AboutMichael FitzGerald Expertise I am an expert in German history between 1918 and 1945, particularly with regard to the Nazi era. I am also very knowledgeable about most areas of philosophy (I have an honours degree in the subject) and am able to answer questions on that subject too. In addition, I am very knowledgeable about poetry. One of my hobbies is also politics, mainly British and European though I follow the US political scene as well. Another one is the history of crime and punishment and British social history (the two often overlap!) I am willing to answer questions on all the above issues.
Experience Author of two published works, 'Storm Troopers of Satan,' an account of the lunatic fringes of Nazi ideology, and 'Adolf Hitler: A Portrait,' a biography of the German dictator. 'Adolf Hitler' was published in July 2006 by the top history publisher Spellmount and was named historical biography of the month by the Good Book Guide. I correspond with Ian Kershaw, Peter Stachura, Jeremy Noakes, Roger Moorhouse and Stan Lauryssens. I have undertaken research for radio, television, newspapers and magazines
Organizations Society of Authors
Education/Credentials I have an Honours degree in philosophy.
Awards and Honors LT prize for poetry
Historical Biography of the month, Good Book Guide
Question “Why did some women continue to support the Nazi party, even after their policies continued to discriminate women?”
Answer Hi Amanda,
Thank you for your question. I apologise if my reply is briefer than normal but I have only just come out of hospital and am still unwell.
In the first place, women are just as capable as men of supporting extreme political or religious positions. As a man I regard all but two of the 'differences' between the sexes as being cultural rather than biological.
Secondly, it was pretty much a majority of women who supported the Nazi Party. During the Weimar Republic women had been forced to become the main breadwinners and support their husbands. Many women positively wanted a return to traditional roles.
Thirdly, people have only recently understood the extent to which the Nazi Party was actually MORE pro-feminist and MORE empowering of women than any other country in the world except the Soviet Union.
Guida Diehls, Lydia Gottschewski and Gertrud Scholz-Klink were just three of the women leaders who enjoyed greater power than ANY woman exercised anywhere in the twentieth century until the likes of Mrs Bandaranaike, Mrs Gandhi, Golda Meier and Margaret Thatcher.
I apologise for my brevity but I am still quite ill at present.
For a more balanced view of the subject, I recommend you to my earlier answers on related topics on this site and primarily to the fine book by Martin Durham, Women and Fascism, which is the definitive work on the subject and supersedes all previous studies.
