Did workers benefit from the Nazis economic policies?

Successes –

• Unemployment all-but ended

• And men were put to work to build up Germany’s infrastructure: building roads, autobahns, houses, schools and hospitals

• The ‘Beauty of Labour’ organisation improved working conditions

• The ‘Strength through Joy’ programme provided leisure activities for many more Germans

• Conscription was re-introduced

Limitations –

• Jews were driven out of their jobs

• Pressure was put on married women to give up their jobs

• Trade unions were banned (and the KPD + SDP)

• They were replaced by The German Labour Front which sided with employers

• They could not strike for better pay and conditions

• As a result, wages stayed low and working hours increased

• Jobs created by the Labour Service Corps were low paid too

• The cost of living increased – in particular, food was expensive and despite the support given farmers, shortages continued

• And there were few consumer goods to buy anyway

• The scheme to own a Volkswagen was a con trick