A German worker, speaking in late 1934 to a foreign journalist speak of work service.

‘We work outdoors in all kinds of weather, shovelling dirt for very low pay. I’m trained as a printer. In the summer of 1933 I lost my job. I collected the dole until the spring of 1934. That was a lot better than what I am doing now. At least I was at home, with my family and could pick up odd jobs and work in the garden. Now I only get 10 day’s holiday a year.’

How would you expect a German worker to feel about Nazi society? Does this German appear typical of what you would expect?

Assess this source as evidence of the Nazi Volksgemeinschaft.

Is there any reason why this source should be treaty carefully?

Could the date be significant in any way?

Is there any reason why we could feel more confident in this source?

Think Like a Nazi

How do you think women were to contribute to Volksgemeinschaft?

What good would it do society for a women to be the ideal Nazi woman? There were four reasons, how many can you get?

1. The Fuhrer genuinely believed in it.2. Removing women from the job

market would free up jobs.3. A high birth rate would strengthen

the Reich.4. Women were needed to produce

Aryans and future Nazi warriors.

5. KINDER, KIRCHE, KUCHE, summed up the role of women in Germany, but without so much of the kirche thing.

How do you think the Nazis treated their women and children?

Look at the photos you have and then visit the various pieces of information that are around the room.

Add the information to the photograph.

Plenary - A Grade Information

Can you find something out from the book, that you can share with the class? People will be selected at random and the challenge is to not say something that has already been said.

• Key dates?• Key terms?• Key names?

Children and women in Nazi Germany

‘GERMANY GROWS STRONG THROUGH STRONG MOTHERS AND HEALTHY

CHILDREN.’ – For those German women who wanted to be housewives they found

that Nazi society was ideal for them. Medals were awarded on Hitler’s birthday

to women who had produced a certain number of children. The gold medal was for those who produced eight or more.

Ideal German women would not smoke, drink or wear make-up. They would have

childbearing hips for childbearing and wear traditional clothes.

German Labour Exchanges (a bit like Job Centres) were told to give jobs to men first. Women who got married

were given loans, but only if the wife left her job. They were allowed to keep one quarter of the loan for

every child they had. If they had four they could keep it all.

Hitler saw children were essential. He wanted them to grow up as good Nazis by controlling education during the day and evening/weekend activities in their free

time. Young boys joined the German Young Folk, until they were old enough

for the Hitler Youth. German girls joined the Young Girls, until they were old enough for the League of German

Maidens.

At school the children did lessons that suited their sex and followed Nazi ideals.

For example, the children had race studies classes, they had more PE lessons to keep fit and healthy and they studied a

lot of German history.

Nazi textbooks were designed to help encourage Nazi thinking. For example a

history textbook contained the following extract ‘A Russian solider tried to get in his

way but Otto’s bayonet slid gratingly between his ribs, so that he collapsoed groaning. There is lay before him simple and distinguished, his dream’s desire, the Iron Cross.’ Textbook also

included Nazi imagery such as Jews caricatured as ‘sex-fiends’.