NAZI GERMANY: Women, education and young people

1920s Progress for Women:
• Weimar constitution gave women the right to vote for the first time and became members of the Reichstag.
• Gains in economic field- number of women in paid employment rose sharply early 1920s, filling gap for 4 million men killed/ disabled from WW1.
• More social freedom- variety of dress styles, going out more often.
This stylish new woman was viewed with alarm by right wingers who believed they were 'running wild.'

How Germans tried to prevent the fall birth rate:
• Financial incentives offered; under 1933 Marriage Loan Scheme couples planning to marry could apply for up to 1,000 marks loan (if woman gave up job.) Loan reduced by 25% after each child was born.
• Massive propaganda campaign glorified motherhood- rewarded women with the Mother Cross= gold for eight children, silver for six, bronze for four.

Impact of Nazi policies on women:
• Only had LIMITED SUCCESS. Birth rate increase a little 1930s but was well below pre-1914 levels and the increase may not have been the result of Nazi policies but the improving economic climate.
• Propaganda glorifying motherhood had little impact; most of couples receiving money from Marriage Loan Scheme did not go on to have large families.

Nazis educational priorities:
1. To turn the young into committed Nazis.
2. To prepare young men for military service (lesser priority to prepare girls for duty of motherhood.)
• Nazis regarded academic study developing independence of mind and critical thought as worthless.
• When they first came into power Jewish and politically unreliable teachers were dismissed, however many already supported the regime.
• Nazis set up elite schools ('Napolas') to prepare students for leadership roles in the civil service and the army (16 in 1939.)
• Also 'Adolf Hitler Schools' to train future Nazi Party leaders and went on to study at three 'Order Castles' (universities of Nazism.)

Youth movements:
• Hitler Youth: Nazis wanted to limit amount of time children spent with their parents, so Hitler youth fed children a diet of Nazi propaganda and were kept away from the potentially harmful influence of their parents.
• Hitler Youth was the only legal youth movement in Nazi Germany and in 1936 had 4 million members.
• Headed by Baldur von Schirach and in 1936 the Law of Hitler Youth was passed, which made membership of Hitler Youth more or less compulsory.

OVERALL SUCCESS= Limited!
• Policies aimed to influence the way women and young behaved but also how they thought; success here is difficult to achieve, whereas Nazifying institutions was straightforward by comparison.