1. Did living standards improve under the Nazis?

2. Learning objective – to be able to assess the impact of Nazis policies on the standards of living in Germany.
I can describe some of the ways Nazis changed standards of living.
Grade D
I can explain the how successful the Nazis were in improving living standards in Germany.
Grade B
I can explain and assess the impact of the Nazis on living standards in Germany.
Grade A

4. How successful was the Strength Through Joy scheme?
Set up by the German Labour Front, Strength Through Joy was a scheme to improve and organise leisure pursuits in workers by sponsoring a variety of activities, such as cruises and theatre visits. All activities were provided at a low cost and gave access to activities that were normally the reserve of more well-off people. In 1938, more than 10 million people had taken holidays provided by the Strength Through Joy scheme. However, very few people could actually afford the more expensive activities, such as cruises, even at discounted prices.

5. How successful was the Beauty of Labour scheme?
Another scheme set up by the German Labour Front was Beauty of Labour which aimed to ensure good working conditions, such as good food, and implementing safety measures. Although there were significant improvements in working conditions, Beauty of Labour scheme causes much resentment amongst the workers as these improvements had to be carried out by the workers in their spare time and without pay.

6. Did workers lose freedoms under the Nazi regime?
Despite the Strength Through Joy and Beauty of Labour schemes, workers lost significant freedoms which were mainly taken by the German Labour Front.
Trade Unions were banned and replaced with the German Labour Front.
Negotiations for better pay and working hours as well as strikes were not allowed.
Workers could be sent to concentration camps to be re-educated.
The Reich Labour Service conscripted men aged between 18 and 25 for six month unpaid labour service.
Working hours increased from 42.9 hours a week in 1933 to 47 in 1939.

7. What was the impact of the ‘People’s Car’?
Hitler saw the Volkswagen as a symbol of prosperity – similar to the Ford Model T car in America during the 1920s. The Nazis wanted to emulate this with their Volkswagen [‘the People’s Car’] scheme which encouraged people to buy their on car by subscribing to a weekly fund to help save for a car. However, no cars were funded through this scheme and people did not get their money back. A third of the population owned a Volkswagen by 1940 but no paying through this scheme. However, the VW factories switched to war production in 1940 and no cars were made until 1946.

8. How did living costs change under the Nazis?
Wages levels rose from 6% in 1934 to 30% in Alongside this, the Nazis through a propaganda campaign promoted what food to buy and how to cook simple meals.
However, all basic groceries cost more in 1939 than they did in 1933 as food production was deliberately reduced to control prices. This cancelled the impact of rising wages.

9. Copy and complete the table
Evidence of people being better off
Evidence of people being worse off
Overall judgement
Working conditions
Car ownership
Living costs

10. Source task
Cut out the source below and stick it into your exercise book. What can you infer from this source?
Source A
The young people are deadened by physical exertion. They have to get up very early and have very little time to themselves. The whole aim of the service seems to be to pass on Nazi ideas ad prepare them for military service. The pay is pitiful. Barely enough to buy a beer.
Report from the Social Democratic Party on labour service, 1938.

11. Source task
Cut out the source below and stick it into your exercise book. What can you learn from this source about Strength Through Joy?
Source B
Strength Through Joy is now running weekly theatre trips to Munich from the countryside. Special theatre trains are coming to Munich on weekdays as far away as 120 kilometres. So a lot of our comrades who used to be in the Outdoor Club, for example, are availing themselves of the opportunity of going on trips with Strength Through Joy. There is simply no other choice. Walking trips have also become popular.
Extract from the Strength Through Joy magazine, 1936.

12. Plenary – a touch of Scrabble
What are the three key words from this lesson that sums up your learning?
Which word has the highest value if you used in a game of Scrabble?
Compare with the person next to you. Which word has the highest value?