Pearson Edexcel · GCSE · History
Course version: 1HI0 · Version from Sept 2016
Key topic 4: Life in Nazi Germany, 1933–39 - 3 Employment and living…
Full specification wording
Option 31: Key topic 4: Life in Nazi Germany, 1933–39 - 3 Employment and living standards: Nazi policies to reduce unemployment: labour service, autobahns, rearmament and invisible unemployment.
The Nazis prioritised reducing unemployment to secure support and prepare for war.
Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 1HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 1 of 2
- 3 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
The Nazis prioritised reducing unemployment to secure support and prepare for war. The National Labour Service (RAD) became compulsory for young men in 1935, providing cheap labour. A massive public works programme included building autobahns, creating thousands of construction jobs and improving military logistics. Rearmament stimulated heavy industry and created millions of jobs in munitions and the armed forces. However, official statistics were manipulated through 'invisible unemployment'. Women forced out of work, Jewish people dismissed from their jobs, and opponents in concentration camps were excluded from the unemployment figures, creating a false impression of an economic miracle.
What earns the marks
- Explain the role of the National Labour Service (RAD) in providing employment and militarising the workforce.
- Describe how the autobahn construction programme created jobs and served military purposes.
- Analyse the impact of rearmament on job creation in manufacturing and the expansion of the armed forces.
- Define 'invisible unemployment' and identify the groups excluded from official statistics, such as women and Jewish people.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Believing the Nazis completely eradicated unemployment through genuine job creation.
Put it right: Acknowledge that official figures were heavily manipulated using 'invisible unemployment' to hide the true scale of joblessness.
Confusing the RAD with the regular army.
Put it right: The RAD was a labour service focused on public works and ideological training, though it did prepare men for military discipline.
Assuming autobahns were built solely for civilian transport.
Put it right: Emphasise that autobahns were strategically designed to allow the rapid movement of troops and military supplies.
Exam tips
- When evaluating Nazi economic success, always contrast the official unemployment figures with the reality of invisible unemployment.
- Link rearmament directly to the Nazi foreign policy goal of overturning the Treaty of Versailles.
- Use specific examples, such as the compulsory nature of the RAD from 1935, to demonstrate detailed knowledge of employment policies.
Try the lesson
The start of the Option 31: Key topic 4: Life in Nazi Germany, 1933–39 - 3 Employment and living standards: Nazi policies to reduce unemployment: labour service, autobahns, rearmament and invisible unemployment. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which Nazi organisation provided manual work for young men, such as planting forests and repairing fences, and became compulsory in 1935?
Listen
The Nazis prioritised reducing unemployment to secure support and prepare for war. The National Labour Service (RAD) became compulsory for young men in 1935, providing cheap labour. A massive public works programme included building autobahns, creating thousands of construction jobs and improving military logistics. Rearmament stimulated heavy industry and created millions of jobs in munitions and the armed forces. However, official statistics were manipulated through 'invisible unemployment'. Women forced out of work, Jewish people dismissed from their jobs, and opponents in concentration camps were excluded from the unemployment figures, creating a false impression of an economic miracle. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Explain the role of the National Labour Service (RAD) in providing employment and militarising the workforce. Describe how the autobahn construction programme created jobs and served military purposes. Analyse the impact of rearmament on job creation in manufacturing and the expansion of the armed forces. Define 'invisible unemployment' and identify the groups excluded from official statistics, such as women and Jewish people. A common slip: Believing the Nazis completely eradicated unemployment through genuine job creation. Instead, Acknowledge that official figures were heavily manipulated using 'invisible unemployment' to hide the true scale of joblessness. Exam tip: When evaluating Nazi economic success, always contrast the official unemployment figures with the reality of invisible unemployment.
See it
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
National Labour Service (RAD)
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Rearmament
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Invisible unemployment
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
See every definition
- National Labour Service (RAD)
- A labour service that became compulsory for young men in 1935, providing cheap labour and preparing men for military discipline.
- Rearmament
- A policy that stimulated heavy industry and created millions of jobs in munitions and the armed forces.
- Invisible unemployment
- The manipulation of official statistics by excluding groups such as women, Jewish people and opponents in concentration camps from the unemployment figures.
Label the diagram
Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.
1Box 1
2Box 2
3Box 3
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