Role of women in Nazi Germany

Women were encouraged to stay at home and cook, as the Nazis were disapproving of women’s professions, and gave them a limited role in German society. Hitler’s vision for women was a traditional one, as he wanted women to have as many children as possible to fuel his idea of a perfect country, which is why he awarded women with the Mother’s Cross; they received a bronze medal for having 4 children, silver for 6 and gold for 8. The Reich Women’s leader (Gertrude Scholtz-Klink) oversaw all policies related to women, and the Nazi German Workers Enterprise had 6 million women. Loans of up to 1000 Marks (8 months wages), were available for weddings, and could be paid off by having children - every child you had would pay off 25% of the loan. Another policy was Lebensborn, which was where women were heavily encouraged to get with SS men and have as many children as possible. Single mothers were also taken care of by the government. If the man or woman in the relationship were infertile, they were expected to divorce and remarry, the Divorce Law, 1938, made it a lot easier for women.