Tuesday, April 5, 2011

How did the Nazis Implement Women's Policies?

Area 1: Increased Births


Key Measures Attempted
  • Financial incentives such as birth grants and marriage loans
  • Improved maternity services
  • Propaganda to boost self-esteem and status of mothers, such as the Mother's Cross
  • Higher taxes on childless families
  • Stricter penalties for abortion
  • Restrictions on contraception information
  • Sterilization of 'undesirables'
  • Men encouraged to have affairs and more children

Successes
  • Birth rate rose, but slowly declined afterwards

Limitations and Failures
  • Nazi eugenic processes limited population
  • Birth rate still below that of Nazi Germany

Area 2: Reduced Employment



Key Measures Attempted
  • Women were given marriage loans to leave their jobs
  • Businesses were encouraged to hire women before men
  • Women in top civil service and medical jobs were dismissed
  • Women were banned from being judges or lawyers
Successes
  • Many women conformed to the Nazi policies and became typical housewives
  • Marginal impact on the female employment, mainly in professions
  • During the war, women were less mobilized than in the US or the UK
Limitations and Failures
  • Number of women in employment rose
  • Increased further during the war

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