Employment in Nazi Germany
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can describe Nazi policies regarding employment.
Key learning points
- Nazi unemployment policies supported Hitler’s goal of building a militarised, self-sufficient empire through conquest.
- The Nazis reduced unemployment through RAD, public works and military rearmament from 1933 to 1939.
- The autobahns were feats of modern engineering, used by Nazi propaganda as powerful symbols of progress.
- Rearmament reshaped the economy, employing millions and preparing Germany for future war.
- The Nazis created 'invisible unemployment' by manipulating employment laws and statistics.
Keywords
Autarky - economic independence, not needing to trade with other countries
Reich Labour Service (RAD) - a compulsory work programme for young men involving manual labour and military-style discipline
Rearmament - the process of supplying yourself with new weapons, especially in order to become a strong military power again
Conscription - the act or process of forcing people by law to join the armed services
Common misconception
The Nazis completely solved unemployment and revived the economy.
While official unemployment figures dropped dramatically, some of this was due to manipulated statistics and forced labour schemes.
Teacher tip
Newspaper analysis task: Give pupils a 1930s Nazi newspaper with images of autobahn workers and ask them to annotate it for propaganda techniques and missing truths.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Why did Hitler believe children were important to Nazi Germany?
Q2.The Nazi policy of ‘Kinder, Küche, Kirche’ emphasised the roles of women in Children, Kitchen and .
Q3.Girls were trained for domestic roles and motherhood in the League of German .
Q4.What was expected of teachers in Nazi Germany?
Q5.How did Nazi ideas reshape biology lessons in schools?
Q6.How were maths lessons used to support the Third Reich?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What broader goal did Nazi unemployment policies help to achieve?
Q2.Match each term to its correct definition.
high-speed motorways
compulsory manual labour programme for young men
rebuilding military strength
Q3.By 1939, official unemployment in Germany had fallen to fewer than people.
Q4.What was one way rearmament helped to reduce unemployment in Nazi Germany?
Q5.Which of the following best explains why the Nazis used RAD and work schemes beyond just job creation?
Q6.Why were Nazi unemployment statistics misleading?
To help you plan your 11 history lesson on: Employment in Nazi Germany, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 history lesson on: Employment in Nazi Germany, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 4 history lessons from the Germany 1890–1945, Democracy and dictatorship unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.