Syllabus Edition
First teaching 2024
First exams 2026
Changes to Women in the Weimar Republic (Edexcel GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Natasha Smith
Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett
Did the Life of Women Improve in Weimar Germany? - Summary
The 1920s was a revolutionary decade for women across Europe. During the First World War, women joined the workforce to fill the roles left empty by conscripted men. Many people believed that women had ‘proved’ themselves to be capable and equal members of society. Weimar Germany became one of the most advanced societies for women’s rights. The Weimar Constitution created universal suffrage. This was rare for European countries. The right to vote and opportunity to work led to the development of the ‘New Woman’ of the 1920s. A ‘New Woman’ was independent, career-minded and reluctant to become a wife or mother. They enjoyed freedoms that women of previous centuries had never experienced before. Germany’s progressive approach to women’s rights created many enemies within the Weimar Republic. The right-wing vilified the ‘New Woman’ for destroying the traditional family unit. Extremist parties like the Nazi Party campaigned to return women to their traditional role of wives and mothers. They argued this would increase male employment. |
Women in Politics in the Weimar Republic
After the First World War, the SPD became the leading political party in the Reichstag
Their moderate left-wing opinions meant that they were open-minded to increasing the rights that women had
Women had impressed the other political parties with how they had stepped into the world of work. The parties believed it was fair to reward them for their sacrifice
The Weimar Constitution placed women’s right to vote into law
All women over the age of 21 could vote in elections. This was the same access to voting that German men had
This was more progressive than most European countries
Article 109 stated that marriage was an equal legal partnership between men and women
German women were active in politics
Elections usually had a 90% turnout of women voters
In 1920, there were 111 women elected as party representatives in the Reichstag
Women at Work in the Weimar Republic
The Weimar government had good intentions to improve women’s employment
Changes in women's employment in Weimar Germany
Progress in women’s employment | Regression in women’s employment |
|---|---|
By 1918, the percentage of employed women was 75% | By 1925, the employment rate of women had fallen to 36%. This was roughly the same as before the First World War |
Article 109 in the Weimar Constitution gave women the right to access all professions on an equal standing to men | Many employers ignored Article 109 and chose male candidates over women Women in employment were paid 33% less than men doing the equivalent job |
The retail sector employed lots of women on a part-time basis | As soon as a woman became married, society expected her to leave her job to focus on the household and become a mother |
There was an increase in women employed as teachers and doctors | Women struggled to reach high-respected professions. For example, Germany only had 36 female judges in 1933 |
Trade unions had a negative reaction to the presence of women in the workplace
Men dominated the trade unions
They believed that equality for women in the workplace would negatively affect male workers
They resented ‘double earners.’ This term referred to households where the husband and wife both worked
Women at Leisure in the Weimar Republic
The right to vote and increased working opportunities allowed women the freedom to express themselves
These ‘New Women’ could:
Buy more revealing clothes
Cut their hair short
Wear more makeup
Smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol
Be focused more on their careers than on becoming wives and mothers
Companies used the image of the ‘New Woman’ to sell their products
This was a tactic used by cosmetic companies
Reactions to the 'New Woman' in the Weimar Republic
Germany had mixed reactions to the introduction of women’s rights
Some men used statistics to argue the damaging impact of the ‘New Woman’ on society
Many European countries had experienced a decline in birth rates after the First World War
Critics of the Weimar government argued that a decreasing birth rate left Germany vulnerable. If another war broke out, Germany would lack young men to become soldiers
The birth rate had fallen from 128 births per 1,000 women in 1913 to 80 births per 1,000 women in 1925
Rates of divorce had risen from 27 per 100,000 people in 1913 to 60 per 100,000 people in 1925
Contrasting reactions to the 'New Woman'
Extremists used people’s hatred of the ‘New Woman’ to increase support for their ideals
Hitler blamed the ‘New Woman’ for increasing unemployment rates among the working class
He campaigned against the ‘New Woman’ and encouraged a return to women’s traditional role in the household
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Historians debate the extent to which the lives of women improved under the Weimar Republic. While the law reflected the progressive opinions of the government, society was more resistant to accepting the ‘New Woman’. The issue of women's rights created a divide between young and old and between conservatives and liberals. Consider these opposing views if you are asked about whether Weimar Germany experienced a ‘Golden Age’ or not.
Worked Example
Give two things you can infer from Source A about the changes to women in the Weimar Republic
4 marks
Source A: A German film poster from 1925 entitled Three Waiting Maids
Answers:
i) What I can infer:
I can infer that women in the Weimar Republic were more liberated (1)
Details in the source that tell me this:
All three women in the image have short hair (1)
ii) What I can infer:
I can also infer that women in the Weimar Republic cared about how they looked (1)
Details in the source that tell me this:
All three women are wearing make-up and look glamourous (1)
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