Living Standards in Nazi Germany

• The reich farm law of 1933 reduced debts for farmers which they initially had to pay to the bank for loans to modernize their equipment. However, many children of farmers left their older family to work alone, as younger people went to work in new German industries such as RAD
• The middle class benefited from Nazi Germany, as they were saved from the communists taking their businesses. Engineering firms prospered as spending on arms increased
• Some middle class struggled under Nazi rule, as businesses which sold non-essentials (luxuries) struggled, as the Nazis focused on production of essentials such as crops and arms
• Managers of big businesses prospered under Nazi rule, as they did not have to worry about strikes due to the ban of trade unions. Companies such as mercedes made lots of money from government contracts
• Industrial workers were enemies of the Nazis, as theuy used to primarily vote for communists and socialists. While seen as a threat, they were important for the economy in which the Nazis tried to win them over by labeling Hitler as Germany's 'first worker'
• All German workers had to join the DAF, which prevented them from moving to better paid jobs. DAF officials were disliked and often bullied by workers
• While unskilled workers worked long hours with low wages, Skilled workers prospered as by 1936 they earned up to 35 marks a week
• To prevent complaints about working conditions, the KDF (strength through joy) was a program which offered workers tickets for cinema and sports events. It also provided educational courses. By 1939, over 10 million Germans went on a holiday funded by KDF
• The beauty of labour was run by the DAF which spent 900 million marks to improve working conditions in the German industry. it funded better lighting, ventilation and less noise. Over 30000 German companies introduced these improvements
• The volkswagen was named the 'peoples car' and was supposed to be a symbol of a prosperous new German