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Employment and living standards - Coggle Diagram
Employment and living standards
Why Hitler wanted people working:
The unemployed were dangerous politically
The unemployed were believed by Nazis to be a burden on society and a waste of resources
Policies to reduce unemployment
National Labour Service (RAD)
It was compulsory for all men from 18-25 to serve 6 months on this scheme
Many hated the RAD because the pay was low, the hours long and work boring
Did jobs such as draining marshes
Job creation schemes
Nazis put money into large projects to reduce unemployment
Construction projects
7000km of Autobahns connecting up the country
Sports facilities e.g stadiums for olympics
Public buildings
Re-armament
Nazis provided jobs through building up their stockpile of arms, even though the treaty of Versailles had put limits on this
This provided many jobs
Invisible unemployment
Official government figures showed unemployment was falling but they didn't include:
Jews being forced out of jobs
Women being dismissed/leaving their jobs
Unmarried men doing labour service
Opposition to Nazis sent to concentration camps
Had standard of living improved?
Better off
More jobs with most men at work
Average wages rose (by around 20%)
Strength through joy provided leisure activities and holidays - Beauty of labour greatly improved working conditions
Car ownership drastically increased
Worse off
'Invisible unemployment' meant many were still unemployed
Cost of food rose - this cancelled out the wage rise
Ban of trade unions meant workers had little rights and worked very long hours
Only high earners could afford cars. Low earners had to spend money on essentials
Nazi workers organisations
German labour front
DAF (German labour front) replaced trade unions
Workers were required to be members
Strength through Joy
Aimed to increase productivity in workers
Provided low costing/free activities for workers
Beauty of labour
Aimed to improve conditions by reducing noise in workplaces, providing canteens and even building swimming pools
Workers had to help construct these in spare time so it wasn't very popular
the volkswagen
Hitler asked porsche to design a family car and the VW beetle was the result.
Workers were paid 5 marks a week to put towards a car
Hitler realised that he must make sure that the German workers were satisfied to avoid losing support so he created the Nazi workers organisations