Access the effectiveness of the Nazi policies for Women

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Access the effectiveness of the Nazi policies for Women

Nazis had very specific aims and policies towards women, but they were not as affective as the Nazis wished them to be.

The Nazis wished to increase the number of pure German births and suitable marriages and to do this they provided financial incentives in the form of birth grants and marriage loans.  In 1935 a marriage law required a certificate of ‘fitness to marry’ before the marriage could take place.  This was to help with purer births from marriages. The 1935 blood protection law, preventing marriages between blacks, gypsies and Jews was to help with this as well.  Births were also encouraged as there were higher taxes introduced on childless couples and tighter penalties on abortion.  The Nazis also used propaganda to raise status and self esteem of mothers and housewives as well as awards.  These awards were in the form of the mothers cross in which  medals were awards for the number of children they had given birth to, receiving bronze for 4, silver for 6 and gold for 8 children.  Although between 1931 and 1939 there was an increase both marriages and birth rates it is unclear as to how much the Nazis policy affected this as it could be due to the increase economic prosperity.  Birth rates, although they did increase, never reached the levels which they were during the Weimar Government.

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Nazis also imposed restriction on women within employment and education.  Nazis wished for women to stay at home and raise children and thus discouraged and attempted to reduce women employment.  In 1933 women in top civil service and medical jobs were dismissed and in 1936 women were banned from being lawyers or judges.  But even with these restrictions and with the attitudes towards working women, the employment rates of women rose from 4.2 million married working outside the home in 1933 to 6.2 million in 1939.  This rises occurred as many men were going into the army and with ...

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