The Attitudes Toward Women and Family in 1930's

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The Attitudes Toward Women and Family in 1930's

Germany had been through a major depression and due to this found that

birth rates were decreasing although this wasn't the only reason. It

was also due to improved standards of living; this now meant

contraception was available. Also there was a desire for better

education for women. Between the years 1900 and 1933 female employment

had increased by a third. One reason for this was due to the war,

women had been drafted into the factories to help with he war effort,

they found that they enjoyed having the jobs and didn't really want to

leave them. Another reason was due to woman having the vote; they were

no where near to having equal rights with men although it did make a

huge difference to them.

Although this all changed when the Nazis came to power in 1933 they

had very traditional ideals about women. They believed that nature had

created women to give birth and that they shouldn't stray form this

duty. They believed that women had two important roles: one was to

have children and look after them, the other was to look after her

husband. Most women were happy to take on this role as it meant they

didn't have to compete with men for jobs. For all they had a lot of

rights taken away from them they were never made to feel like second

class citizens. They were the future of Germany and were precious to

Hitler and the future he had planned.

Hitler summed up his ideas at Nuremberg in 1934 where he delivered his

theory of women and their role in Germany. He believed that woman had

their own world, which was smaller and it focused on her children, her

husband and housework, the man's world revolved around work and power.

The two worlds were never in conflict and could only continue

functioning whilst the other one co-operated. The Nazis publicised

this theory with the slogan "kinder, kirche, kuche", the three most

important things to a woman: children, church and kitchen.

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