Life in Nazi Germany 1933- 1939

1. Life in Nazi Germany 1933- 1939 Nazi Policies towards… Revision Powerpoint by Anna Serrichio

2. Nazi Policies towards Women • Hitler thought that men were superior to women and didn’t believe that women should work. He thought that their main role was to stay at home and have children.

3. Hitler wanted women to have children to create the Aryan race in Germany. • In 1929 the depression hit Germany hard and there was mass unemployment. The Nazis promised to reduce unemployment, and one of their tactics was to remove women from their jobs. • Hitler also wanted a reason to justify Lebensraum (living space). If there were more people then he could use it as an excuse to invade other countries and make Germany bigger.

4. Law for “Encouragement of Marriage” • In 1933 Hitler passed the law for “Encouragement of marriage” which allowed newly married couples to receive a loan of 1000 marks. If a couple had one child, they only had to pay back 75% of the loan, if they had 2, then 50%. If they had 4 children the loan would be cleared. To pay for these loans Hitler heavily taxed people with no children.

5. Lebensorn Clinics • Unmarried women were encouraged to have children by Lebensorn Clinics, where an unmarried Aryan women would be fertilised by a “racially pure” SS man.

6. Motherhood Cross • The Motherhood Cross was a medal that was awarded to women for having the most children. It was awarded on the day of Hitler’s mother’s birthday. • 4 children – bronze medal • 6 children – silver medal • 8 children – gold medal

7. Gertrude Scholtz- Klink • Gertrude Sholtz-Klink was the ideal woman for the Nazis. • In 1933 she was Reich woman’s leader and head of the Reich Women’s League. She spread ideas of male superiority and the importance of having children. • In 1934 she was head of the Women’s Bureau. She was also the leader of the Young Maidens Organization.

8. The Nazis also wanted women to have basic customs. They had to be Aryan, they were not allowed to wear make-up or trousers, or perm/dye their hair. • Dieting was looked down upon because it was believed that it made them less fertile. • They had to raise their children to be loyal to Hitler and encourage them to join the Hitler Youth.

9. 1937 – Role of Women changes • However in 1937 the role of women changed because Germany was re-arming, and women workers were needed. They were encouraged to join at factories and fields. • They abolished marriage loans, and introduced “Duty Year” which was a law that said that women could work.

10. Nazi Policies towards Education • The new school systems were designed so that the future German people were very loyal to the Nazis and Hitler himself. They also indoctrinated children to hate Jews.

11. Types of Schools • New types of schools were created. Napolas (National Political Institutes of Education) were leadership schools controlled by the SS that prepared people for the position of future chiefs of government for the Army. • Adolf Hitler Schools provided military-style education for future political leaders.

12. Hitler appointed Bernhard Rust as Minister of Education • PE became much more important in school • Biology taught that the Aryan race was superior to all other races and that Jews were bad. For example, “The Poisonous Mushroom” was a children’s book that taught children to hate Jews • History focused on the rise of the Nazi Party and how unfair the Treaty of Versailles was. • Geography taught how Germany had been invaded by other countries and the need for Lebensraum.

13. Nazi Organizations • Youth Organisations were established so that German boys could become strong and fit to prepare them for being soldiers in the army.

14. Hitler Youth was for boys 14 -18. It was seen to be as important as school. It focused on military and physical training. • German Young Folk was for boys 10 -14 • The League of German Maidens was a youth organisation for girls. It taught girls how to be good mothers. Girls also did physical exercises such as aerobics. • Edelweiss Pirates was a different group that did similar activities to the Hitler Youth, but mocked the Nazis.

15. Nazi Treatment against Minorities (undesirables) • Hitler wanted to create the master Aryan race, so he selected undesirables such as Jews, Homosexuals, Gypsies, and the Disabled and took away all of their wealth and eventually killed them.

16. Homosexuals In the 1920s the number of Homosexuals had risen. Hitler wanted to get rid of them, so: • Gay organizations were banned • Books on homosexuality were burned • Gestapo made lists of people who were homosexuals They were treated like Jews and were among the victims of the Holocaust.

17. The Disabled • Hitler wanted to wipe out disability by killing all the disabled. • Babies born with defects or the slightest disability were killed. Abortions became very common.

18. Gypsies • Gypsies, of the “Roma” as they were referred to, were an ethnic group that originated in India. • A law was passed, “law against dangerous habitual criminals”. Under this law, the police started arresting gypsies and any other undesirables. • Many gypsies were sent to concentration camps, and were also victims of the Holocaust.