Germany and women

In what ways were the lives of women in Germany affected by Nazi social policies?
Explain your answer.
[8 marks]

- The 'right' sort of women (Aryan) were encouraged to be mothers and were given medals depending on how many children they had. There were bronze, silver and gold. Bronze was 5, silver was 6 and bronze was 7. This was known as the Mother's cross and was awarded on Hitler's mother's birthday.

- Women who had enjoyed careers in the Weimar rep now had to give them up or were fired. Although they were allowed in traditional female 'white-blouse' jobs such as primary school teaching, clerical work and working in shops. If you think about it primary school (ages 4-11) teaching is very mother-like in ways.

-Women were also encouraged to marry. Marriage loans were given to couples of 1,000 marks. With each child born 250 was taken off the loan. If you think about it, if the couple had 4 children the loan would be cleared - free money. Kinda links to my first point.

- Unmarried single Aryan women could 'do their bit' for the Reich by sleeping with S.S. men to produce pure German babies. This was part of the Lebensram program. It's estimated that 20,000 pure German babies were bred in this way.

I hope this helped. I'm in year 12 doing Germany and West Germany (1919-1989) and got a 9 on the German History GCSE last year.