Gender Policy of the Third Reich in the views of National Socialist Leaders

Ковальчук, Вікторія Василівна (2025) Gender Policy of the Third Reich in the views of National Socialist Leaders Актуальні питання у сучасній науці, 36 (6). pp. 1407-1415. ISSN 2786-6300

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Abstract

The article is dedicated to a comprehensive analysis of the vision of gender policy in the Third Reich, as expressed by leading National Socialist leaders in their public speeches and works. It examines the key aspects of the construction of female and male roles in the ideological discourse of Nazism, starting with the fundamental tenets of Adolf Hitler, outlined in "Mein Kampf" and his programmatic speeches, where woman appears primarily as the mother of the nation, responsible for the birth and upbringing of healthy offspring, and man as the defender of the state. Significant attention is paid to the views of Joseph Goebbels, both before his appointment as Minister of Propaganda and during his active state activity. His critique of "moralism", aimed at creating a favorable basis for the introduction of new gender norms, is analyzed, as well as his speech at the opening of the women's exhibition in 1933, which clearly substantiates the exclusion of women from the political sphere and defines their primary purpose in family and motherhood. The ideas of Alfred Rosenberg are also explored, who presented women as carriers of emotional essence, contrasting them with the rationality of men, and limited their role to procreation. The speeches of Rudolf Hess are analyzed, where the emphasis is placed on nationwide loyalty to the Führer and the ideas of National Socialism, which also implied the acceptance of defined gender roles as part of a common goal. Hess emphasized the importance of heroism, discipline, self-sacrifice, and loyalty as key traits that should unite the population. The promotion of these values through public rhetoric shaped behavioral models aligned with the ideological goals of the Nazi regime. Separately, the views of Gertrud Scholtz-Klink, the leader of the National Socialist Women's Organization, are considered, who consistently propagated motherhood in her speeches as the highest calling of the German woman, while simultaneously calling for their active participation in national life within defined limits. The article reveals how the ideas of National Socialist leaders formed a coherent system of views on gender roles, which became the basis for the state policy of the Third Reich, aimed at limiting the opportunities of women outside the family and consolidating traditional notions. The analysis of primary sources allows for a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of ideological influence and the construction of gender identity in a totalitarian society.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	gender policy; National Socialism; The Third Reich; ideology; propaganda; social roles
Subjects:	Статті у періодичних виданнях > Фахові (входять до переліку фахових, затверджений МОН)
Divisions:	Факультет права та міжнародних відносин > Кафедра міжнародних відносин
Depositing User:	Вікторія Василівна Ковальчук
Date Deposited:	08 Jul 2025 15:04
Last Modified:	08 Jul 2025 15:04
URI:	https://elibrary.kubg.edu.ua/id/eprint/52555

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