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Susan J. Rietz English 111 April 25, 2013

Table of Contents

Self-Assessment Women of the Third Reich - Revised Women of the Third Reich Original Writing Critique

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In this self-assessment I will try to explain what I have learned in this class. I last attended college in 1989 and even though I have taken English classes it has been a long time and I have forgotten many of the things I learned. I would recommend this class to anyone who needs a refresher in English. The basics are taught and every person needs to learn the basics of good writing and the different types of genres in writing.

While attending this class, I have learned about different genres of writing and been exposed to writers that I had never read before. The book covered not only writings from different authors and genres but outlined and discussed how to write a paper in a specific genre. Learning this helped me be able to outline a paper and follow through with my writing.

I learned that when writing an essay that the beginning paragraph should not only present your thesis but, should grab the reader and bring them into the paper, making them want to read more. The essay must a have a purpose, appeal to your intended audience, and cover a specific genre. The essay can cover areas, such as, taking a stance or setting a tone. You can argue a point of view or tell a story. While we didnt cover punctuation or grammar I did learn through direction from Ms. Jones, how better to position my paper, punctuation rules and the importance of learning your comma rules.

The reading assignments gave me a better understanding of the different genres in writing. The peer reviews helped me get a different view point on each assignment. The group time each week helped me to better understand each type of genre. Outlining each assignment and discussing what the writer intended helped me to be able to write a better essay. I learned to focus on making statements that are clear and to use vivid details.

While reviewing our class notes and what I had learned from our text, I realized that we had learned many ways to write a strong essay. Listed were several things to remember; to find a topic or genre, summarize your knowledge, complete your outline, compare or contrast your argument, and to stick to your theme, are just a few things we covered. Our class notes covered genres ranging from memoirs to arguments. We learned to state the facts, be organized, stay focused, and provided accurate well researched information. Our classroom experience taught us to use more descriptive words and to make the reader be able to visualize our story and want to know more about the characters we are writing about. As a writer, we should give the reader not only visual cues but, let them experience hearing, tasting, and smelling so they might be immersed in the story.

The corrections made by Ms. Jones on our essays were short, concise, and proved to be an enormous help in rewriting the essay and understanding where we had failed to convey to the reader what we wanted them to take away from our work. I realized I was confused on the correct use of commas and was able to get a better understanding of comma rules. The correction notes were easy to understand, and gave me pause for thought. Overall, this class was a great learning experience and has given me a good base to stand on when I have to write papers for other classes.

Susan J. Rietz Instructor Stacy Jones English 111 11 March 2013 Women of the Third Reich Ilse Koch, The Bitch of Buchenwald, was not a guard; she was not in the SS in any capacity. Koch was the wife of Karl Koch, who was the commander of Buchwald concentration camp. Yet, Ilse Koch developed a reputation for cruelty which was nothing short of unbelievable. Koch, it has been testified, was known to meet prisoners upon their arrival to inspect them for interesting or attractive tattoos. If she saw something which caught her eye, she had the prisoner executed, skinned and their skin made into useful items such as lampshades or book covers. Her collection was used against her at her trials. Koch was tried for her war crimes and sentenced to life in prison when she committed suicide in 1967. Where did this type of cruelty come from? How was it indoctrinated into these women and young girls of Nazi Germany? The Hitler Youth was founded in 1926 and membership began at ten years of age. In 1936, membership became compulsory for all children between the ages of ten and seventeen. Activities spanned the spectrum, from after school activities to weekend camping trips. Training focused on indoctrination of children into becoming faithful to the Nazi party and future leaders of the National Socialist state. Adolf Hitler stated in a his thesis Mein Kampf that These boys and girls enter our organization [at] ten years of age, and often for the first time get a little fresh air after four years of the Young Folk they go on to the Hitler Youth, where we have them for another four

yearsAnd even if they are still not complete National Socialists, they go to Labor Service and are smoothed out there for another six, seven monthsAnd whatever class consciousness or social status might still be leftthe Wehrmacht [armed forces] will take care of that. The League of German Girls taught the need for healthy bodies through sports activities. Other activities included music, crafts and various types of home economics such as sewing, childcare, and cooking. During the war members helped raise money, tended wounded soldiers, and did agricultural work formerly done by men. After school babysitting was done to air out the children by taking them to the park and to watch them, while the women worked for the war effort. There were many types of exercise, one type was group gymnastics, such as rhythmic gymnastics, which the German Health authorities deemed less strenuous to the female body and helped prepare their bodies for motherhood.

Women were to embrace the role of mother and obedient wife. Their role was to populate the True Aryan race by having as many babies as possible. The reward for having four or more babies was the Cross of Honor of the German Mother, a very high honor. During this time

Herman Goering established Nine Commandments for the Workers Struggle and the following was one commandment for women: Take hold of the frying pan, dust pan and broom and marry a man. This statement shows the place women were relegated to during the war. This thought was later abandoned as war progressed because women were needed in the workforce. There were several women that rose in the ranks of the Nazi Party. Women were allowed to be guards in the concentration camps. The most infamous was Irma Grese (1923-1945). Grese achieved the rank of Senior SS Supervisor, the second highest rank a woman could achieve. Grese was notorious for her cruelty and was hanged for her war crimes in December of 1945. In July 1934, Gertrude Scholtz-Klink, was appointed leader of the Nazi Womens Group. Scholtz-Klink was responsible for directing all womens organizations, including Frauenwerk, Womens League of the Red Cross, and the Womens Labor Front. Scholtz-Klink wrote a book after the war detailing womens roles in the war: Women in the Third Reich published in 1978. Many women, after the war, felt they were casualties of the war just as much as anyone else. Now, this can be argued by both sides and never an agreement reached. Gisela Block wrote in her book that, Women who are enslaved economically and morally, cannot exercise their freedom by being confined in the home and placed under the rule of their husbands. Women were victims of machismo and a misogynist fascism. The role was to Preserve the illusion of love in an environment of hate. By the early 1920s, women experienced many political rights in Germany. There were three female members in the Parliament, out of 577 members. Women were allowed to vote in elections and were instrumental in getting Hitler elected to Chancellor. Then, after Adolf Hitler came to power as the Chancellor, many womens rights were abolished. Hitler said in a speech in

1935, that Marxism does not confer equal rights at all, but constitutes the deprivation of rights since they draw women into a zone where they can only be inferiorit only weakens them. Women could be admitted to the Nazi Party if they were deemed useful such as nurses or cooks. Their numbers were 5% in 1933 but had grown to 17% by 1937. The political organization for women was called the N3 - Fraunenscraft (NSF). Their responsibility was to promote the ideal model of women in the Third Reich. It was at its core, an organization that trained girls in housekeeping, nursing and secretarial work. In 1932 NSF had 109,320 members, but by 1938 it had over two million members. There were some 3,600 women who worked in the concentration camps. Out of that number, only some 60 stood trial for their war crimes, and only 21 of these women were executed for their crimes. The United States did not execute any women. In 1978, the last woman was executed for her crimes. Antonia Markarova, a Nazi executioner, was finally found and implicated in some 1,500 executions. Markarova was living in Belarus and married to a Jew by the name of Viktor Ginsberg. Markarova managed to hide, for half a lifetime and was only found, when a relative applying for a visa named her in a routine list of relatives. Various accounts of womens roles in concentration camps vary from victim to victim and camp to camp. Many stories of who did what atrocity were confused and courts were unable to make decisions as to a punishment for these women. Ravensbruck, one concentration camp in Germany, served as a training facility for female SS supervisors. Nearly 3,500 women underwent training at Ravensbruck. The camp was established in 1938 and liberated in 1945. The estimated number of victims at Ravensbruck was 92,000!

One woman, Elisabeth Marschall, a nurse, who rose to the rank of Oberschwester [head nurse] at the hospital in Ravensbruck. Marschall was charged with maltreatment of sick prisoners and with taking part in horrific experiments. Marschall was also charged with making selections of prisoners for the gas chamber. Marschall was found guilty of her crimes and at that time, was the oldest woman, age 61, hanged for her crimes. It has now been 68 years since the end of the war, and we still are at a loss to find what could have turned these women into monsters. Did these women have a complete belief in Hitlers political view point? Did they possess a hidden sadistic side? Author, Claudia Koonz, was struck by a paradox while writing her book, Mothers in the Fatherland: Women, the Family and Nazi Politics: The very women who were so protective of their children, so warm, nurturing and giving to their families, could at the same time display extraordinary cruelty.

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Susan J. Rietz Instructor Stacy Jones English 111 11 March 2013

Women of the Third Reich The Hitler Youth was founded in 1926 and membership began at ten years of age. In 1936 membership became compulsory for all children between the ages of ten and seventeen. Activities spanned the spectrum from after school activities to weekend camping trips. Training was to indoctrinate children into becoming faithful to the Nazi party and future leaders of the National Socialist state. These boys and girls enter our organization [at] ten years of age, and often for the first time get a little fresh air after four years of the Young Folk they go on to the Hitler Youth, where we have them for another four yearsAnd even if they are still not complete National Socialists, they go to Labor Service and are smoothed out there for another six, seven monthsAnd whatever class consciousness or social status might still be leftthe Wehrmacht [armed forces] will take care of that. Adolf Hitler 1938 The League of German Girls taught the need for healthy bodies through sports activities. Other activities included music, crafts and various types of home economics such as sewing, childcare, and cooking. During the war members helped raise money, tended wounded soldiers

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and did agricultural work formerly done by men. After school babysitting was done to air out the children by taking them to the park and to keep them, while the women worked for the war effort. There was gymnastics, such as rhythmic gymnastics, which the German Health authorities deemed less strenuous to the female body and helped prepare their bodies for motherhood.

Women were to embrace the role of mother and obedient wife. Their role was to populate the True Aryan race by having as many babies as possible. The reward for having four or more babies was the Cross of Honor of the German Mother, a very high honor. During this time Herman Goering established Nine Commandments for the Workers Struggle and the following, was one commandment for women: Take hold of the frying pan, dust pan and broom and marry a man. This shows the place that women were put into during the war. This thought was later abandoned as war progressed, because women were needed in the workforce. There were several women that rose in the ranks of the Nazi Party. Women were allowed to be guards in the concentration camps. The most infamous was Irma Grese (1923-1945). Grese

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achieved the rank of Senior SS Supervisor, the second highest rank a woman could achieve. Grese was notorious for her cruelty and was hanged for her war crimes in December of 1945. Another woman, Gertrude Scholtz-Klink, was leader of the Nazi Womens Group. Scholtz-Klink was responsible for directing all womens organizations including Frauenwerk, Womens League of the Red Cross and the Womens Labor Front. Scholtz-Klink wrote a book after the war detailing womens roles in the war: Women in the Third Reich published in 1978. Many women, after the war, felt they were casualties of the war just as much as anyone else. Now, this can be argued by both sides and never an agreement reached. Gisela Block wrote in her book, written in 1984, that Women who are enslaved economically and morally, cannot exercise their freedom by being confined in the home and placed under the rule of their husbands. Women were victims of machismo and a misogynist fascism. The role was to Preserve the illusion of love in an environment of hate. In the early 1920s, women experienced many political rights in Germany. There were three female members in the Parliament out of 577 members. Women were allowed to vote in elections and were instrumental in getting Hitler elected to Chancellor. Then, after Adolf Hitler came to power as the Chancellor, we see the end of many womens rights. Hitler said in a speech in 1935, that Marxism does not confer equal rights at all, but constitutes the deprivation of rights since they draw women into a zone where they can only be inferiorit only weakens them. Women could be admitted to the Nazi Party if they were deemed useful such as nurses or cooks. Their numbers were 5% in 1933 but had grown to 17% by 1937. The political organization for women was called the N3 - Fraunenscraft (NSF). Their responsibility was to

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promote the ideal model of women in the Third Reich. It was at its core, an organization that trained girls in housekeeping, nursing and secretarial work. In 1932 NSF had 109,320 members, but by 1938 it had over two million members. There were some 3,600 women who worked in the concentration camps. Out of that number, only some 60 stood trial for their war crimes, and only 21 of these women were executed for their crimes. The United States did not execute any women. In 1978, the last woman was executed for her crimes. Antonia Markarova, a Nazi executioner, was finally found and implicated in some 1,500 executions. Markarova was living in Belarus and married to a Jew by the name of Viktor Ginsberg. Markarova managed to hide, for half a lifetime and was only found, when a relative applying for a visa named her in a routine list of relatives. Various accounts of womens roles in concentration camps vary from victim to victim and camp to camp. Many stories of who did what atrocity were confused and courts were unable to make decisions as to a punishment for these women. Ravensbruck, one concentration camp in Germany, served as a training facility for female SS supervisors. Nearly 3,500 women underwent training at Ravensbruck. The camp was established in 1938 and liberated in 1945. The estimated number of victims at Ravensbruck was 92,000! One woman, Elisabeth Marschall, a nurse, who rose to the rank of Oberschwester [head nurse] at the hospital in Ravensbruck. Marschall was charged with maltreatment of sick prisoners and with taking part in horrific experiments. Marschall was also charged with making selections of prisoners for the gas chamber. Marschall was found guilty of her crimes and at that time, was the oldest woman, age 61, hanged for her crimes.

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It has now been 68 years since the end of the war and we still are at a loss to find what could have turned these women into monsters. Did these women have a complete belief in Hitlers political view point? Did they possess a hidden sadistic side? It has been said Had it not been for the war, one suspects that these women would most probably have lived normal lives with jobs, husbands and children.

Grade: 85/B Very interesting topic for a report. Good inclusion of facts. You also might consider the use of anecdote to make the report more compelling and lively.

B = Good Work: All requirements are met and some are exceeded. The writing is above average and possesses the qualities of good writing. Although good, this essay lacks some of the originality and vigor of the A essay. The B essay includes relevant points and supports general statements with specific details. There is a clear thesis and essay maintains focus throughout. The introduction is effective, transitions are used and the conclusion is thoughtful. There may be some variety in structure, detail, and vocabulary. This essay may contain a few errors in grammar, mechanics, spelling, or usage.

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The best piece of writing I did this semester was Summer Sultriness, a memoir. I enjoyed writing this essay very much. I was able to delve back into my memories of by gone days and put into words thoughts and memories that have for so long sustained me. Summer Sultriness also showed how I had grown as a writer over the course of the semester, as it earned me my highest grade without a rewrite. Being able to use such descriptive words in my memoir enabled me to not only take the reader to a place in time dear to my heart but, I was able to take that trip as well. I believe that through writing our memories we are able to not only record a history of our past but, allow others to experience these memories with us. The worst piece of writing I did this summer was by far, the hardest for me. I hated having to write the argumentative paper. This genre was the toughest for me to organize into a cohesive topic. I had an easy time coming up with the topic of nature verses nurture in adopted children. Adoption is dear to my heart and I am interested in how nature or nurture will influence the growth of my adopted child. Yet, when I started my research it was an overwhelming amount to shift through. Most studies in this area are done on twin research and it was hard to focus on just a single child. Also, I became bogged down in how I truly felt about the topic and whether nature or nurture was the greater influence. In the end, I decided that it is really about a 50 to 50 ratio of nature and nurture and in some instances just a game of chance.