Question

Explain the role of women in Nazi society. Return to Chapter 1 on the French Revolution. Write a paragraph comparing and contrasting the role of women in the two periods.

Answer 1

Women in Nazi Society

• Men and women are radically different was the idea repeatedly told to children in Nazi Germany.
• They were told the fight for equal rights of women and men would destroy the society.
• Girls were told to rear pure-blooded Aryan children and become good mothers, boys were taught to be steel hearted, masculine and aggressive.
• Women had to be the bearers of Aryan race and culture.
• Women had to teach their children values of Nazi, take care of their homes, women were told to keep distance from Jews, and maintain the purity of their race.
• All mothers were not treated equally in Nazi Germany.
• Women who bore racially desirable children were awarded, they were entitled to concessions on railway fares, theatre tickets, concessions in shops, and received favoured treatment in hospitals.
• Honour Crosses were awarded to women to encourage them to produce many children.
• A gold cross was given to women having eight or more children, silver for six children and bronze cross for four children.
• Those women who bore racially undesirable children were punished.
• Deviating from the prescribed code of conduct invited punishment for all ‘Aryan’ women who were severely punished and publicly condemned.
• Many Aryan women lost civic honour, received jail sentences, they would also lose their families and husband, for what was considered a criminal offence.
• Aryan women who had contact with Russians, Poles and Jews were paraded around the town with placards hanging around their necks, blackened faces and shaved heads. The placards would have the message written that they have sullied the nation.

Women during French Revolution

• Women were disappointed with the outcomes of the Revolution although they were part of the revolution.
• Women demanded equal and same political rights as men.
• Women demanded to hold political office, they demanded to be elected to the Assembly and most importantly women demanded the Right to Vote.
• The Constitution of 1791 was a disappointment for women, as they were reduced to passive citizens.
• Women came up with their own newspapers and clubs.
• However, in the early years, the revolutionary Government did introduce some measures to alleviate the sufferings of women.
• Women were allowed to run business, they were allowed to become artists, and women could train for jobs.
• Divorce was made legal and women could apply for divorce.
• Fathers could no longer force their daughters to get into marriage, against their will.
• For girls, schooling was made compulsory.