Section D: changes in society 1924-9

Changes in the standard of living

1. Unemployment fell from 2 million in 1926, to 1.3 million in 1928

2. The length of the working week fell from 50 hours to 46 hours

3. Real wages rose by 25% from 1925-1928

4. In 1923, there was a shortage of one million homes in Germany. In 1925, a 15% rent tax was introduced to fund building associations. From 1925 to 1929, private companies built 37,000 new homes, while the new building association built 64,000 homes. The housing shortage continued but it had eased.

5. The Unemployment Insurance Act of 1927 charged workers 3% of their wages and in return provided an average of 60 marks per week in unemployment and sickness benefits if they fell out of work.

6. Under the 1920 Reich Pension Law pensions were paid to: 750,000 war veterans and 400,000 war widows.

7. By 1928 the number of students in higher education had increased to 110,000 (pre-WW1: 70,000)

8. But the loss of savings during 1923 hyperinflation was still felt, and employment remained insecure

Changes in the position of women in work, politics, and leisure.

1. In November 1918 the government gave women the vote and the right to stand for elections. The turnout of women voters was 90% in the Weimar elections. In 1932, almost 10% of Reichstag members were female.

2. Article 109 of the new constitution stated that women had equal rights with men

3. More women went into paid work during the war. By 1918, 75% of women were in work – often in jobs previously performed by men. Only 36% of women were in work under the Weimar Republic.

4. Women were not treated equally in workplaces despite Article 109. In jobs where men and women did the same job, women were paid 33% less than men.

5. Few women entered high-status professions (36 female judges), but more liberal professions (e.g. education, medicine) had a rise. There were 5,000 female doctors in 1932. Lots of women worked in retail or service.

6. Some young, unmarried, working women in cities became more financial and socially independent; becoming ‘new women’ who wore short hair; more make-up, jewellery, and revealing clothes. They smoked and drank more and went out unaccompanied. Some were less interested in marriage and families and took advantage of liberal sexual attitudes.

7. The birth rate was falling. In 1913 there were 128 live births per 1,000 women. By 1925 there were 80 live births per 1,000 women.

8. The divorce rate was rising. In 1913 there 27 divorces/year per 1,000 people. In the 1920s there were 60/year per 1,000 people.

7. As a consequence women felt liberated but not all liked the changes.

8. It was often thought that ‘new women’ threatened the role of men in society; conservatives and traditionalists thought that women should concentrate on being mothers and wives.

Cultural changes: developments in architecture, art, and the cinema.

1. The restrictions of the imperial regime had been thrown off, and the Weimar constitution enshrined freedoms (e.g., freedom of speech) in law

2. Economic recovery after 1924 created wealth to finance the arts

3. The Weimar government gave grants to art galleries, theatres, orchestras, museums and libraries

4. New Objectivism said art should show life as it really is, including poverty and squalor, not a romanticised view

5. Modernism said art should embrace the future and see beauty in technology, industry and cities, not romanticise the past. An example is the Bauhaus movement.

6. The Bauhaus architect Erich Mendelsohn created the Einstein Tower, which was designed futuristically to look like a rocket.

7. Expressionism said art should reflect the thoughts and feelings of the artist rather than show things how they really look. Otto Dix was an expressionist painter who criticised the harsh life for veterans.

8. Some German films were very innovative, like the sci fi film Metropolis made in 1926. Germany’s first sound film was made in 1930, and by 1932 there were 3,800 German cinemas showing films with sound.

9. Cultural innovations were criticised by the left-wing as they said funding was spent on extravagance instead of helping working people.

10. It was criticised by the right-wing as they said changes to the arts undermined traditional German culture.