In 1943, a law was discussed among Nazi leaders that all women - married or single - should have 4 children. If a family already had four children, the father from that family had to be released to father more children outside of his marriage. Women were not expected to work. By the start of the Second World War, very few German women were in fulltime work. As housewives and mothers, their lives were controlled. Women were not expected to wear make-up or trousers. The dyeing of hair was not allowed nor were perms. Only flat shoes were expected to be worn. Women were discouraged from slimming as this was considered bad for child birth. Women were encouraged to have a well built figure as slim women, so it was taught, would have problems in pregnancy
.Women were also discouraged from smoking - not because it was linked to problems with pregnancies - but because it was considered non-German to do so. In Nazi Germany it was not considered a social problem if an unmarried woman had a child. In fact it was encouraged. The Nazis established Lebensborns which were buildings where selected unmarried women could go to get pregnant by a "racially pure" SS man. These were not buildings that were hidden away in some back street. The government openly publicised them and they had a white flag with a red dot in the middle to identify them to the public. A common rhyme for women then was:
Take hold of kettle, broom and pan,
Then youll surely get a man!
Shop and office leave alone, Your true life work lies at home.
"Both sexes have their rights, their tasks, and these tasks were in the case of each equal in dignity and value, and therefore man and woman were on an equality." (Hitler in 1935)
"The mission of women is to be beautiful and to bring children into the world. This is not at all as.........unmodern as it sounds. The female bird pretties herself for her mate and hatches eggs for him. In exchange, the male takes care of gathering food, and stands guard and wards off the enemy." Joseph Goebbels, writing in 1929.
Take hold of kettle, broom and pan,
Then youll surely get a man!
Shop and office leave alone, Your true life work lies at home.
"Both sexes have their rights, their tasks, and these tasks were in the case of each equal in dignity and value, and therefore man and woman were on an equality." (Hitler in 1935)
"The mission of women is to be beautiful and to bring children into the world. This is not at all as.........unmodern as it sounds. The female bird pretties herself for her mate and hatches eggs for him. In exchange, the male takes care of gathering food, and stands guard and wards off the enemy." Joseph Goebbels, writing in 1929.
