The home front from the German perspective: using one secondary source

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The home front from the German perspective: secondary sourceThe War from Within: German Working ClassWomen in the First World WarThe source highlights women's social changes during the WW1 period and the aftermath of these changes. It suggests that the gender roles of women had altered and expanded, as economic status, employment and industry status, family status and state of welfare were beginning to change. War had allowed for the redistribution of women in the war industry who had previously already encountered work in other factions; and despite efforts to attain more women in the war effort, increases were small. Although women who did enter the war effort came from jobs such as those in the textiles industry which involved high levels of unemployment or low status jobs, which allowed for a greater level of independence. However, almost everyone including the state and unions considered women workers to be exploited.

Moreover, a Family Aid scheme was introduced to cater for unemployment benefits, and family changes of declining birth rates were occurring. In 1916 rationing of food became smaller leading to the collapse of the consumer-goods market; "pulling women further away from the war industry". Food riots had occurred as well as social protests, whilst propaganda increased aiming to improve morale.

The source titled "German Working-class Women in the First World War" is a book review by Pierre Purseigle" written in 2001, of the Ute Danile book "The War from Within: German Working ClassWomen in the First World War". The review is a secondary source which has been translated to by Margaret ries. The purpose of the review is to summarise the book in highlighting its main features. But the purpose of the book was probably to make aware the profound changes amongst German women in WW1,