One «small» world, another «big» world: the gender discourse of National Socialism

Authors

  • Jesús María Casquete

Keywords:

Nationalsocialism, gender, discourse, Hitler, Scholtz-Klink

Abstract

Nazi discourse on womens’ role since its inception as movement until its break down as regime is by no means original. However, its inflexibility makes of it a peculiar case in Western history. Once it took power over, Nationalsocialism became an outstanding case of all these anti-modernist currents opposing the emancipation of women. Starting in 1933 its praxis was addressed to worship maternity and domesticity, the true womens’ realm, as well as keeping them away from the public sphere, mens’ realm. Any attempt to bridge both spheres, the private and the public, was stigmatized as «antinatural». The argument will rely on original documents of the era, most of all writings and discourses by Adolf Hitler and the Reichsfrauenführerin, Gertrud Scholtz-Klink.

Issue

Section

ARTICLES