Nazi Economic Recovery and Rearmament

1.How did the Nazi Regime attempt to win the loyalty of its workers? Define the following:
a. Strength Through Joy program: a scheme that gave the people cheap cinema and theatre tickets, and organized courses and trips and sports events. Were offered cut-price cruises on the latest luxury lines.

b. Volkswagen Beetle (the people's car): designed by Ferdinand Porsche and became a symbol of the prosperous new Germany. Another scheme because no one actually got a car, all of their money that they thought they were saving for a car went towards the war.

c. Beauty of Labor movement: scheme that improved working conditions in factories and introduced features such as washing facilities and low cost canteens which weren't seen in many work places.

2. Define the following Farming Programs. Be sure to provide the pros and cons of each program:

a. Reich Food Estate: The central boards bought agricultural produce from the farmers and distributed it to markets across Germany. This program was good because it gave the peasant farmers a guaranteed market for their goods at a guaranteed price. A con was that the efficient farmers were held back by having to work through the same processes as less efficient farmers.

b. Reich Entailed Farm Law: gave peasants state protection for their farms: banks could not seize their land if they could not pay loans or mortgages. This was good for the peasants because it made sure that they had control over their land. Banks now refused to lend them money and only the eldest child inherited the farm so the children of farmers would leave the farm to find jobs with better pay.

3. Define Volksgemeinschaft. (Hint: It is in the reading, plus my notes)
A "people's community" consisting of physically and mentally fit Aryans.

How did the Nazis Implement Women's Policies?

Area 1: Increase Births Key Measures Attempted:Financial incentives, marriage loans, birth grants, improved maternity services, propaganda to raise status/self-esteem of mothers and housewives (awards), Higher taxes on childless couples, tighter penalties on abortion, encouragement of births outside marriage. Successes: From 1933 to 1339 the birth rates rose. Limitations and Failures: Nazi eugenic policies reduced population potential. Births might have increased because of economic recovery instead of Nazi policies. Area 2: Improved welfare Key Measures Attempted: National Socialist Welfare Organisation was set up, expansion of health offices, improved sanitation, improved medacine and childcare facilities Successes: The infant mortality dropped from 7.7% in 1933 to 6.6% in 1936. Limitations and Failures: NSV largely staffed by women; improved opportunities which kind of defeats the purpose of the Nazi policies because women working was frowned upon.