German Women, Industrial Society, and the Great War: On the Changing Gender Roles

This article attempts to study the process of gender roles transformation German women under influence World War I. Gender history as a social sexes has significant heuristic potential which is why author uses it methodological basis research. The recent years have seen an increased interest in war history, front, and rear from point view among researchers. perspective — precisely because long remained outside mainstream challenged fundamentally changed contemporary historiography history. studies demonstrate that debates about peace are always also discussions gendered order, or ideas “masculinity” “femininity” at certain time. For time, historiography, opinion prevailed I was decisive factor emancipation Germany twentieth century. However, last two decades convincingly shown this thesis needs be corrected least. increase share female labour industry during corresponded pre-war trend did not exceed quantitative terms. Women’s lot lower classes. Measures support state for families military personnel, on one hand, contributed women’s financial independence, and, other their dependence it, formed dependents. inability authorities provide basic life population led widespread illegal activities (larceny, markets) protests, together with defeat, became main reasons November Revolution.