donated a baby to the Fuhrer'.
SS officers would father the children.
Next Fact
Preparing for war ...but don't stop having babies!
Women's employment increased.
Employers preferred to employ women - it was cheaper.
The Lebensborn Programme: Unmarried mothers 'donated a baby to the Fuhrer'.
SS officers would father the children.
Next FactDiscuss each fact as a class with your teacher.
Do there seem to be some contradictions within Nazi Policy?
Preparing for war ...but don't stop having babies!
Women's employment increased.
Employers preferred to employ women - it was cheaper.
Next FactDiscuss each fact as a class with your teacher.
Do there seem to be some contradictions within Nazi Policy?
The Lebensborn Programme: Unmarried mothers 'donated a baby to the Fuhrer'.
SS officers would father the children.
Hitler believed that a woman's place was in the home.
He wanted women to be at home with the children.
Preparing for war ...but don't stop having babies!
Women's employment increased.
Employers preferred to employ women - it was cheaper.
Next FactDiscuss each fact as a class with your teacher.
Do there seem to be some contradictions within Nazi Policy?
The Lebensborn Programme: Unmarried mothers 'donated a baby to the Fuhrer'.
SS officers would father the children.
Hitler believed that a woman's place was in the home.
He wanted women to be at home with the children.
The Nazis encouraged women to have more and more children
Preparing for war ...but don't stop having babies!
As more men joined the armed forces the Nazis needed more women to go to work
Women's employment increased.
Employers preferred to employ women - it was cheaper.
Hitler believed that a woman's place was in the home.
He wanted women to be at home with the children.
The Nazis encouraged women to have more and more children
Next Activity
Discuss each fact as a class with your teacher. Do there seem to be some contradictions within Nazi Policy?
The Lebensborn Programme: Unmarried mothers 'donated a baby to the Fuhrer'.
SS officers would father the children.
What does this propaganda poster tell you about Nazi beliefs concerning the role of women within
Germany?
Think: What can you see?
Comment on the atmosphere and mood created by the artist?
E.G. Think about the background scene
Why do you think that the sun has been placed where it is –
taking up much of the background?
What kind of society did the Nazis wish to create?
Think about:
Family Life
Community
How does this idyllic scene fit in with The Nazi vision of perfect society?
Task 1Task 1:
Think of three questions you would like to ask about this
posterQuestion 1:
Question 2:
Question 3:
Task 2Task 2:
Click on the areas of the poster that you
would like to explore
If you can’t decide click here for help
Task 2Task 2:
Click on the areas of the poster that you
would like to explore
Try these areas
The National Socialist German Workers Party
safeguards the National Community
The Party ensures
togetherness of the
people in the
Community.
The eagle represents the Nazi Party.
Notice that its wings
are wrapped around
the family
suggesting the
family are being
protected.
The eagle looks very
powerful.
The father is shown as the head of the family.
He rises above his
family with his shirt
sleeves rolled up. He is
the worker protecting
the family.
His arms are wrapped
around the family,
further suggesting he is
looking after them.
The mother is shown with a scarf holding her hair back – as if she has
been carrying out domestic chores.
She is gently cradling
her baby and looks
both healthy and happy
to be surrounded by her
family.
The baby provides the central focus of the
poster.
All of the children conform
to the Aryan ideal (blonde
hair and fresh complexion,
etc). The little girl is close
to the mother, and the
boy next to his father.
They are portrayed as a
happy family, with the
baby illustrating that this
is a growing family.
Comrades, if you need help and
assistance ask your local branch of the
NSDAP
What can you see in this source?
What does this source tell you about Hitler’s and the Nazi’s attitude towards women and the family?
Remember that some women resisted Nazi ideas concerning the role of women within
society….
Some women joined opposition political parties such as the Social Democrats, or the Communists in
protestSome women spoke out and argued that they had
special talents for certain jobs and should not be tied to the home
Even though there was very little organised opposition to Hitler some women remained loyal to
their church groups and others actively sought employment
(usually low paid and mundane jobs)
Some women argued that they had an equal right to the same education, jobs and experiences enjoyed
by men END
