Women in Nazi Germany
I can explain how Nazi beliefs about women influenced their policies towards them.
Women in Nazi Germany
I can explain how Nazi beliefs about women influenced their policies towards them.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- The Nazis reversed Weimar freedoms for women, promoting traditional roles to support a racially “pure” family structure.
- 'Kinder, Küche, Kirche' summed up Nazi expectations of women: motherhood, homemaking, and moral guidance.
- Hitler wanted a high birth rate and so women were encouraged to marry and have children in various ways.
- Measures were taken to discourage female employment but these policies were not entirely successful.
- The Nazis shaped women’s appearance and roles; some embraced these ideals, others resisted and were punished.
Keywords
Aryan - belonging to an ancient Indo-European people; used by the Nazis to mean a racially ‘pure’ German
Racial purity - a Nazi belief in keeping the Aryan race ‘pure’ by preventing Germans from mixing with other racial groups
Common misconception
All women opposed Nazi policies.
Women's experiences under Nazi rule varied: some embraced traditional roles and rewards, while others resisted and faced punishment, showing a complex, not uniform, response to Nazi policies.
To help you plan your year 11 history lesson on: Women in Nazi Germany, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 history lesson on: Women 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.
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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.
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- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
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Adult supervision recommended
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Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Why did many Germans support Hitler and the Nazis by the mid-1930s?
Q2.Why was it hard to measure the level of opposition to the Nazis?
Q3.Why did Martin Niemöller change his view of the Nazis?
Q4.In 1934, Niemöller co-founded the Church, which rejected Nazi interference and insisted on the Church’s spiritual independence.
Q5.What was the purpose of the Pope’s letter "With Burning Concern"?
Q6.Why did the Nazi authorities view the Edelweiss Pirates as a serious threat?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which Nazi slogan summed up their ideal vision of a woman’s role?
Q2.Match each Nazi policy or concept to its description.
a measure to increase birth rate by limiting reproductive choices
a financial incentive for married couples to have children
a public honour for women who had large families