Women in 20th-Century Germany: A Reader

Abstract

Eva Kolisnky traces the transformation of women's lives in Germany from the beginnings of the Women's Movement before World War I to the present day. She shows the changing scope for women to exercise choices in education, the family, employment and politics through to the provision of documents which include personal testimonies, statistics, reports and life stories. Each chapter focuses on a key theme and shows its manifestations in different political and social contexts. Topics covered include: women's roles in different social classes; the conflict between family and employment in East and West Germany; women's political participation since 1919; and the constrasting social and economic lifestyles of women in East and West Germany. This study book, written in German for non-native German speakers, provides vocabulary and brief comments in English on each document. It provides many sources on the social and political history of Germany and German women.