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
Do you give credence to the works of authors such as Claudia Koonz and Jill Stephenson who argue that women in Nazi Germany were further subjugated, undoing the beginnings of women's emancipation which was started in Weimar Germany. That the women's party led by Guida Schultz-Klink intruded into womens' personal choices of child bearing, education, consumer choice, religious faith, parental influence, and even food menus?
The fact that the lives of single-mothers were improved can be attributed to the fact that they were merely contributing to the expansion of the Aryan race, and not due to the fact that Hitler felt any particular good will toward them.
Nazi policy to my knowledge appeared intent on removing women from the work force (until the war made it necessary - and then only in gender-specific, poorly paid roles) and that women placements within universities were capped at 10%.
Am interested in your views as your answers to other questions in this particular field appear to be glossing over these facts.
Thank you.
Answer Dear Rebecca,
Thank you for your question. To take your last point first - I can only go into so much detail in an answer to this kind of question. Rather than describing my response as 'glossing over the facts' I would prefer to describe it as emphasising other aspects of the situation which are not generally known and rarely mentioned, let alone discussed, by most historians.
Of course I am familiar with the work of Koontz and Stephenson. Koontz' volume is by far the better book, not least because she interviewed Scholtz-Klink and therefore had at least the benefit of first-hand research. On the other hand, Scholtz-Klink has certain deficiencies as a witness. In the first place, like most ex-Nazis, she is concerned to make excuses for herself at every opportunity. Secondly, she was considerably less intelligent than Lydia Gottschewski, Guida Diehl and Hedwig Foerster.
Secondly, female emancipation in Germany began long before Weimar. It was particularly strong in Mannheim, which became the leading centre of the German feminist movement.
Even under Weimar, when women finally received the vote, there was anything but universal enthusiasm for this new right among females. Feminists made no significant progress under Weimar and it is one of the great myths of post-war German history that they DID.
During the 1920s, the German feminist movement was not only profoundly lacking in influence but even in any sort of coherent political direction. Some feminists leaned towards Marxism, following the example of Rosa Luxemburg; some put their trust in the Social Democrats; others went to the liberal, conservative, or Nazi movements. It is a fact that the leader of one of the most influential feminist groups in Germany voluntarily asked Hitler to incorporate her body in the Nazi Party and Hitler accepted.
It is true that placements for women within universities were officially capped at 10% (though in practice the actual numbers were rather higher) but Hitler had little time for the conventional university system anyway, probably because he had failed to become a part of it himself in his younger days. He actually had other plans, in two phases, the first being 'Napolas,' modelled on the British public school system (that would be private schools in the US) and the second his 'High Women' project, which was designed to provide an education above that of the ordinary German university standard. Hitler's attitude to women, like most of his political views, was complex. On one level he was an extreme conservative; on the other, he was a radical feminist. Hitler could rarely maintain a consistent position on anything.
Of course Scholtz-Klink's organisation intruded into the lives of women. In Nazi Germany, like Stalin's Russia, such organisations affected everybody. They were both totalitarian regimes that wanted to dominate every aspect of human life, male and female. Women were, if anything, LESS exposed to the direct repression and indoctrination that the men were.
Nazi policy in the early years encouraged (though, contrary to myth, hardly ever FORCED) women out of work and back into the home. That was a deliberate measure designed to reduce the massive unemployment. Over 90% of German women were in FAVOUR of it.
As a matter of fact, we know from his private conversations that Hitler DID have a particular regard for the well-being of single mothers, probably because his own father was illegitimate. It was not simply a question of cannon fodder (particularly inappopriate since there is no doubt that Hitler NEVER planned for a WORLD WAR).
I might add that a seminar was held at an American university (off the top of my head I can't remember which one but I will check it out) in which it was clearly shown that there was anything but an opposition of attitudes between National Socialism and German feminism.
I would finally like to suggest that you read my latest book which won a prize last year. It is called 'Adolf Hitler: A Portrait' and includes a certain amount of information on this very subject. My current project is actually a book focusing specifically on the relationship between German feminists and the Nazis.
The definitive study is Martin Durham, 'Women and Fascism,' which supersedes all previous works in the field including those by Kirkpatrick, Koontz and Stephenson.
