Social policy in Nazi Germany

The Nazis’ social policies affected two groups in society the most – women and young people:

• Women were expected to fulfil a very traditional, subservient role; they were expected to embrace a life based around the '3 Ks' of Kinder, Küche, Kirche (Children, Kitchen and Church). It was their duty to produce and raise children, in order to secure the future of the Reich. They were encouraged to give up work and received loans and awards for having lots of children.
• Young people were a particular target for the Nazis’ propaganda, as they represented the future. The school curriculum was altered to promote Nazi ideology and all young people were expected to join a Nazi youth organisation such as the Hitler Youth. Hitler famously stated, When an opponent declares, ‘I will not come over to your side,’ I calmly say, ‘Your child belongs to us already. You will pass on. Your descendants, however, now stand in the new camp. In a short time they will know nothing else but this new community.

In addition, the Nazis sought to control or limit the influence of Christianity. They set up an official state church, called the Confessing Church, which adapted protestant teachings to Nazi ideology. Also, despite signing a Concordat with the Pope in which Hitler promised to leave the Catholic Church alone if it stayed out of politics, the Nazis attempted to infiltrate it and placed restrictions on worship.