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Family Life under National Socialism

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Surviving Hitler’s War

Part of the book series: Genders and Sexualities in History ((GSX))

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Abstract

When war broke out on 1 September 1939, it came as no surprise to ordinary German people. For years prior to its outbreak, Hitler had repeatedly stated that in order for Germans to assume their natural position as world leaders, the nation would need more living space, with access to more agricultural land and natural resources. To this end, the Nazi Party had focused on preparing the nation for war from the moment they came to power in 1933.1 Germany’s defeat in the First World War, the Nazis alleged, was caused by the so-called ‘Stab in the Back’ by Jews, who had undermined morale on the home front. With this in mind, the Party sought to create a unified nation committed to Germany’s success in war. This they set out to achieve in two ways: firstly by mobilizing the minds of the German population to their cause, and secondly by suppressing any independent thoughts or actions that ran counter to the realization of their goals.2

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Notes

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  1. Alfred Toepfer Stiftung, Hamburg, Germany

    Hester Vaizey (Postdoctoral researcher with a Hanseatic Scholarship courtesy)

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© 2010 Hester Vaizey

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Vaizey, H. (2010). Family Life under National Socialism. In: Surviving Hitler’s War. Genders and Sexualities in History. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230289901_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230289901_2

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-230-25149-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-230-28990-1

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