Women and the family

What was Nazi attitude towards women?

All Nazi leaders were men. The Nazis were a very male dominated organisation. Hitler had a
very traditional view of the role of the German woman as wife and mother. Many women agreed
with him. The Nazi party view of women was summed up as: the 3 Ks, Kinder,Kuche,Kirche Their
role was at home, supporting their husbands and having children to feed future German armies.
The ideal woman had a large family and gave up her job to make way for a man. Women were
removed from the employment figures. This meant they could not be employed as civil servants,
lawyers, judges or doctors. Many women teachers and all Germany's 3,000 women doctors were
sacked. Women could not serve on juries.

Those in employment were often either forced out or bribed to give up work, with the offer of
generous social security benefits.
The Nazi Lebensborn Programme
The Nazi Lebensborn programme was introduced in 1935. Lebensborn means the Fountain
of Life. It was part of Hitlers plan to increase the German population of Aryans. There were
special meeting places for racially pure women to meet and mate with SS officers. When born,
the children were donated to the Lebensborn programme where they were given a Nazi
Education.
Women and the family

With all the encouragements, the birthrate did

increase from 15 per 1000 in 1933 to 20 per 1000
in 1939. There was also an increase in pregnancies
outside marriage.
However, women did not give up their jobs easily. The
number of married women working also went up, from
4.2 million to 6.2 million. This was because the Nazi
economy was booming and there was actually a
shortage of workers so women stepped in to fill the
gap. Employers liked women workers because they
could pay them less. Families needed the mother's
earnings as men's wages were low.
 How successful were Nazi
policies for women?
Women and the family
Successful Failure
Many
With women
all the supported
encouragements, the Many intellectuals -
the Nazis
birthrate due from
did increase to their
15 per doctors, scientists, did not
1000 in 1933 toto
commitment 20family
per 1000life.
in 1939. want to give up their jobs.
There was also an increase in
pregnancies outside marriage.
However, women did not give up their
jobs easily. The number of married
The number
women working alsoofwent
children
up, from 4.2
Some women joined
being born increased by
million to 6.2 million. This was because feminist, left-wing
45%.
the Nazi economy was booming and opposition groups.
there was actually a shortage of
workers so women stepped in to fill the
gap. Employers liked women workers
During the women
German war, 1.5atmillion
a
The number
because ofpay
they could women at
them less.
more German women
Families
work needed the mother's fell
and university earnings factory
as men's wages were low. weremaking gasometers
working than in
significantly. in 1939.
Women and the family

Nazi policy towards women was old-fashioned and sexist.

The Nazis believed that men and women had different roles in society.
A women's place was at home as wife and a mother (the 3 K's).
Women lost their jobs and were encouraged to stay at home.
Women were awarded medals for having many children.
After 1938, there was a shortage of workers and women were
encouraged to take up jobs again.
Education and youth
A 1935
timetable
for a
girls school
in
Nazi Germany.

What were Nazi plans for children?

Young people were very important to the Nazis.
They knew that they would never win over all
Germans, but a new generation was growing up
who would not know anything but the Third Reich.
The lives of young people, especially boys, were
controlled both in and out of school. Hitler said
young people were the future Nazi supporters. It
was easier to capture their hearts and minds while
they were young. The policy was to indoctrinate
them. As part of Nazi propaganda, Hitler was Girls at school being taught how to
always seen with young people. cook a meal for four people.
Illustration from a Nazi childrens book.
The children are
being taught to hate Jews.
 EIGHT FACTS ABOUT NAZI EDUCATION

1. Nazi schools were organised traditionally with a structure of primary and

secondary education.

2. School children were expected to say certain prayers to Hitler before meals.

3. Songs were written to the tune of church hymns with words praising Hitler
and the German nation.

4. The Nazis sought to instil the need for physical activity to strengthen and
harden the children for the military.

5. Racial education became an important part of the curriculum.

6. School children in Nazi Germany did not wear school uniforms.

7. The Nazis did their best to get rid of teachers who were not fully committed to
National Socialism.

8. School text books were rewritten to fit in with Nazi ideas.