The role of women in Nazi Germany

• As soon as the Nazis came to power thousands of women in professional jobs were dismissed and the number of women at university was greatly reduced
• In 1933 Marriage loans were introduced to encourage couples to marry and have children
• If a couple had four children repayment of the loan was cancelled
• Women who had a lot of children were honoured with the Mother's Cross
• Only families with four children were officially allowed to be called a family
• Abortion and contraception were banned and those who broke the law could be executed
• Unmarried women often had children and there was no longer any shame attached to illegitimacy
• The age of motherhood for Aryan women was reduced to sixteen
• Divorce was made easier if one of the partners was infertile
• Girls were taught from a young age that it was their duty to have as many children as possible
• Schools and the Hitler Youth concentrated on activities which prepared girls to be wives and mothers
• Propaganda reinforced Nazi ideas on racial purity and images of the ideal Aryan family
• Schools, youth organisations and the League of German Women constantly reminded women of their duty to have children
• Aryan women were only allowed to marry Aryan men to prevent 'racial pollution'
• Women who were racially 'impure' or who had hereditary illness were forcibly sterilized
• The Nazis tried to stop women following fashions
• Make-up and wearing trousers was frowned upon, and hair was 'expected' to be in certain styles
• Slimming was discouraged because being slim was not thought to be good for childbearing
• Girls were forced to take part in sport and physical exercise programmes to keep them fit and healthy for childbearing
• When the war started all of the policies towards women workers were cast away because there was a shortage of workers
• Millions of women were forced back to work against their will