Germany

• Economic Conditions in 1933

  • Mass unemployment (6 million in 1932)
  • The Great Depression had ruined trade, business and production
• Hitler's Aims


  • Solve unemployment – unhappy, unemployed workers would reduce Nazi support
  • Prepare Germany for war
• What was the plan?

  1. 1933 – Schacht introduced his 'New Plan' to solve unemployment

  2. 1936 - Göring and the Four Year Plan to prepare for war
• The Nazis claimed they had solved unemployment
• 4.8 million to 300,000 in 1939
• It is very likely this is manipulated by the Nazis shown through the invisible unemployment
• The German Labour Front (DAF)


  • Banned all trade unions and replaced with this
  • All workers had to join
  • Strikes were illegal
  • Hours increased – 60+ hours
  • Couldn't ask for higher wages
• Strength through Joy (KdF)

  • Provide leisure activities
  • Keep workers happy
  • Luxury holidays for cheap
  • Top prize = cruise ship
  • Saving schemes e.g. 5 marks a week to help buy a Volkswagen
  • Theatre/cinema/sports tickets
  • Motivated workers to work harder
  • Many didn't get the top prize
• Beauty of Labour


  • Campaigned to improve better facilities for workers e.g. canteens
  • Gave companies financial help to improve the buildings
  • Expected to make the improvements in their own time!
• Did German workers benefit under the Nazis?

  • YES
  • NO
• There were more people working, which meant people had more money to spend, which would increase the standard of living
• Between 1936-9, wages increased by 20% so some in armaments factories had more money to spend
• KdF offered workers opportunities for holidays and leisure that they could never afford
• Beauty of Labour improved working conditions for workers
• German workers got their 'bread and work' as promised by Hitler
• Despite higher wages, the price of goods like food rose by 20% between 1933-39 so increased wages were cancelled out
• Lower earners, like those in the RAD struggled to buy goods with the increased prices
• Working hours increased on average, from 43 hours per week to 49 hours in 1939
• The DAF completely took away German workers rights e.g. to strike
• Women and Jews were sacked
• Workers were forced to work in poor jobs in the RAD
• Volkswagen swindle – by 1939 nobody got a car, no money was refunded