Women in Nazi society

 By Antonella Chihizola

Does Nazi society had a male chauvinist basis?

Women’s role during Hitler’s regime was completely male chauvinist and discriminator. Their role in society was primary as housewives, supporting their husbands, community organizers and especially as mothers of further Aryans. Their duties could be summarized with three k-starting German words: Kirche (Church), Küche (kitchen), Kinder (children). Only once men unemployment was completely alleviated and labor shortages took place women were required and allowed to work in public professions.

One of the main purposes why Nazis discouraged women working outside home in common employees, was to alleviate the high unemployment rate of men. That’s why, after getting married, women were encouraged to work at home and take care of their husbands and families with the support of “generous” loans. Anyway, as these loans had reductions and rates of interests depending on the age and number of children, after having four a couple owed nothing.

 Many facilities were given by the government to encourage women to get marry and have children. Abortion was made illegal, unless some specific cases of “genetic defects” demanded its enforcement… If the German baby was not an Aryan, why should it even be allowed to born and infect society with its impurity?

There was even an especial ceremony to reward prolific mothers. It was held on August 12, the birthday of Hitler’s mother, each year. The German blood and hereditarily healthy mothers who had four or five children were receiving a bronze medal, if they had from six to seven a silver one, and from eight on the golden one. All of them had the inscription “The child ennobles the mother”

However, only the genetically pure were allowed to procreate and received the benefits that the government offered. Before getting married, the couples needed to present a certificate of “fitness to marry” and of course if they didn’t had the particular features to give life to pure Germans; they were not getting married, and probably even eradicated… or at least sterilized. Millions of Germans suffered due to sterilization during these years.

Also, in order to “bear a child for the Führer”, unmarried women that count with good racial credentials were encouraged to become pregnant with selected SS (Schutzstaffel ‘protective squadron’) men as fathers.

Mothers were in charge of ensuring the education of their children as “national comrades”… at least they wanted the Nazi government to take away their children’s custody.

Nazis’ policies over women become contradictory when in 1933 almost 5 million women were paid employment outside the home and then in 1939 the number grew up to 7.14 million. This was a consequence of labor shortage and rising wages; it was just then when women were encouraged to go to universities and study a career to become professionals.

As a conclusion Nazi society was male chauvinist one, which only allowed women to develop intellectual and professionally after men had filled all the quotas and it was a necessary fact for maintaining government’s prosperity. Women were “used” as procreators of new Aryans, by giving birth new children and by ensuring their “correct path” in education. I have nothing against housewives who want to dedicate their life to their family and children, as long as it is their choice and there is nobody restricting their liberty to grow as professionals and therefore achieve self-realization.