Mother of the "Volk": The Image of Women in Nazi Ideology

The image of women that evolved from divergent strands of Nazi ideology is examined in books, articles, speeches, & photographic collections. Distinguished are three major views of women: (1) the misogynist, as presented by Hitler & other top M party leaders, (2) the militant, set forth by a small but vocal group that believed women should have equal roles, & (3) the mainstream, represented by the bulk of literature on women. The mainstream view did not actually conflict with the misogynist view, but it attributed to women a central importance in Nazi society through their role in the family. Although the mainstream view evolved from interaction with the extreme views & in response to the external reality of economic demands, it remained stable throughout the interwar period, while Nazi policy toward women shifted in response to the changing economic situation. The blend of traditional ideas & Nazi principles that characterized the mainstream image gave it not only the necessary flexibility to meet changed economic circumstances, but also the potential to attract two very different groups -- both conservative & traditional Mc housewives who sought confirmation of their roles within the home, & their rebellious daughters who longed for an active role & rejected the staid bourgeois lifestyle of their mothers. An exmination of the Nazi image of women, then, suggests that Nazi ideology was not monolithic, that the image was flexible enough to adjust to shifting policy demands, & that the image had a potential double appeal. 2 Figures. AA.