Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
German History: 4 Women - FRG - Coggle Diagram
German History: 4 Women - FRG
Women Political Role
The Basic Law guaranteed all Germans the right to vote and be elected in general, direct, free, equal and secret elections
Article 3 of the Basic Law declared that men and women have equal rights
Only the Green Party had a 50% quota for female members of the Bundestag
In the 1950s, the CDU didn't fully support the advancement of women in politics and there were barriers for women within the party
From 1919 to the 1980s women comprised of about 10% of Parliament in West Germany
Elizabeth Schwarzhaupt was the first female government minister in West Germany, serving from 1961 to 1966 as the federal minister of health
Role in the workplace
Attitudes towards women in employment
The CDU in the 1950s and 60s emphasised traditional family structures and wanted traditional gender roles :
The Ministry of Family Affairs was established in 1953 and implemented policies like child allowances
CDU policies were heavily influenced by the Catholic Church
Persistence of Traditional attitudes
In the 1980s only 1/2 of West German women worked outside the home
Until 1977 married women needed permission from their husbands to take a job
The term "rabenmutter" was used in Germany to criticise mothers who worked outside the home
The tax and benefit system discouraged dual earning families with short school days and few childcare centres
As the German economy expanded there was a growing demand for labour pressure was put on women to join the workforce in the 1950s
Women's role in society
Rebuilding Germany
After WW2 women played a significant role in rebuilding Germany some working as Trummerfrauen (rubble women)
WW2 destroyed 1/4 of homes and made fuel and food short in supply
Every women between 15 and 65 without children had to partake in heavy labour for minimum wage in clearing and repairing
Women's roles in the 1950s and 60s
In the 1950s women were discouraged to pursue male dominated fields
Women who did work were limited to largely traditional female occupations
Marriage and motherhood were still highly valued and were seen as the cornerstone
Fashion involved feminine silhouettes showing curves which meant skirts and dresses
In the rock and roll era the girlfriends were expected to be clingy and feminine
1970s and the Impact of Second Wave Femnism
Involved the Green party that insisted 50% of its deputies were female
Believed the patriarchal society involved unpaid domestic labour of women
Wanted to raise awareness of issues through activism and media campaigns
Embraced clothing which rejected gender norms by cutting their hair and wearing jeans and a T-Shirt
By the 1980s, the feminist movement had completely eradicated traditional gender norms and attitudes
Limitations in the 1970s and 80s
Differences in pay persisted with women in white collar jobs earning 35% less on average in 1981
No more than 2.2% of senior management jobs in the biggest German companies were held by women
The 1976 law allowed abortion within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy under specific conditions
Women's Legal Rights
Article 3 guaranteed equal rights
1957 Equal Rights Law ended the right of married men to have the final decision in family matters
Only in 1977 that women were entitled to enter employment without the authorisation of their husband
Women's Reproductive Rights
Prior to 1976 Germany had strict abortion laws outlined in the Criminal Code 218 which generally prohibited abortion unless specific circumstances
Prior to 1976 estimated around 1 million illegal abortions every year
In 1971 feminists campaigned rigorously for the legalisation of abortion with the slogan "My belly belongs to me"
1976 Indication Law passed allowing abortion in the first 12 weeks under specific conditions
Still unhappy with new 1976 laws and even today 1/3 of German women under go abortions in the Netherlands
Divorce Laws
In 1976 introduced the no-fault divorce allowing couples to divorce without having to prove specific grounds
Divorce could now take place if there was a broken marriage