When Hitler noticed the falling birth rate in Germany he began to offer financial rewards to married couples. A ‘gold cross’ and a dominant position at Nazi meetings were given to couples that had eight children. Marriage loans were also issued, for every baby that they had the debt would be reduced until eventually after four children the couple would not owe any money. This resulted in more marriages but each couple generally only had two children. However, as a result of these rewards the birth rate did rise by 15 per cent but at the same time there were many births outside of marriage, which was acceptable only because it would increase the amount of births. Maternity hostels were set up to support these women. Sometimes members of the SAS and SS were even encouraged to impregnate women. Not all women were encouraged to have children; a ‘law for the prevention of hereditarily diseased offspring’ was introduced. Many women were sterilised. A forced euthanasia programme also took place. Over 5000 severely mentally handicapped children were killed by injection or starvation. By doing this Hitler would create armies of Aryan Germans, with no faults. Boys were treasured. They were perceived as Germany’s future. Due to these measures being mandatory, it was an assumed success, but such a small minority were affected by these regulations that it did not affect the population as a whole.
After the Nazi party came to power, all Jews were made redundant. There businesses were ruined and many public places forbade Jews. This would have made it impossible for Jews to live or have the means to live by. Everywhere in Germany the Jews were the victims of organised hate. In1935 the Nuremberg law was passed. This prevented any Jew being a citizen of Germany. A series of other laws were passed stripping Jews of all their rights. It was forbidden to marry or have sex with a pure blooded German.
The only times that Jewish men and women were treated differently was at labour camps. Many women were killed, left to die or sexually assaulted. Others were made to work. All of the fit men became slaves. In Poland, Jews were forced to live in ghettos. Mass shootings took place in Russia. These areas were successfully ‘germanised’ by force. During the Nazi regime Jewish men would have a larger chance of surviving than women because they were stronger and would be able to work harder. At first Jewish children were humiliated at school. They were segregated from Aryan children and eventually were not allowed to attend school at all. Like the adults they were forced into labour camps or herded into ghettos. At the labour camps many children died due to the lack of food and intense labour. The Jews provided free labour for the country and were successfully isolated from Aryan Germans. Some Jews were exterminated however, significantly less than during the war.
The Ministry of Education controlled the running of all the schools in Germany. Jewish teachers were fired and all other teachers had to take an oath of loyalty to Hitler and join the Nazi Teachers’ league. The curriculum was reorganised to support Nazi ideas. Children were taught about racial hygiene. Jews were considered ‘bad’ because they had caused the war and were dishonest. The Aryan race was superior to all others and Jews and Slavs were sub-human. Boys and girls were taught separately because girls were taught domestic science and sex education and did a lot of sport so that they could become fit and healthy mothers. Boys were taught how to become good Aryan men and good fighter. The change in curriculum was a success because many children were at an impressionable age where they unaware of the content of what they were being taught.
Outside school, laws were passed merging all youth groups into Hitler Youth for boys and the League of German Maidens for girls. They marched in exciting parades and played in loud bands. All members were made physically fit and their time was devoted to supporting the Nazis. They could run, camp and read maps. Boys were trained to be soldiers. Girls knew how to cook and clean. They were brainwashed and believed that your first loyalty was to Hitler. Children didn’t understand why their parents might be opposed to some Nazi ideas. Many children did not join the Hitler Youth because they actually supported the party but because they were interested in the activities the organisation had to offer and all of their classmates were members. It gave them a chance to socialise. The Nazis controlled every aspect of their lives. Conscription to these groups was made compulsory, therefore parents who didn’t support Nazi views would be inclined to send their children to them otherwise they would be persecuted for ‘conspiring against the regime’. However, some children still didn’t join.
As the Hitler Youth became more militarily based, an anti- Hitler movement appeared. The Edelweiss Pirates consisted of working-class teenager. Like the Hitler Youth they went camping and sang songs. However, their songs mocked Germany and when they saw members of the Hitler Youth they taunted and attacked them. The Pirates consisted of both boys and girls and had a free attitude towards sex. Some members were arrested by the Gestapo and others were ignored. They were not killed because they were needed as workers. The Nazis also worried about the Swing movement. Middle-class teenagers went to parties, listened to foreign music and danced foreign dances. Jews were accepted into their groups. They talked about and enjoyed sex. The Nazis were issued with handbooks to help the authorities to identify these types. These groups were not successfully eradicated because despite measures taken to prevent them, during the war they helped the prisoners and army deserters.
The Nazis did have a lot of control over the lives of young people and women. This is obvious because most of the laws were enforced and it was impossible to rebel against them. Therefore most of the policies were a success. Even though they were effective the support of the party did not increase, people merely felt threatened to oblige. Various aims were not accomplished by the Nazi party as some people were willing to take risks in order to maintain their beliefs. However, in order to avoid being punished many Germans simply conformed to the regime making it easier for the Nazis to succeed.
