Elsbeth Zander: The Importance Of Raising Good German Women

In the years 1914 through 1945 being a woman was an important role in German Society. The experiences that defined womanhood focused heavily on the importance of raising good German children and encouraging the men of German society.
German women faced the task of being mothers to the children, as well as protectors of the home. Elsbeth Zander explains the expectations of women saying that, “Our era so loudly demands German mothers, for those who will try- through true motherly love, through good understanding and sisterly comradeship- to heal the wounds which a gruesome fate has inflicted on us.” It was essential that mothers teach their children of the importance of the purity of the German race and to despise any impurities. Zander says that “this is why it is important to demonstrate clean living to our youth, to teach that strength lies only in purity.” It’s clear that there was a strong emphasis on the importance of raising the children, and that this was the responsibility of the women of Germany. In a poster released in 1934 called “Healthy Parents- Healthy Children”, a pure German family is show. It shows the ideal family structure, emphasize the roles of each individual and the features of the Aryan race. During this time in Germany children were vital to the success of the country. Melita Maschmann, a German colonizer of Poland, while in Poland saw that “the Poles were a menace to the German nation.” She …show more content…
Preserving the German people was extremely important to the leadership of the country and for this reason women were highly encouraged to help