Explain what role women had in Nazi society. Return to Chapter 1 on the French Revolution. Write a paragraph comparing and contrasting the role of women in the two periods.

In Nazi Germany, women were assigned a specific role within the national community. According to Nazi ideology, women’s importance would be demonstrated through their traditional roles as wives and mothers. While boys were taught to be aggressive, masculine and steel hearted, girls were told that they had to become good mothers and rear pure-blooded Aryan children. Girls had to maintain the purity of the race, distance themselves from Jews, look after the home, and teach their children Nazi values. They had to be the bearers of the Aryan culture and race.

Prior to the French Revolution, women had no political rights and were considered “passive” citizens. For instance, women were denied entry to the assembly of the Estates General to pass proposals for new taxes. They had limited opportunity of educating themselves and had no right to vote. However, during the Revolution, they advocated for their own rights, formed political clubs, and wrote pamphlets. The Society of Revolutionary Republican Women was a notable vehicle for agitation. Despite facing criticism, women adopted positions of political power and became symbols of liberty and equality. While Nazi society confined women to traditional roles as wives and mothers, the French Revolution empowered women to challenge norms, advocate for their rights, and participate actively in political life. But the struggle and stereotyping women was common in both the periods.