Women in the Third Reich Daily Question What

Women in the Third Reich

Daily Question What aspects of Nazi ideology are reflected in the role and status of women in the Third Reich?

Women in the Third Reich As we know, women were of central importance to the state ◦ Nazis believed women were at the center of the family, bearing and raising future Germans ◦ Important to the Volksgemeinschaft ◦ Women could become party members, but could not hold government positions or high ranking admin positions

Women in the Third Reich Women as wives, mothers, and workers ◦ Propaganda encouraged women to focus on domestic roles ◦ Main goals are: ◦ To increase the population for stronger future generations (and more soldiers) ◦ Promotion of “racial purity” ◦ Obviously non-Aryans would be prevented to marry or procreate ◦ Procreate for future settlement ◦ Girls were taught to focus on future motherhood and not work ◦ However, rearmament and total war will cause these ideas to be abandoned ◦ By 1945, over 500, 000 women are a part of the armed forces or auxiliary armed forces

Women in the Third Reich National Socialist Women’s League (NS-Frauenschaft) ◦ Founded in Oct 1931 ◦ Grew due to several Weimar era women’s groups that had been nazified ◦ Women were local chapter leaders for this organization, and while women were regularly not allowed to hold serious administrative offices, the organization was (kind of) run by Gertrud Schlotz-Klink ◦ Girls had a sub group called the Bund Deutscher Madel (BDM) ◦ NS-Frauenschaft held regular classes for brides and schoolgirls ◦ During the war, members collected scrap metal for manufacturing and worked in food kitchens

Women in the Third Reich Gertrud Schlotz-Klink ◦ Nicknamed the “number one female Nazi” ◦ Married a country doctor in 1932 and had 6 children ◦ She travelled with Hitler’s entourage on speaking tours promoting the superiority of men and the submissiveness of women ◦ She claimed women should not participate in politics (despite her own political standing) ◦ Used as a propaganda figure and public speaker, but in important meetings she was continuously left out and ignored. Most Nazi officials considered her a figurehead.

Women in the Third Reich Incentives for women and families ◦ Nazis charismatically encouraged large families as a way to quickly grow the population for their imperialistic plans ◦ Newlyweds could sign up for a 1, 000 mark loan ◦ Loan repayment dropped 25% for every child the couple had ◦ Women who bore 4 children or more received the “Cross of Honor of the German Mother”

Women in the Third Reich The Lebensborn ◦ Subunit of the SS that promoted German procreation regardless of marriage ◦ A group that could be considered a “social welfare group” ◦ Cared for single mothers ◦ Encouraged anonymous births by unmarried mothers ◦ Mediated adoptions of children from anonymous mothers, usually to SS leaders ◦ However, the actual function of the Lebensborn is more haunting ◦ Women could go to a Lebensborn to be impregnated by “healthy” single SS leaders ◦ Women weren’t forced to do this, but highly encouraged ◦ Women with large amounts of children received the Cross of Honor of the German Mother ◦ When Nazis kidnap “Aryan” children in occupied zones, most would end up at Lebensborn houses for adoption

Women in the Third Reich

Daily Question What aspects of Nazi ideology are reflected in the role and status of women in the Third Reich?