Life in Nazi Germany 1933-39

• The Nazis had a policy of 'Gleichschaltung' (meaning bringing into line or creating control or conformity). They used social policies to make sure that all parts of society supported the Third Reich
• Nazi Views on women

  The ideal woman was Aryan, with blonde hair and blue eyes. She would look traditions, no makeup, hair in plaits, flat shoes and plain clothes
• Nazi Views on Women and the Family 


  The Nazis believed women had a very clear role in German society

  Women were expected to look after the home and bear children for the Third Reich

  Women were encouraged to be sturdy in their buildings as this was believed to help childhood

  attitudes to women were shaped by the three Ks

  1. Kinder (children)
  2. Küche (kitchen)
  3. Kirche (church)
• Nazi views on marriage 


  The Nazis wanted all women to marry.

  To do this they passed the Law for the encouragement of Marriage

  This gave married coupled a loan of 1,000 Marks

  While the number of marriages did increase, this cannot be assumed to be due to the loans. as the wider economy improving may have affected this
• Nazis Views on Childbirth

  The Nazis had a 'pro-natalist' policy.

  this meant they wanted omen to have lots of children to increase the Aryan race

  For every child a family had, they were allowed to keep 250 marks of their marriage loan. If you had 4 children, you didn't have to pay any back
• The Motherhood cross 


  The motherhood cross was another incentive to have children

  • A bronze medal was for 4 children
  • A silver medal for 6
  • A gold medal for 8

  The birth rate did increase form 15 babies per 1,000 in 1932 to 19 babies per 1,000 in 1938

  • but its difficult to tell how much of this was from the Nazis
• Women in the Home

  To keep women int he home, they were discouraged from working

  From 1933, women were banned from having professional jobs

  Propaganda stressed that women were not to steal jobs from men

  This policy was not as successful as the Nazis hoped

  Women were cheap labourers and female employment rose by 2.4 million between 1933 and 39
• Female education 


  The Nazis wanted to educate women on how to look after their family and home

  The German Women Enterprise (DFW) ran classes and radio shows to teach women how to run their home

  Schools began to teach girls domestic skills

  From 1937, girls in grammar schools were forbidden to prepare for Uni
• Volunteers programme 


  There was also a volunteer programme where Aryan women could have a baby with a member of the SS

  These children were believed to be the purest Aryans
• Hitler hoped that German children would be patriotic supporters of a strong Germany. To control the young, the Nazis created a number of youth organisations
• Youth organisations

  • Boys ages 10-14 were part of the Young German Folk
  • Girls aged 10-14 were part of the Young Girls
  • Boys aged 14-18 were part of the Hitler Youth
  • Girls Aged 14-18 were part of the League of Germain Maidens
  • Membership was compulsory for all children aged 10 in 1936
• The Aim of the youth policy for boys

  Hitler wanted to prepare boys to be Future soldiers and political leaders

  Boys wore military uniforms and their activities focused on physical exercise and political indoctrination

  Such activities included sports, singing, shooting, learning military drills, and camping
• The aim of the Youth Policy for girls

  Hitler wanted to prepare girls to be future mothers

  Girls wore a uniform as well. Their activities also focused on physical exercise and learning skills like cooking, which are usually associated with 'homemakers'

  Girls did do sports and singing, as well as cleaning, cooking, and baking
• Nazi teaching 


  As well as the Hitler Youth, the Nazis wanted to control children through education

  To make sure that children were indoctrinated into the Nazi ideology, all teachers were forced to joint he Nazi Teachers' Association
• The Nazis curriculum 


  The curriculum was tailored to help shape children as Nazis

  By 1935, all textbooks had to be approved by the Nazis to make sure they fit the Nazi message

  PE became a priority to make sure children were fit and healthy

  History was used to teach children about the rise of the Nazis
• Racism in the curriculum 


  Race studies was used to teach children about eugenics

  This meant that Aryans was a superior race and should grow, whereas other inferior races should stop reproducing

  The aim was to produce a 'perfect' Human race
• The success of Youth Policy

  It is difficult to know the Exact success of these policies

  In general, most children were enthusiastic supporters of the Nazi regime

  Some of the activities in the Hitler Youth were fun and enjoyable

  The emphasis on physical education did mean that children were healthy

  The Nazis succeeded in indoctrinating ideas, such as antisemitism
• Can children be loyal

  While 90% of children were part of the Hitler Youth in 1939, 10% resisted the Nazis

  This 10% including the Swing Youth and the Edelweiss Pirates

  Children resented the focus on military drills

  Parents did not like the amount of time children spent with the Hitler youth
• The German people turned to the Nazis because they promised to make the German economy strong again. The Nazis needed to focus on reducing unemployment and improving life for German citizens
• New Jobs 


  Hitler reduced unemployment by creating new jobs for men

  Men were employed to work on Public construction projects. These included public buildings, creating Farmlands, the 1936 Olympic Stadium and Building 7,000KM of autobahns
• The National labour service (RAD) 


  The RAD made it compulsory for men aged 18-25 to work on public schemes for 6 months

  Most men disliked RAD because they felt exploited. Wages were very low and they worked long hours
• Other employment schemes 


  All workers had to join the German Labour Front (DAF) this organisation was used to keep workers loyal to the Nazis and disguise the lack of any huge improvement to their standard of living

  The Strength Through Joy scheme gave workers rewards if they worked hard. This included going to the theatre or having a holiday

  The Beauty of Labour scheme planned to improve working conditions. But nothing was often done about it
• Effect of Hitler's employment policies

  Hitler Boasted that unemployment fell from 5 Million in 1933 to 0.3 million in 1939

  In this statistic, Hitler did not include the Jews and women forced out of their jobs or the men conscripted into the RAD

  There was a lot of invisible unemployment
• Hjalmar Schacht was the first minister of the economy for the Nazis between 1934 and 37. Hitler wanted Germany to Build up its military strength in a few years. But Schacht did not think it was possible. He lost his job in 37
• The 'Four Year Plan'

  Although Schacht was credited with solving the Great Depression for Germany, he lost his job in 37

  Schacht did not believe that Germany could grow its military as quickly as Hitler wanted

  Hermann Goering created the Four-Year Plan in 1936 to prepare Germany for war

  Its two main aims was Rearmament and Self-sufficiency
• Rearmament 


  This was a key aim for Hitler because he wanted to overturn the TOV and make Germany strong again

  • The plan was for the expanded armed forces to be fully equipped with weapons and vehicles
  • Rearmament helped big manufacturing business

  Rearmament was responsible for most of Germany's economic growth from 1933 to 39
• Self-sufficiency (autarky) 


  Autarky was less successful than rearmament

  Goering wanted Germany to create everything in their own economy, not relying on any imports

  The Nazis tried to control the number of imported goods

  The number of imports increased over the period as people became wealthier
• The Path to self-sufficiency

  To help increase food production, farmers were given subsidies (money from the state) and labour from the RAD

  • But by WW2 Germany was still importing 20% o fits food

  To increase raw materials scientists created 'ersatz' substitutes

  • These were not very successful and by WW2 Germany was still importing 1/3 of its raw materials
• The War economy 


  Working Hours increased from 1936. If a worker complained about working conditions they would be 'blacklisted'

  When World War 2 Began in 1939, a quarter of Germans worked in the war industry and this reached 3/4by 1941

  Prisoners of war and slaves were needed to increase Germany's output as their economy wasn't ready in 1939

  Food and clothing rationing started in 1939 and gradually fell during the war
• German Businesses 


  Overall, large business owners and farmers have benefitted the most

  Large business benefitted from investment and new opportunities in rearmament

  Large business could exploit workers because the Nazis had got rid of trade unions
• German workers and farmers

  Unemployment was reduced from 5 million in 1933 to 0,3 million in 1933

  The average weekly wage rose by around 25% between 1932 and 39

  Work creation schemes improved transport, services and homes

  Some farmers received a higher income from increasing food prices and subsides
• Costs of Nazi economic policy 


  While the Nazis emphasised that the average worker's life improved, the workers probably didn't see much difference in day-to-day life

  The cost of food increased. This meant they did not feel the increase in wages

  Working hours increased from 1936 onwards

  If a worker complained about working conditions, they would be 'blacklisted'. This means they would struggle to find employment

  The four-year plan led to food shortages
• The Aryan Race 


  Believed to be the perfect Race, the Nazis stressed the inclusivity of the Aryans

  But this meant that those who did not fit the Aryan ideal were heavily excluded

  The perfect Aryan was tall, blonde-haired, blue-eyed and athletic

  The Aryans were believed to be the 'master race'
• SS 'race farms' 


  A key group that expanded the Aryan race were the SS 'race farms'

  This was when SS men would deliberately have children with Aryan women

  Underneath the Aryan race were white Western Europeans
• The Nuremberg Laws and Aryans

  From 1933, the Nazis began a racial policy to reduce the number of these Untermenschen (sub-humans) who were "degenerates"

  Each group was targeted to a different extent

  In 1935, the Nuremberg laws banned marriage or sexual relations between Aryans and Non-Aryans

  Any Mixed race children were sterilised
• Untermenschen - Sub-Humans


  Beneath the Aryans were white western Europeans and then the 'Untermenschen'

  In order of Hierarchy, the Slavs were top of 'sub-human'

  Then it was black people

  Underneath was the 'Roma' AKA the gypsies

  The lowest subhuman race was the Jews
• Policy towards the Slavs

  The Slavs were made to feel uncomfortable in German society and constantly reminded that they were inferior

  But there were not many policies directed at the Slavs
• Pre-war policy towards the Roma gypsies

  From 1933 onwards, gypsies were arrested and sent to concentration camps

  In 1938, all gypsies had to be registered and medically examined. If they failed this test which was designed for them to fail, then German Citizenship was removed and they could no longer travel
• Wartime Policy towards Roma Gypsies

  • From 1939 gypsies were told they would be deported
  • From 1940 gypsies were deported to labour camps. From there some went to Chelmno death camp
  • From 1942, the Nazis ordered all gypsies to be deported
  • By the end of the war, 85% of German gypsies were killed. This was 25% of the whole European Roma population
• Undesirables 


  Aside from these groups, there were a number of 'undesirables' in German society who were excluded from the Aryan vision

  These 'undesirables' included disabled people, homosexuals, beggars, socialists and trade unionists