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Fight against the empty cradle : Nazi pronatal
policies and the SS-Führerkorps
Ziegler, Herbert F.
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Ziegler, Herbert F.: Fight against the empty cradle : Nazi pronatal policies and the SS-Führerkorps. In: Historical Social
Research 11 (1986), 2, pp. 25-40. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-34663
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FIGHT AGAINST THE EMPTY C R A D L E : NAZI PRONATAL
POLICIES AND THE S S - F U H R E R K O R P S
H e r b e r t F . Ziegler(*)
A b s t r a c t : During t h e early d e c a d e s of t h e t w e n t i e t h
c e n t u r y , G e r m a n y , like most w e s t e r n European n a t i o n s ,
faced f e r t i l i t y levels at which its population was unable
to r e p l a c e itself. Upon assuming power in 1933 t h e
National Socialist r e g i m e began a l m o s t i m m e d i a t e l y t o
i m p l e m e n t p r o n a t a l i s t m e a s u r e s in an effort to halt and
r e v e r s e this t r e n d . At t h e forefront of t h e b a t t l e
against t h e declining b i r t h r a t e stood Heinrich Himmler,
t h e l e a d e r of t h e SS, who a t t e m p t e d to m a k e his officer
corps into an e x a m p l e of fecundity worthy of e m u l a t i o n
by t h e e n t i r e G e r m a n n a t i o n . But n e i t h e r m a t e r i a l incent i v e s , c o e r c i o n , a b a r r a g e of indoctrination and propag a n d a , nor special p r o n a t a l institutional d e v i c e s such
as t h e Lebensborn s u c c e e e d e d in s t i m u l a t i n g f e r t i l i t y .
In t h e final analysis even within t h e SS, t h e vanguard
of National Socialism, it proved impossible to i n c r e a s e
t h e n u m b e r of births significantly - G e r m a n s and SSFlihrer alike c o n t i n u e d to prefer samll families. Thus
t h e secular d e c l i n e in G e r m a n f e r t i l i t y , which had began
during t h e l a t t e r p a r t of t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y , was
not c h e c k e d during t h e National Socialist e r a , p r o n a t a list m e a s u r e s n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g .
The increasing i n d u s t r i a l i z a t i o n and u r b a n i z a t i o n of Western European nations
during t h e l a t t e r p a r t of t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y was a c c o m p a n i e d by c o n c o m i t a n t d e m o g r a p h i c t r a n s f o r m a t i o n s , which w e r e c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a shift from
high birth and d e a t h r a t e s to substantially lower o n e s . This d e m o g r a p h i c
t r a n s i t i o n a l ) as it is often labeled, took a n y w h e r e from fifty y e a r s to
m o r e t h a n a c e n t u r y , and varied with t h e r a t e of social and e c o n o m i c d e v e l o p m e n t of individual c o u n t r i e s . The r e s u l t a n t s e c u l a r decline in overall
f e r t i l i t y p r o g r e s s e d t o t h e e x t e n t t h a t some nations felt genuinely t h r e a t e n e d by t h e i r f u t u r e d e m o g r a p h i c prospsects.(2) By t h e 1 9 3 0 s , f e r t i l i t y
levels in much of Europe had r e a c h e d t h e mark at which populations w e r e
unable t o r e p l a c e t h e m s e l v e s , n o t h w i t h s t a n d i n g considerably d e c r e a s e d mort a l i t y levels.(3) On a national level, b e t w e e n unification in 1 8 7 1 and t h e
e a r l y 1 9 3 0 ' s , overall f e r t i l i t y in G e r m a n y had declined by s o m e sixty p e r c e n t , making it, with t h e sole e x c e p t i o n of A u s t r i a , t h e lowest in Europe.(4)
The public discussion of t h e population decline(5) was still being pursued
when t h e Nazis a s s u m e d power and began, a l m o s t i m m e d i a t e l y , to i m p l e m e n t new
policies or amplify existing ones designed to i n c r e a s e G e r m a n y ' s b i r t h r a t e . ( 6 ) Without a hint of irony or self-doubt, t h e l e a d e r s of t h e Third
Reich l a m e n t e d t h a t G e r m a n y was at o n c e a ' s t e r b e n d e s Volk' as well as a
'Volk ohne R a u m ' ( 7 ) in need of ' L e b e n s r a u m ' . This r a t h e r a p p a r e n t c o n t r a d i c tion did not d i s c o u r a g e t h e drive for m o r e p e o p l e . A c a s e in point was t h e
(*) Address all c o m m u n i c a t i o n s t o : H e r b e r t F. Ziegler, D e p a r t m e n t of
History, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2530 Dole S t r e e t , Honolulu,
Hawai 96822.
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'Reichsführer-SS',
Heinrich Himmler, who shared t h e apprehensions r e g a r d i n g
t h e future of t h e race.(8) Despite t h e f a c t t h a t Himmler was c o n c e r n e d
frequently more with t h e quality(o) r a t h e r t h a n q u a n t i t y of offspring, he
intended to t a k e up t h e fight against t h e e m p t y c r a d l e as p a r t of his b a t t l e
for t h e r e g e n e r a t i o n of t h e "new Germany".(10) Because he f e a r e d t h e a d v e r s e
r e a c t i o n of individuals and institutions, especially on p a r t of t h e c h u r c h e s , Himmler t r i e d to avoid i m p l e m e n t a t i o n of p r o n a t a l i s t policies, which
could be c o n s t r u e d as social e x p e r i m e n t a t i o n . Although he did not always
s u c c e e d at t h i s , most of t h e more aggressive d e v i c e s designed to i n c r e a s e
t h e birth r a t e w e r e applied only within t h e microcosm of a c a p t i v e a u d i e n c e ,
t h e SS. In t h e m a t t e r of p r o c r e a t i o n t h e Black Order was to s e r v e as an
e x a m p l e for t h e e n t i r e nation, and to r e e d u c a t e t h e common 'Volksgenossen'
away from existing bourgeois morality which inhibited population g r o w t h . The
aim of t h e following, t h e n , is to t r a c e H i m m l e r ' s obsession for increasing
b i r t h s , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h o s e within t h e 'SS-Führerkorps', t o d o c u m e n t specific
p r o n a t a l i s t m e a s u r e s t h a t he considered and introduced, and to show why, in
t h e final analysis, t h e s e m e a s u r e s failed.
On J a n u a r y 1 5 t h and 1 6 t h , 1 9 2 6 , Heinrich Himmler, we a r e told, r e a d ' Der
Völker Vergehen und Werden. Grundlagen einer allgemeinen Völkerpolitik' by
Professor Dr. A. Thomsen. This book, which he had r e c e i v e d from Gregor S t r a s ser, a p p a r e n t l y m a d e a d e e p and lasting impression on him. "It is dreadful,"
he noted in his reading list", t h a t in G e r m a n y today women no longer w a n t to
be m o t h e r s . "God g r a n t us t h a t one day this will c h a n g e " . ( 1 1 ) Twelve y e a r s
l a t e r , Himmler voiced t h e s a m e c o n c e r n even m o r e urgently at t h e occasion of
a m e e t i n g of high-ranking SS l e a d e r s . "A people who have many children", he
insisted, "have t h e p r o s p e c t of world power and world r u l e , w h e r e a s a people
with few children have only a d e a t h c e r t i f i c a t e . " ( 1 2 )
As telling as t h e s e r e m a r k s may b e , t h e y a r e not intended to suggest t h a t
H i m m l e r ' s i n t e r e s t in p r o c r e a t i o n s t e m m e d solely from reading one book. On
t h e c o n t r a r y , his obsession with d e m o g r a p h i c g r o w t h was much m o r e broadly
based, and r e l a t e d d i r e c t l y to t h e function and purpose of t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n
t h a t he h e a d e d . As Hitler's e x e c u t i v e power, t h e SS was c h a r g e d not only
with securing t h e New Order but also with siring i t . ( 1 3 ) The task of s e c u r i ty was linked to a c r e a t i v e mission, which went beyond t h e s e c u r i t y of t h e
G e r m a n Volk and had as its u l t i m a t e and Utopian aim t h e f u t u r e G r e a t e r
G e r m a n i c Reich; a Reich c h a r a c t e r i z e d by p l e n t y of ' L e b e n s r a u m ' to be a d m i n i s t e r e d by en e l i t e of a new human t y p e . But w h e r e was this e l i t e to c o m e
f r o m ? T h e r e w e r e , a f t e r all, limits to t h e r e c r u i t m e n t of "racially fit"
individuals who could s e r v e in t h e SS. The answer was as obvious as t h e
q u e s t i o n ; t h e Black Order itself must produce t h e r e q u i s i t e broad b a s e of
human m a t e r i a l for biological s e l e c t i o n .
The 'Reichsflihrer-SS' thus distinctively wished to c o m m u n i c a t e to his men
t h a t t h e y c o n s t i t u t e d a f e r t i l e group which should multiply without end, and
which, by reason, of its fecundity, its vital spirit, and its d y n a m i s m , was
d e s t i n e d to pass on t h e superior c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of t h e G e r m a n r a c e to
f u t u r e g e n e r a t i o n s . Readiness, for an SS man, implied not simply t h e willingness to s a c r i f i c e his own life when needed but, equally i m p o r t a n t , must
include t h e d e s i r e to e x t e n d his blood to his children and his children's
c h i l d r e n . The SS, according to its 'spiritus r e c t o r ' , must b e c o m e a glorious
e x a m p l e for t h e e n t i r e Volk, and t h e sight of t h e SS uniform must invoke t h e
i m a g e of a healthy flock of children. SS-Führer, in p a r t i c u l a r , must m a k e it
t h e i r duty to p r o c r e a t e , for t h e y hold a special position of t r u s t which
e x c e e d s even t h a t of t h e regular m e m b e r s h i p . ( i 4 )
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By t h e s t a n d a r d s of t h e SS, t h e r e f o r e , as long as one was c a p a b l e of siring
c h i l d r e n , it was considered unnatural to limit t h e number of births for
selfish personal r e a s o n s . The sole purpose of m a r r i a g e was t h e b e g e t t i n g and
e d u c a t i n g of n u m e r o u s racially valuable children.(15) If a p p r o p r i a t e s t a n d a r d s of p r o c r e a t i o n w e r e lacking one needed to look no further t h a n n a t u r e
itself, w h e r e could be found a s t a n d a r d worth e m u l a t i n g . "Yes, in t h e animal
kingdom should we look for a model. The bird which s t r i v e s for t h e p r e s e r v a tion of t h e species does not know a one-child family and a two-child sys t e m . "(16) In his u s u a l illuminating and d i d a c t i c fashion, Himmler liked to
m a k e r e f e r e n c e t o G e r m a n y ' s musical h e r i t a g e t o e m p h a s i z e t h e d a n g e r s o f
b i r t h c o n t r o l . "What would have happened", he asked r h e t o r i c a l l y , "if Mrs.
Bach a f t e r her t w e l f t h child would have said enough is enough? What would
have been t h e r e s u l t if Mrs. Wagner would have had only five children?"(17)
The a n s w e r , of c o u r s e , begs t h e q u e s t i o n .
Accordingly, t h e SS ideal of a healthy m a r r i a g e was initially defined as
comprising a ' V i e r - K i n d e r s y s t e m ' ; t w o children to r e p l a c e t h e i r p a r e n t s , one
child to cover t h e p o t e n t i a l loss of one of t h e t w o offspring, and o n e child
for t h e ' N i c h t s k ö n n e r ' . A few y e a r s l a t e r , t h e d e m a n d was raised to four sons.
B e t t e r y e t , in t h e b e s t of all possible worlds t h e wife of an SS man would
have a child e v e r y y e a r . ( 1 8 ) But how to accomplish t h e s e a i m s ? How, indeed,
does one m o t i v a t e a g r o u p of men to sire children in large n u m b e r s ? The
r e s p o n s e to this question is t h a t Himmler and his lieutenants had a number of
m e a n s a v a i l a b l e , all designed to e n c o u r a g e t h e i r men to be fruitful and
multiply and replenish t h e e a r t h with good Aryans. To further t h e 'Kinderr e i c h t u m ' within his o r g a n i z a t i o n , Himmler could draw on a v a r i e t y of p r o n a t a l i s t m e a s u r e s , s o m e of which w e r e applicable to all G e r m a n c i t i z e n s while
o t h e r s w e r e l i m i t e d to m e m b e r s of t h e SS only.
The first m e a s u r e s a i m e d a t increasing t h e b i r t h r a t e - m e a s u r e s t h a t a p plied equally to all G e r m a n c i t i z e n s , including 'SS-Führer' - p e r t a i n e d to t h e
r e s t r i c t i o n of b i r t h c o n t r o l and a s t e p p e d up fight a g a i n s t a b o r t i o n . New
l e g i s l a t i v e m e a n s for t h e suppression of a b o r t i o n s w e r e introduced in 1 9 3 3 ,
when p a r a g r a p h 2 1 9 and 220 of t h e criminal c o d e , a b r o g a t e d in 1 9 2 6 , w e r e
r e i n t r o d u c e d . ( i 9 ) But this was only t h e beginning. In 1 9 3 6 Heinrich Himmler
e s t a b l i s h e d t h e R e i c h ' s C e n t r a l Agency for t h e Struggle Against Homosexuality and Abortion and, six y e a r s l a t e r , new a n t i a b o r t i o n legislation even
d e m a n d e d t h e d e a t h p e n a l t y "in e x t r e m e cases".(20) The only a b o r t i o n s t h a t
w e r e a p p r o v e d w e r e t h e ones involving s o - c a l l e d h e r e d i t a r y unhealthy child r e n , who w e r e defined by t h e notorious Law for t h e P r e v e n t i o n of H e r e d i t a b l y D e s e a s e d Offspring of 14 July 1 9 3 3 ( 2 1 ) , and t h e ones involving Jewish
c h i l d r e n . In both c a s e s it was t h o u g h t t h a t such a b o r t i o n s could only b e n e fit t h e G e r m a n people.(22) As an adjunct to t h e b a t t l e against a b o r t i o n s ,
H i m m l e r ' s P o l i c e O r d i n a n c e of 1 9 4 3 relating to " m e t h o d s , m a t e r i a l s , and
i n s t r u m e n t s for t h e p r e v e n t i o n and i n t e r r u p t i o n of pregnancy", s e v e r e l y
l i m i t e d a c c e s s t o c o n t r a c e p t i v e s . Police closed birth c o n t r o l c e n t e r s and
t h e display and a d v e r t i s e m e n t of c o n t r a c e p t i v e s w e r e c o n t r o l l e d under e x i sting laws.(23)
The first p o s i t i v e , and p e r h a p s most i m p o r t a n t d e v i c e , for increasing b i r t h s
was t h e e n a c t m e n t of t h e Law for t h e P r o m o t i o n of M a r r i a g e s , c o n t a i n e s in
s e c t i o n V of t h e Law for t h e Reduction of U n e m p l o y m e n t . ( 2 4 ) At first t h e s e
laws w e r e only p a r t of a larger legilsation for r e d u c i n g u n e m p l o y m e n t , t h a t
is, r e d u c i n g m a l e u n e m p l o y m e n t , by shifting women from paid e m p l o y m e n t into
positions t h a t c o n f o r m e d t o t h e i r "natural" and d o m e s t i c d u t i e s a s h o m e m a k e r
and m o t h e r . But when u n e m p l o y m e n t was r e d u c e d to such levels t h a t a c t u a l
labor s h o r t a g e s a p p e a r e d ( 2 5 ) , t h e Nazis w e r e f o r c e d t o r e v e r s e t h e i r b a c k t o - h o m e c r u s a d e and t h e p r i m a r y purpose of this law from this point on was
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simply to p r o m o t e m a r r i a g e s . The law was to establish special conditions, in
t h e form of loans,(26) to e n c o u r a g e m a r r i a g e among t h o s e young people who
w e r e postponing it for e c o n o m i c reasons. R a t h e r t h a n cash p a y m e n t s , t h e
loans provided coupons which could be exchanged for household e q u i p m e n t and
furniture at r e t a i l stores.(27) An incentive to b e a r children was given by
cancelling a q u a r t e r of t h e initial loan with t h e birth of e a c h child(28),
t h u s providing t h a t t h e birth of four children would liquidate t h e e n t i r e
loan. R e p a y m e n t s from t h e m a r r i a g e loans w e r e , in t u r n , used to provide
special g r a n t s to families with d e p e n d e n t children.(29)
In addition to t h e m a r r i a g e loan s c h e m e , civil s e r v a n t s and e m p l o y e e s of
public a d m i n i s t r a t i o n s of t h e ' R e i c h ' , ' L a n d e r ' , and ' G e m e i n d e n ' r e c e i v e d
monthly child a l l o w a n c e s a c c o r d i n g to t h e number of children per family.
O t h e r , less significant g o v e r n m e n t a l m e a s u r e s included r e d u c t i o n s in railway
f a r e s , p r e f e r e n t i a l t r e a t m e n t in e m p l o y m e n t a l l o c a t i o n , and various a c t s
providing c h e a p housing.(3o) Lastly, t h e changes in income t a x ( 3 1 ) , c a p i t a l
gains tax(32), i n h e r i t a n c e tax(33), and 'Bürgersteuer'(34), t o t h e a d v a n t a g e
of large families should be n o t e d . Without going into excessive d e t a i l , it
should suffice t o point out t h a t t h e t a x changes w e r e designed t o aid
m a r r i e d couples with children and penalize t h o s e w i t h o u t . In a similar
fahsion, divorce laws also e m p h a s i z e d fertility.(35) A husband could d e c l a r e
his wife incapable of bearing children even if she had given birth in
previous y e a r s . C o u r t s could hand down divorce d e c r e e s solely on t h e grounds
t h a t t h e husband considered his wife sterile.(36)
B e c a u s e t h e y w e r e r e l a t i v e l y inexpensive, t h e propaganda a s p e c t s of p r o n a t a list incentives w e r e p a r t i c u l a r l y popular with t h e r e g i m e . A v e r i t a b l e
m o t h e r h o o d cult was s e t in motion, and t h e first symbols of t h e n a t i o n ' s
e s t e e m for m o t h e r s began to a p p e a r . ( 3 7 ) Annually on August 12 - t h e b i r t h day of H i t l e r ' s m o t h e r - prolific women w e r e a w a r d e d t h e Honor Cross of t h e
G e r m a n Mother in t h r e e c l a s s e s : bronze for m o r e t h a n four children, silver
for m o r e t h a n six, and gold for m o r e t h a n eight.(38) By August of 1 9 3 9 , s o m e
t h r e e million fecund women had been t h e r e c i p i e n t s of this prestigous a w a r d ,
which was also known to t h e g e n e r a l public as "rabbit d e c o r a t i o n " . ( 3 9 )
M e m b e r s of t h e Nazi youth o r g a n i z a t i o n s w e r e dutybound to s a l u t e w e a r e r s of
t h e Mother's Cross.(40) Heinrich Himmler was e c s t a t i c about t h e s e d e v e l o p m e n t s and confided to his masseur t h a t "the Mother's Cross is t h e b e s t of
all; one day it'll be t h e g r e a t e s t honor in G r e a t e r G e r m a n y . S e n t r i e s will
have to p r e s e n t a r m s to a woman with t h e M o t h e r s ' Cross in gold; she will
have a right to an a u d i e n c e with t h e F ü h r e r , and she'll enjoy boundless
honor throughout t h e l a n d . " ( 4 i ) In addition to t h e Cross, m o t h e r s with t h r e e
or m o r e children under t h e age of t e n could c a r r y on Honor Card(42), which
e n t i t l e d t h e m to p r e f e r e n t i a l t r e a t m e n t in shops and offices. Highly f e r t i l e
women r e c e i v e d a s o m e w h a t u n e x p e c t e d a d v a n t a g e during t h e war y e a r s - t h e y
w e r e eligible to have maids from Poland and t h e Ukraine helping t h e m with
household shores, all c o u r t e s y of t h e 'Reichsführer-SS'.(43) U l t i m a t e l y , t h e
prolific G e r m a n m o t h e r was to occupy t h e s a m e honored p l a c e in t h e c o m m u n i t y
as t h e front line soldier: for she, t o o , had her b a t t l e f i e l d , t h e b a t t l e
being t h a t of t h e birth r a t e . ( 4 4 )
In o r d e r to r e d r e s s t h e population imbalance Himmler also developed d e v i c e s
t h a t w e r e specific to t h e SS, t h e best known of which is t h e i n s t i t u t i o n
c a l l e d 'Lebensborn e.V.' ("well of li£e")-(45) The purpose of this o r g a n i z a tion was to foster fecundity within t h e SS by offering w e l f a r e a s s i s t a n c e
to SS families having many children who w e r e racially v a l u a b l e . However,
a s s i s t a n c e was not limited to SS families, and t h e o r e t i c a l l y any e x p e c t a n t
m o t h e r was eligible to t a k e a d v a n t a g e of ' L e b e n s b o r n ' s ' m a t e r n i t y and childc a r e facilities.(46) Membership in 'Lebensborn', which was founded 12 D e c e m -
-
29
-
ber 1 9 3 5 , was v o l u n t a r y e x c e p t for full-time SS-Führer who paid monthly fees
b a s e d on a sliding s c a l e which d e p e n d e d on their a g e , m a r i t a l s t a t u s , and
i n c o m e . ( 4 7 ) During its nine year e x i s t e n c e 'Lebensborn' had 17,000 m e m b e r s ,
and supervised 15 h o m e s for e x p e c t a n t m o t h e r s t h r o u g h o u t G e r m a n y in which
a p p r o x i m a t e l y 12,000 children w e r e born, over half of whom w e r e illegitim a t e . ( 4 8 ) In addition to m a r r i e d w o m e n , single women also could t u r n to
t h e s e h o m e s for d e l i v e r y of their children as long as t h e y and t h e i r p a r t n e r s m e t t h e r a c i a l s t a n d a r d s of t h e SS, and could p r o d u c e eugenically
v a l u a b l e offspring.(49) The a c c e p t a n c e of unwed m o t h e r s was designed to
d i s c o u r a g e a b o r t i o n by women who felt t h r e a t e n e d by t h e s t i g m a and abuse
a t t a c h e d t o b e a r i n g i l l e g i t i m a t e c h i l d r e n . T o p r o t e c t t h e identity o f m o t h e r
and child, t h e b i r t h s of i l l e g i t i m a t e children w e r e not even r e g i s t e r e d with
local a u t h o r i t i e s . After delivery t h e r e e x i s t e d t h e possibility of leaving
t h e children in a ' L e b e n s b o r n ' institution or having t h e m a d o p t e d . To avoid
d i s c r i m i n a t i o n a g a i n s t unwed m o t h e r s within Lebensborn h o m e s , all women w e r e
a d d r e s s e d as ' F r a u ' or c a l l e d by first n a m e only.(50)
P r o b a b l y unknown to t h e m , women who g a v e birth in 'Lebensborn' homes also
provided f e r t i l i t y r e l a t e d d a t a to H i m m l e r , who was especially i n t e r e s t e d in
e v a l u a t i n g information c o n c e r n i n g t h e o n s e t of first menses and t h e m a x i m u m
a g e at which a woman could c o n c e i v e . ( 5 1 ) Towards t h e end of t h e Third Reich,
H i m m l e r s e e m e d t o have d i s c o v e r e d t h e p o t e n t i a l l y b e s t t i m e for c o n c e p t i o n .
Writing to 'SS-Oberführer' Professor Dr.Wüst in 1 9 4 4 , he r e l a t e d to him t h e
s t o r y of an unwed w o m a n who had given birth in 1 9 3 0 a f t e r conceiving under
s o m e w h a t unusual c i r c u m s t a n c e s . The girl, along with t h e e n t i r e village, had
been t a k e n by her f a t h e r to t h e s i t e of a p r e h i s t o r i c g r a v e . With t h e girl
on t o p of t h e g r a v e and t h e villagers forming a c i r c l e around her, though
r e s p e c t f u l l y facing a w a y , t h e lucky girl was i m p r e g n a t e d by a previously
chosen v o l u n t e e r . The moral of t h e s t o r y was, of c o u r s e , t h a t this c u s t o m
a s s u r e d t h e p e r p e t u a t i o n of good blood. Beyond t h a t , it was of profound
i n t e r e s t t h a t all this took p l a c e under t h e new moon, for this was a p p a r e n t ly t h e most auspicious t i m e for c o n c e p t i o n . ( 5 2 )
However
be t h e
artificial
of m a l e
postnatal
ce.(54)
b i z a r r e t h e q u e s t for children was, H i m m l e r insisted t h a t it had to
r e s u l t of a n a t u r a l a c t of c o n c e p t i o n , and never t h e r e s u l t of
i n s e m i n a t i o n s c h e m e s . ( 5 3 ) In l a t e r y e a r s , p r o m p t e d by t h e number
war c a s u l t i e s , Himmler supposedly c o n s i d e r e d e x t e n d i n g t h e p r e and
c a r e o f f e r e d b y ' L e b e n s b o r n ' t o include a c t u a l c o n c e p t i o n a s s i s t a n -
Though he probably g a v e t h e m a t t e r serious t h o u g h t , t h e r e is no e v i d e n c e
t h a t t h e SS e v e r sponsored sexual liasons.(55) The ' R e i c h s f ü h r e r - S S ' p r o b a b ly could not y e t afford to deal with t h e n e g a t i v e repercussions t h a t such
policy would g e n e r a t e o n c e this s o r t of e x p e r i m e n t b e c a m e public. P r e s u m a b ly,
t h e ill e f f e c t s of H i m m l e r ' s o r d e r for t h e SS and Police of 28 O c t o b e r
1 9 3 9 , which d e m a n d e d t h a t "each SS man b e f o r e going into t h e field must sire
a child", had not been f o r g o t t e n . ( 5 6 ) This o r d e r had c a u s e d c o n s i d e r a b l e
c o n s t e r n a t i o n a m o n g t h e public, but especially a m o n g m e m b e r s of t h e 'Wehrm a c h t ' . On t h a t o c c a s i o n , Himmler was forced to clarify his o r d e r , s t r e s s i n g
t h a t it did not imply t h a t SS men with f e r t i l i t y designs on t h e i r minds
should a p p r o a c h for i n s t a n c e , women whose husbands w e r e fighting on t h e
front.(57)
But H i m m l e r was not to be d i s c o u r a g e d in his d r i v e to i n c r e a s e t h e birth
r a t e , especially when his own men w e r e involved. For e x a m p l e , he implored
his ' F ü h r e r ' to give t i m e l y furloughs to t h o s e men who had wives of childb e a r i n g a g e so t h a t t h e women could c o n c e i v e as often as possible. To
f a c i l i t a t e m a t t e r s even m o r e , H i m m l e r on occasion a r r a n g e d for p r o p e r hotel
-
30
-
a c c o m o d a t i o n s at SS expense.(58) On August 1 5 , 1 9 4 2 , t h e ' R e i c h s f ü h r e r '
r e l e a s e d an o r d e r a i m e d at "the last sons", under which young men w e r e s e n t
briefly home from t h e front in o r d e r to sire children.(59) The r a t i o n a l e
behind this was t h a t good blood should not die unless it had been p e r p e t u a t e d first, and considering t h e not unlikely possibility of a soldier
being killed at t h e front, this s e e m e d to be an sensible solution. The s a m e
r a t i o n a l e led to a n o t h e r r e c o m m e n d a t i o n d i r e c t e d especially at SS c o m m a n d e r s . In t h e p a s t , it had been c o m m o n p r a c t i c e to s p a r e or look a f t e r
f a t h e r s by sending childless men on t h o s e c o m b a t missions which w e r e p a r t i cularly d a n g e r o u s , and t h e SS now d e m a n d e d an end to this p r a c t i c e . ( 6 o ) As
if this w e r e not enough, Himmler conceived of yet a n o t h e r design: t h e i n t r o duction of bigamous m a r r i a g e s for war h e r o e s . He a n t i c i p a t e d t h a t s o m e day
p e r h a p s this institution could r e p l a c e t h e s t a n d a r d monogamous m a r r i a g e . ( 6 1 )
M a r i t a l f e r t i l i t y s e e m s to have played an increasingly i m p o r t a n t role with
r e s p e c t to a d v a n c e m e n t in t h e 'SS-Führerkorps' Evidence gleaned from SS p e r sonnel r e c o r d s m a k e s it a p p e a r t h a t Himmler and his r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s took t h e
m a t t e r of p r o c r e a t i o n seriously when deciding on r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s for p r o m o t i o n . T h e r e a r e i n s t a n c e s when t h e s e r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s w e r e flatly r e j e c t e d if
t h e individual in question had a childless m a r r i a g e ( 6 2 ) , and t h e s e r e j e c tions had an i m p a c t on ambitious and c a r e e r o r i e n t e d SS men. ' S S - U n t e r s t u r m führer' Konrad Füll, for e x a m p l e , a f t e r t r y i n g to i m p r e g n a t e his wife for
five months without s u c c e s s , p r o c e e d e d to file for a d i v o r c e . His j u s t i f i c a tion was simple: t h e m a r r i a g e was not only unfulfilling in a personal sense
b u t , a b o v e all, was worthless t o t h e s t a t e . Nor was t h e r e any question t o
who was at fault b e c a u s e Füll had m a n a g e d to p r o d u c e a child previous to
this m a r r i a g e . ( 6 3 ) O t h e r s took a d i f f e r e n t a p p r o a c h . After five y e a r s of a
childless m a r r i a g e , ' S S - H a u p t s t u r m f ü h r e r ' Karl F i c h t n e r , with t h e e x p r e s s
c o n s e n t of his wife, simply sired a child with a f e m a l e a q u a i n t a n c e . ( 6 4 ) In
s p i t e of t h e individual e f f o r t s involved, t h e s e and similar a t t e m p t s to
i n c r e a s e t h e birth r a t e proved t o b e s t a t i s t i c a l l y insignificant.
Much to H i m m l e r ' s d i s a p p o i n t m e n t , not even t h e most modest of his e x p e c t a t i o n s w e r e m e t by his SS, including its l e a d e r s h i p . By 1 9 3 9 , d e s p i t e ' L e b e n s b o r n ' and o t h e r p r o n a t a l i s t d e v i c e s , t h e much v a u n t e d 'Vier-Kindersys t e m ' was far from being r e a l i z e d and f u t u r e p r o s p e c t s s e e m e d gloomy. Official SS s t a t i s t i c s r e v e a l e d t h a t existing m a r r i a g e s in D e c e m b e r 1 9 3 8 a m o n g
t h e SS leadership r e s u l t e d on t h e a v e r a g e in only 15 children, a figure
well below r e p l a c e m e n t levels. When t h e t o t a l number of children is a v e r a g e d
for all ' F ü h r e r ' , r e g a r d l e s s of m a r i t a l s t a t u s ,
t h e figure dips to 1.1
c h i l d r e n . Nor do age specific figures, t h a t is, t h e number of children for
e a c h m a r r i e d individual b e t w e e n t h e a g e fo 25 and 4 5 , provide any m o r e
encouraging conclusions. Such c a l c u l a t i o n s i n d i c a t e t h a t t h e r e w e r e 1.3
children for e a c h m a r r i e d ' F ü h r e r ' or, disregarding m a r i t a l s t a t u s , .97
children per ' F ü h r e r ' . ( 6 5 ) D a t a , based on a sample of t h e t h r e e main SS
branches(66), d e m o n s t r a t e s t h e d e m i s e of H i m m l e r ' s efforts m o r e c l e a r l y .
A v e r a g e Number o f C h i l d r e n f o r S S - F ü h r e r
S S - F ü h r e r M a r r i a g e s By SS Branch
SS
Branch
1
r
|
SS-TV
1
SS-VT
Allg^SS
SS- F ü h r e r
1939 _ 1__1945
.45
.67
__1^4__ J
1
1
1.0
SS^Führer
1.939
and
Marri age
1 __1945
1 . 01
1.3
1
1.2
L i
1.3
„I. 9
1
1.5
1
2.0
1
1
-
31
-
The ' S S - F ü h r e r k o r p s ' had a high proportion of m a r r i e d people and t h e r e was
e v e n a t r e n d for t h e proportion of m a r r i e d individuals to i n c r e a s e slightly.
O u t of a t o t a l of 1 3 , 7 4 6 ' F ü h r e r ' in D e c e m b e r 1 9 3 8 , s o m e 1 0 , 6 2 5 or 7 7 . 3
p e r c e n t w e r e m a r r i e d . This, c o m p a r e d t o 80.5 p e r c e n t m a r r i e d men i n t h e
g e n e r a l population b e t w e e n t h e a g e s 2 0 and 4 5 , and might have given r i s e t o
s o m e o p t i m i s m since a high proportion of m a r r i a g e s , especially young o n e s ,
is usually a s s o c i a t e d with high levels of f e r t i l i t y . ( 6 7 ) H o w e v e r , an e x a m i n i n a t i o n of SS n u p t i a l i t y p a t t e r n s m a k e s it c l e a r t h a t c h a n g e s in m a r r i a g e
p a t t e r n s could not h a v e c o n s t i t u t e d t h e d e c l i n e in f e r t i l i t y H i m m l e r was
trying to combat.(68)
MARITAL STATUS OF SS-FÜHRER
BY SS BRANCH
-
32
-
As encouraging as t h e s e figures might a p p e a r at first g l a n c e , t h e y only
underlined t h e lack of births within t h e leadership of t h e SS. Since illegit i m a t e f e r t i l i t y by 1938 (N=67) a c c o u n t e d for less t h a n one p e r c e n t of all
births(69), it was only t o o a p p a r e n t t h a t t h e low levels of f e r t i l i t y within
t h e leadership of t h e SS w e r e largely t h e result of r e d u c e d children within
m a r r i a g e . As t h e c h a r t s below c l e a r l y i n d i c a t e , a r e l a t i v e l y high proportion
of m a r r i a g e s w e r e without any children at all. And of t h o s e m a r r i a g e s t h a t
had children, roughly one half produced only one child.
(see figure 2 next page)
Heinrich H i m m l e r ' s efforts t o p r o m o t e increased childbearing failed b e c a u s e
t h e 'SS-Führerkorps' was subject of t h e s a m e l o n g t e r m d e m o g r a p h i c t r e n d s in
f e r t i l i t y which a f f e c t e d G e r m a n y as well as most of t h e industrialized
c o u n t r i e s of C e n t r a l , Western, and Northern Europe. The notion of r e t u r n i n g
f e r t i l i t y r a t e s to levels which existed during t h e prolific d e c a d e s of t h e
l a t t e r 1 9 t h c e n t u r y was based on illusion and was t h e r e f o r e hopeless from
t h e beginning(7o); as in o t h e r s p h e r e s , he and t h e National Socialists w e r e
trying to c o m b a t t h e sweeping and unyielding forces of social and d e m o g r a phic c h a n g e . A d m i t t e d l y , t h e y e a r s following t h e Nazi assumption of power
saw what s e e m e d to be an a b r u p t r e v e r s a l of t h e f e r t i l i t y d e c l i n e , when t h e
c r u d e birth r a t e increased m o s t l y
from 1 4 . 7 in 1933 to 20.4 in 1 9 3 9 . Not
surprisingly, t h e National Socialists w e r e quick t o claim t h a t t h e i r pronat a l policies and a g e n e r a l spiritual r e b i r t h of t h e nation w e r e responsible
for this "happy e v e n t , " t h a t is, a modest i n c r e a s e in t h e c r u d e birth r a t e
from 1 4 . 7 in 1 9 3 3 to 20.4 in 1 9 3 9 . O t h e r s , however, argued t h a t this i m p r o v e m e n t in f e r t i l i t y was simply a function of improved economic conditions,
which r e s u l t e d in t h e making up of postponed m a r r i a g e s and b i r t h s . ( 7 1 )
Be t h a t as it may, even if t h e Nazis d e s e r v e some c r e d i t for this i n c r e a s e
in f e r t i l i t y , it must be concluded t h a t t h e rise in f e r t i l i t y was of no r e a l
c o n s e q u e n c e i t h e long run if it is placed into t h e proper c o n t e x t . The most
r e c e n t works on t h e subject concur in t h e i r a s s e s s m e n t t h a t any revival
a c h i e v e d in t h e b i r t h r a t e in t h e 1930s under t h e Nazis c a n n o t be c o n s i d e r e d
t h e r e v e r s a l of a secular decline in G e r m a n f e r t i l i t y . ( 7 2 ) Ever since t h e
last d e c a d e of t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y , t h e birth r a t e in G e r m a n y had been
steadily d e c r e a s i n g , Although t h e d e a t h r a t e continued t o a b a t e a s well, b y
t h e mid 1920s it had begun to stabilize at levels not much higher t h a n t h o s e
c u r r e n t l y found in t h e t w o G e r m a n i e s . The result was t h a t t h e g r o w t h r a t e of
t h e population began to slow down as t h e margin of e x c e s s births over d e a t h s
declined. By 1 9 3 3 , t h e c r u d e birth r a t e had r e a c h e d its nadir of 1 4 . 7 b i r t h s
per 1000 p e o p l e . Only during t h e years 1 9 1 7 - 1 9 1 8 was a marginally lower
birth r a t e e v i d e n c e d ( 1 3 . 9 and 14.3 r e s p e c t i v e l y ) . ^ ) The i n c r e a s e s in
f e r t i l i t y during t h e l a t e 1930s w e r e t h e r e f o r e only m o d e s t when c o m p a r e d t o
f e r t i l i t y levels of previous d e c a d e s , and any gains t h a t may have been
r e a l i z e d w e r e c e r t a i n l y squandered in t h e ensuing Second World War.
More significantly y e t , t h e overall drop in f e r t i l i t y as d e m o n s t r a t e d by
p o s t w a r f e r t i l i t y indices was far from being o v e r . Although t h e r e w e r e
m a r k e d peaks in f e r t i l i t y in both G e r m a n i e s a f t e r 1 9 4 5 , t h e s e w e r e followed
by an uneven decline to levels never previously r e c o r d e d . B e t w e e n 1 9 7 1 and
1 9 8 3 , t h e F e d e r a l Republic of G e r m a n y r e g i s t e r e d a n e g a t i v e margin of b i r t h s
over d e a t h s for e a c h year.(74) Demographic d e v e l o p m e n t s in t h e G e r m a n D e m o c r a t i c Republic w e r e not much different until r e c e n t l y ; only since 1 9 7 9 has
t h e population level t h e r e r e m a i n e d nearly s t a t i o n a r y . ( 7 5 ) These d e v e l o p m e n t s leave no doubt t h e n t h a t any successes in r e v i t a l i z i n g f e r t i l i t y w e r e
temporary at best.
-
FIGURES
3 a n d 4:
34
-
-
35
-
What H i m m l e r and o t h e r Nazis e i t h e r did not know, or at least failed to
a c k n o w l e d g e , was t h a t "fertility is r o o t e d in t h e c o n v e r g e n c e of a series of
social revolutions t h a t have c h a n g e d t h e s t r u c t u r e and functions of t h e
family
making it all but impossible to pinpoint specific i n t e r v e n t i o n s
t h a t might s u c c e e d in s t i m u l a t i n g fertility."(76) The secular decline as
well as s h o r t - t e r m f l u c t u a t i o n s in G e r m a n f e r t i l i t y w e r e indicative of a
population which had f e r t i l i t y under s u b s t a n t i a l c o n t r o l and was unwilling
t o a l t e r its r e p r o d u c t i v e p r e f e r e n c e s . Since t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y d e c i sions r e g a r d i n g p r o c r e a t i o n had been d e t e r m i n e d by c e r t a i n a s p e c t s of t h e
social c h a n g e s which a c c o m p a n i e d G e r m a n s industrial d e v e l o p m e n t . The most
n o t a b l e f e a t u r e s of this social t r a n s f o r m a t i o n included t h e changing roles
and a s p i r a t i o n s of w o m e n , t h e availability of c o n t r a c e p t i v e t e c h n i q u e s ,
personal and social a c c e p t a b i l i t y of t h e s e t e c h n i q u e s , and above all, a new
p a t t e r n of personal c h o i c e s c o n c e r n i n g family size and t h e t i m i n g of
births.(77)
N e i t h e r m a t e r i a l i n c e n t i v e s , c o e r c i o n , nor political indoctrination on p a r t
of t h e Nazis could c h a n g e t h e c o m p l e x f a c t o r s which m o t i v a t e d men and women
to limit their family s i z e , not even within t h e leadership of t h e vanguard
of National Socialism. It was t h e hallmark of H i m m l e r ' s Black O r d e r and t h e
Third Reich t h a t s u c c e s s e s w e r e limited to n e g a t i v e a s p e c t s of d e m o g r a p h i c
policy while o t h e r c o m p o n e n t s r e m a i n e d t h e subject of propaganda and wishful
thinking.
FOOTNOTES
1
This is a simple model, which links d e m o g r a p h i c c h a n g e s to social and
e c o n o m i c d e v e l o p m e n t s , and d e s c r i b e s g e n e r a l E u r o p e a n - w i d e population
t r e n d s r a t h e r t h a n t h e e x p e r i e n c e of individual n a t i o n s . The d e m o g r a p h i c
t r a n s i t i o n is usually t h o u g h t of as encompassing four phases of d e m o g r a phic d e v e l o p m e n t . The e a r l y p h a s e is c h a r a c t e r i z e d by (preindustrial) high
b i r t h and d e a t h r a t e s . B e c a u s e t h e birth r a t e t e n d s t o b e s o m e w h a t higher
t h a n t h e d e a t h r a t e , t h e population grows slowly. A falling d e a t h r a t e
along with a high b i r t h r a t e m a r k s t h e second p h a s e . The margin of b i r t h s
over d e a t h s p r o d u c e s an i n c r e a s e in population g r o w t h , which is often
s p e c t a c u l a r in its m a g n i t u d e . Population g r o w t h a b a t e s during t h e t h i r d
p h a s e b e c a u s e t h e b i r t h r a t e d e c l i n e s , adjusting itself t o t h e r e l a t i v e l y
low levels of t h e d e a t h r a t e . Low birth and d e a t h r a t e s signal t h e o n s e t
o f t h e last p h a s e . During this t i m e t h e d e a t h r a t e t e n d s t o b e s t a b l e
while t h e birth r a t e is still subject to short t e r m f l u c t u a t i o n s . The
result is t h a t population g r o w t h r a t e s vary over periods of five to t e n
y e a r s . Maurice Kirk, D e m o g r a p h i c and Social C h a n g e in Europe, 1 9 7 5 - 2 0 0 0 ,
Liverpool 1 9 8 1 , 2-3
2 R e d u c e d levels of f e r t i l i t y and declining r a t e s of population g r o w t h pose
f o r m i d a b l e p r o b l e m s for s o c i e t i e s and t h e i r g o v e r n m e n t s . This holds t r u e
for t h e p r e s e n t as much as it did during t h e e a r l y p a r t of t h e c e n t u r y .
See, for e x a m p l e , J e a n B o u r g e o i s - P i c h a t , " R e c e n t D e m o g r a p h i c C h a n g e in
Europa: An Assessment", Population and D e v e l o p m e n t Review 7 (March 1 9 8 1 ) ,
1 9 - 4 2 and C. Alison Mcintosh, Population Policy in Western E u r o p e . Responses to Low F e r t i l i t y in F r a n c e , Sweden, and W e s t - G e r m a n y , Armonk, N.Y. and
London 1 9 8 3 . The social policy implications of declining and aging populations a r e discussed in David E . C . Eversley, "Welfare", in: Population
D e c l i n e in E u r o p e , ed., Council of E u r o p e , London 1 9 7 8 , 1 1 5 - 1 4 2 .
3 R e p l a c e m e n t is defined as a f e r t i l i t y level which, in a s s o c i a t i o n with
prevailing m o r t a l i t y r a t e s , p e r m i t s t h e e x a c t r e p l a c e m e n t o f e a c h g e n e r a t i o n . H e n c e , if c o n t i n u e d in t h e long t e r m , such f e r t i l i t y levels r e s u l t
-
36
-
in n e t r e p r o d u c t i o n r a t e s of i . o and z e r o population g r o w t h . See Mcintosh,
Population Policy, Appendix A.
4 The G e r m a n e x p e r i e n c e is exhaustively d e a l t with by John E. Knodel, The
Decline of F e r t i l i t y in G e r m a n y , 1 8 7 1 - 1 9 3 9 , P r i n c e t o n , N.J., 1 9 7 7 .
5 Although e c o n o m i c c o n c e r n s w e r e often voiced, see John Maynard Keynes,
"Some Economic Consequences of a Declining Population", Eugenics Review 29
(April 1 9 3 7 ) , 1 4 ; and Gunnar Myrdal, Population: A Problem for D e m o c r a c y ,
C a m b r i d g e , Mass. 1 9 4 0 , t h e f e r t i l i t y decline frequently evoked m o r e basic
a n x i e t i e s such as t h e fear of aging s o c i e t i e s without elan, and t h e s p e c t r e of spaces filled by peoples m o r e prolific but of alien e x t r a c t i o n .
Indeed, to many t h e lack of births signified nothing less t h a n t t h e c h a n t
de cygne of Western civilization. Cf. Alfred Sauvy, L'Europe et sa Population, P a r i s 1 9 5 3 and La Montee des J e u n e s , Paris 1 9 5 9 . In G e r m a n y F r i e d rich Burgdörfer, Volksdeutsche Zukunft, eine b i o l o g i s c h - s t a t i s t i s c h e Bet r a c h t u n g der g e s a m t d e u t s c h e n Bevölkerungsfrage, Berlin 1 9 3 8 , 1 0 s u m m a r i z e d d e m o g r a p h i c p r o s p e c t s by way of a m e t a p h o r : "Unser Volk g l e i c h t
i m m e r noch einer ü b e r a l t e r t e n F l o t t e , für d e r e n E r s a t z nicht g e n ü g e n d e
N e u b a u t e n auf den Stapel g e l e g t werden". See also by t h e s a m e a u t h o r ,
G e b u r t e n s c h w u n d , die Kulturkrankheit Europas und ihre Überwindung in
Deutschland, Heidelberg 1 9 4 2 , Volk ohne Jugend - G e b u r t e n s c h w u n d und Übera l t e r u n g des d e u t s c h e n Volkskörpers, Berlin 1 9 3 2 , and Aufbau und Bewegung
der Bevölkerung. Ein Führer durch die d e u t s c h e Bevölkerungsstatistik und
Bevölkerungspolitik, Leipzig 1 9 3 5 . Also of i n t e r e s t is Christopher T i e t z e ,
" G e r m a n y ' s Population Movement", Eugenics Review 21 ( J a n u a r y 1930), 2 6 5 269.
6 A very useful s u m m a r y of NS population policies is still provided by David
V. Glass, Population Policies and Movements in Europe, London 1 9 6 7 , i s t
ed., 1 9 4 6 ) . Cf. Frank H. Hawkins, "German Policies for increasing Births",
A m e r i c a n J o u r n a l of Sociology 42 (March 1 9 3 7 ) , 6 3 0 - 6 5 2 , Rudolf F r e c k s ,
G e r m a n Population Policies, Berlin 1 9 3 8 , and Brian F. P e n d l e t o n , "An
Historical Description and Analysis of P r o n a t a l i s t Policies in Italy,
G e r m a n y , and Sweden", Policy Sciences 9 ( i 9 7 8 ( , 4 5 - 7 0 .
7 This c o n c e p t had been a d o p t e d from one of Hans G r i m m ' s books by t h e s a m e
t i t l e , Munich 1 9 2 7 . B e c a u s e Volk ohne Raum was an easily r e m e m b e r e d
p h r a s e , it was a d o p t e d quickly by t h e Nazis as a slogan. It was used also
to justify and l e g i t i m i z e H i t l e r ' s expansionist designs in E a s t e r n Europe
and p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e Soviet Union.
8 Himmlers c o n c e r n for t h e birth r a t e is r e f l e c t e d in "Entwurf für die
Bevölkerungspolitische Schrift an die SS-Führer", 1 9 3 7 , U.S. National Archives Microfilm P u b l i c a t i o n s , Microcopy T - 1 7 5 , Records of t h e Reich
L e a d e r SS and Chief of t h e G e r m a n Police, Roll 2 0 1 , F r a m e s 2 7 4 2 0 7 - 1 0 .
Hereafter cited as T - 1 7 5 / 2 0 1 / 2 7 4 2 4 0 7 - i o .
9 The p r o n a t a l i s t policies t h a t w e r e pursued by t h e Nazi r e g i m e in g e n e r a l ,
and by t h e SS in p a r t i c u l a r , w e r e tied to t h e belief in t h e u l t i m a t e
superiority of t h e Aryan r a c e . Underlying this assumption was t h e drive to
i n c r e a s e t h e number of G e r m a n s of Aryan stock, while it also j u s t i f i e d t h e
elimination of t h e h e r e d i t a r y unifit and racially i m p u r e . H i m m l e r ' s mania
for racial purity is only t o o well known, and is e m p h a s i z e d t h r o u g h o u t his
s p e e c h e s and w r i t i n g s . For a typical s t a t e m e n t of his views see his Die SS
als a n t i b o l s c h e w i s t i s c h e Kampforganisation, Munich 1 9 3 6 .
10 "Entwurf für die bevölkerungspolitische Schrift an die SS-Führer", 1 9 3 7 ,
T-175/201/2742410-15.
1 1 Josef A c k e r m a n n , Heinrich Himmler als Ideologe, G ö t t i n g e n , 1 9 7 0 , 1 2 6 .
12 "Rede des Reichsführer-SS anläßlich der Gruppenführer-Besprechung in
Tölz", 1 8 . 2 . 1 9 3 7 , T - 1 7 5 / 8 9 / 2 6 1 1 8 2 8 - 1 9 0 6 .
13 J o a s h Meisler, H i m m l e r ' s D o c t r i n e of t h e SS Leadership", J a h r b u c h des
I n s t i t u t e s für d e u t s c h e G e s c h i c h t e 8 ( 1 9 7 9 ) , 400. The SS as "Führer e c e c u -
-
37
-
t i v e " is discussed by Hans Buchheim, "Die SS - Das H e r r s c h a f t s i n s t r u m e n t " ,
p a s s i m , in Hans Buchheim et a l . , A n a t o m i e des S S - S t a a t e s , Ölten and F r e i burg 1 9 6 5 , 2 vols.
14 "Bevölkerungspolitik
im
SS-Führer
Korps,
Stand
1.12.1938",
T-175/123/649262-263.
15 "Die Ehe im D i e n s t e der Volksgemeinschaft", Das S c h w a r z e Korps, 3. April
1935,
IO-II.
1 6 A c k e r m a n n , Ideologe, 1 2 6 - 1 2 7 .
17 " R e d e des Reichsführer-SS - J u n k e r s c h u l e Tölz", 2 3 . 1 1 . 1 9 4 2 ,
T-175/90/2612785.
18 "Bevölkerungspolitik im SS-Führer Korps, Stand 1 . 1 2 . 1 9 3 8 " ,
T-175/123/649262.
1 9 R e i c h s g e s e t z b l a t t ( 1 9 3 3 ) 1:295, h e r e a f t e r c i t e d a s RGB. O n t h e s a m e d a t e
e u g e n i c s t e r i l i z a t i o n was legalized, voluntary s t e r i l i z a t i o n was p r o h i bited.
20 Gisela Bock, "Rascism and Sexism in Nazi G e r m a n y : Motherhood, Compulsory
S t e r i l i z a t i o n , and t h e S t a t e " , in When Biology B e c o m e s Destiny. Women in
Weimar and Nazi G e r m a n y , New York 1 9 8 4 , 2 7 6 .
21 RGB ( 1 9 3 3 ) 1:529. This law also p e r m i t t e d for compulsory s t e r i l i z a t i o n of
c e r t a i n c a t e g o r i e s of p e o p l e .
22 Jill Stephenson, Women in Nazi S o c i e t y , New York 1 9 7 5 , 9.
23 RGB ( 1 9 4 1 ) 1:163, and Hans H a r m s e n , "Notes on Abortion and Birth C o n t r o l
in Nazi G e r m a n y " , Population Studies 3 (March 1 9 5 0 ) , 402-405
24 RGB ( 1 9 3 3 ) 1:326-9
25 "Mobilzation of Labor R e s e r v e s in G e r m a n y " , I n t e r n a t i o n a l Labor Review 38
(November 1 9 3 9 ) , 5 9 9 .
27 RG ( 1 9 3 3 ) 1:379.
27 RGB ( 1 9 3 3 ) 1:323 and RGB ( 1 9 3 7 ) 1:2258-1159
2 8 RGB ( 1 9 3 3 ) I :
29 For " e i n m a l i g e Kinderbeihilfen" see RGB ( 1 9 3 5 ) hi 1 6 0 , for "laufende
Kinderbehilfen" RGB ( 1 9 3 6 ) 1:252, and RGB ( 1 9 3 7 ) 1:989, "for e r w e i t e r t e
laufende Kinderbeihilfen" RGB ( 1 9 3 9 ) 1:241.
30 RGB (1938) 1:241, 6 1 6 , 1 2 1 0
31 RGB ( 1 9 3 4 ) 1:1005, RGB (1938) 1:99, 1 2 1 , RGB (1939) 1:297.
32 RGB ( i 9 3 4 ( 1:1052.
33 RGB ( 1 9 3 4 ) 1:1056
34 RGB (1934) 1:1985, RGB ( 1 9 3 7 ) I : i 2 3 7 , RGB (1938) 1:153435 "Zum neuen E h e s c h e i d u n g r e c h t " , Das S c h w a r z e Korps ( 2 1 . O c t o b e r i 9 3 7 ) , 6 .
36 RGB ( 1 9 3 8 ) 1:807-22.
37 The n e e d for a m o t h e r c u l t , especially one t h a t does not d i f f e r e n t i a t e
b e t w e e n m a r r i e d or u n m a r r i e d w o m e n , is d o c u m e n t e d in J. H a l e , "Adolf
H i t l e r and t h e P o s t - W a r B i r t h r a t e . An unpublished Memorandum", J o u r n a l of
C e n t r a l E u r o p e a n Affairs 1 7 (July 1 9 5 7 ) , 1 7 2 .
38 "Wer e r h ä l t d a s E h r e n k r e u z " and "Rudolf Heß v e r k ü n d e t die Stiftung de
E h r e n k r e u z e s d e r d e u t s c h e n M u t t e r " , Völkischer B e o b a c h t e r ( 2 7 . D e c e m b e r
1938), 1-2.
39 C l a r i s s a Henry and Marc Hillel, Lebensborn e.V. Im N a m e n der R a s s e , Vienna/Hamburg 1 9 7 5 , 42.
40 S t e p h e n s o n , Women, 50.
4 1 Felix K e r s t e n , The K e r s t e n Memoirs 1 9 4 0 - 1 9 4 5 , London 1 9 5 6 , 5 4 .
42 " E h r e n k a r t e für M ü t t e r " , Völkischer B e o b a c h t e r ( 1 8 . N o v e m b e r 1 9 3 4 ) .
43 Henry and Hillel, Lebensborn, 4 3 .
44 Max D o m a r u s , H i t l e r : Reden und P r o k l a m a t i o n e n , 1 9 3 2 - 4 5 , Würzburg 1 9 6 2 , 4
vols., 1:531 and "Warum keine Kinder", Das S c h w a r z e Korps (22. J u n e 1 9 3 9 ) .
45 "Satzung d e s Vereins Lebensborn e.V.", T - 1 7 5 / 1 2 3 / 2 6 4 9 2 8 0 - 2 8 2 . The e s t a b l i s h m e n t of Lebensborn and its functions a r e d o c u m e n t e d in t h e SS d i r e c t i v e of D e c e m b e r 1 9 4 0 "Die P f l i c h t e n des SS-Mannes und SS-Führers", T1 7 5 / 1 5 / 2 5 1 8 6 8 1 - 8 3 . The best t r e a t m e n t of Lebensborn is provided by Larry
3 7 9
-
38
-
V. Thompson, "Lerbensborn and t h e Eugenics Policy of t h e Reichsführer-SS",
C e n t r a l European History 4 (March 1 9 7 1 ) , 5 4 - 7 7 . Less s a t i s f a c t o r y is by
Richard G r ü n b e r g e r , "Lebensborn. Hitler's Selective Breeding Establishm e n t " , The Wiener Library Bulletin, London 16 (Juli 1962), 5 2 - 5 3 . See also
Henry and Hillel, Lebensborn, op. c i t .
4 6 Thompson, "Lebensborn", 54, 6 1 .
47 "Rede des Reichsführer-SS auf der Tagung der Auslandsorganisationen in
Stuttgart, 2.9.1938", T - 1 7 5 / 9 0 / 2 6 1 3 7 9 1 .
48 Membership in Lebensborn must have been less than popular. According to SS
s t a t i s t i c s , SS m e m b e r s h i p comprised some 238,000 men in 1 9 3 9 . At t h e s a m e
t i m e , only 8,000 SS men w e r e m e m b e r s of Lebensborn whose t o t a l m e m b e r s h i p
stood a t 13,000.
"Zwei J a h r e Lebensborn-Arbeit, 2 2 . 1 . 1 9 3 9 " ,
T - 1 7 5 / 1 7 / 2 5 2 7 1 5 - 0 7 1 7 . See also Cf. G r ü n b e r g e r , "Breeding E s t a b l i s m e n t s " ,
5 2 - 5 3 and Thompson, "Lebensborn", 7 5 .
49 Cf. "Das uneheliche Kind", Das Schwarze Korps (9.April 1936), 6.
50 "Rede des Reichsführer-SS vor V e r t r e t e r n der d e u t s c h e n J u s t i z in C o c h e m ,
2 5 . 5 . 1 9 4 4 " , T - 1 7 4 / 9 3 / 2 6 1 3 7 9 1 - 3 7 9 2 , 2613805 and "Zwei J a h r e LebensbornArbeit, 2 2 . 1 . 1 9 3 9 " , T - 1 7 5 / 1 7 / 2 5 2 7 1 9 - 0 7 2 0 .
51 A c k e r m a n n , Ideologe, 1 3 9 . Himmler took considerable personal i n t e r e s t in
t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i v e d e t a i l s of Lebensborn. P e r h a p s his obsession with t h e
c r e a t i o n of life provided moral compensation for e u t h a n a s i a and e x t e r m i n a tion p r o g r a m s . Thompson, "Lebensborn", 60 and n o t e 1 6 .
52 Helmut Heiber, ed. Reichsführer!... Brief an und von Himmler, S t u t t g a r t
1 9 6 8 , doc.// 344, 2 8 1 - 2 8 2 .
53 For H i m m l e r ' s opposition to artificial insemination see his l e t t e r to
Professor Dr. Heinz Heuseier, Direktor des Instituts für T i e r z u c h t und
Züchungsbiologie, TH Munich, in Heiber, Reichsführer! d o c . # 2 2 6 , 2 0 7 - 2 0 9 .
5 4 K e r s t e n , Memoirs, 1 8 1 .
55 T h e r e is no e v i d e n c e t h a t Lebensborn sponsored sexual a c t i v i t i e s of this
kind. See Bernd Wegner, "The A r i s t o c r a c y of National Socialism': The Role
of t h e SS in National Socialist Germany", in H.W. Koch, ed., A s p e c t s of
t h e Third Reich, New York 1 9 8 5 , 435 and Thompson "Lebensborn", 7 0 - 7 1 .
56 "Der Reichsführer-SS und Chef der d e u t s c h e n Polizei. SS-Befehl für die
g e s a m t e SS und Polizei", 2 8 . 1 0 . 1 9 3 9 , T - 1 7 5 / 1 5 / 2 5 1 8 6 0 3 . Similar s e n t i m e n t s ,
though less forcefully, w e r e p r e s e n t e d by t h e Völkischer B e o b a c h t e r (Dec e m b e r 2 3 , 2 5 , 2 6 , 1 9 3 9 ) , 1 1 , "Rudolf Hess a n eine U n v e r h e i r a t e t e M u t t e r " .
57 Himmler addresses t h e c o m p l a i n t s he r e c e i v e d in his p r o c l a m a t i o n to "Alle
Männer der SS und Polizei, 3 0 . 1 . 1 9 4 0 " , T - 1 7 5 / 1 5 / 2 5 2 8 6 7 6 - 7 7 . On t h e i m p a c t
of this order s e e , for e x a m p l e , Klaus-Jürgen Müller, Das Heer und H i t l e r .
A r m e e und nationalsozialistisches R e g i m e , S t u t t g a r t 1 9 6 9 , 4 5 9 .
58 "Planmäßiger Urlaub", 25 August 1 9 4 3 , T - 1 7 5 / 7 1 / 2 5 8 8 4 9 9 . In a l e t t e r to t h e
wife of an SS man in 1 9 4 3 , S t a n d a r t e n f ü h r e r Dr. Brandt, r e c o m m e n d s t h a t
t h e planned m e e t i n g with her husband should t a k e p l a c e at a t i m e auspicious for i m p r e g n a t i o n . Heiber, Reichsführer!, d o c . # 2 3 3 , 2 1 1 . For an
e x a m p l e of official e n c o u r a g e m e n t to p r o c r e a t e see "Mahnung und Verpflichtung", T - 1 7 5 / 7 1 / 2 5 8 8 5 0 8 . Guidelines for s e l e c t i n g t h e right p a r t n e r for
m a r r i a g e w e r e p r e s e n t e d in "Heiraten - aber wen?", Schwarzes Korps (18 May
1944), 4.
5 9 A c k e r m a n n , Ideologe, 1 3 6 .
60 "Rede des Reichsführer-SS vor V e r t r e t e r n der d e u t s c h e n J u s t i z in C o c h e m ,
25.5.1944", T-174/93/2613805.
6 1 K e r s t e n , Memoirs, 1 7 6 - 1 7 8 , 1 8 2 . Hitler a p p a r e n t l y suggested t h a t t h e
p o s t w a r brith r a t e could be increased through a system of plural m a r r i a g e s . Cf. Hale, "Memorandum". A logical extension of this line of
t h o u g h t was t h e subsequent r e c o m m e n d a t i o n t h a t t h e p a r t n e r of a childless
m a r r i a g e who was b a r r e n should give t h e o t h e r and f e r t i l e p a r t n e r p e r m i s sion to p r o c r e a t e outside of t h e m a r r i a g e . Heinrich F r a e n k e l , and Roger
Manvell, H i m m l e r . Kleinbürger und Massenmörder, London 1 9 6 5 , 9 2 ; "eine
-
39
-
F r a u h a t das Wort," Das S c h w a r z e Korps (28 O c t o b e r 1 9 3 7 ) , 6. The p r o p a g a tion of i l l i g i t i m a t e children had of c o u r s e b e e n a l r e a d y c o n s i d e r e d during
p e a c e t i m e s . "We c a n n o t relinquish, w r o t e t h e SS p a p e r , " t h e children of
t h o s e w o m e n ... who c a n n o t b e c o m e wives y e t who c a n still be m o t h e r s " .
"Heilig ist uns j e d e M u t t e r g u t e n Blutes", Das S c h w a r z e Korps (30 D e c e m b e r
1 9 3 7 ) , 962 Berlin D o c u m e n t C e n t e r , SSO personnel file of Graf von Hoym, "H. is still
w i t h o u t c h i l d r e n ... The Reichsführer f u n d a m e n t a l l y r e j e c t s p r o m o t i o n s of
childless F ü h r e r " . Equally r e v e a l i n g is a l e t t e r by S S - H a u p t s t u r m f ü h r e r
R i c h a r d S c h r u t z (SSO file) who w e n t to g r e a t lengths to explain, a f t e r his
p r o m o t i o n had b e e n r e f u s e d , t h a t his seven month m a r r i a g e was indeed a
s u c c e s s ; his wife a l r e a d y had one m i s c a r r i a g e and is now p r e g n a n t . See
a l s o Heiber, Reichsführer!, 1 9 6 . Cf. "Traurige S t a t i s t i k " , Das S c h w a r z e
Korps ( 1 1 April 1 9 3 8 ) , 8.
63 Berlin D o c u m e n t C e n t e r , SSO personnel file of Konrad Füll.
64 Berlin D o c u m e n t C e n t e r , SSO personnel file of Karl F i c h t n e r .
65 "Bevölkerungspolitik im SS-Führer Korps, Stand 1 . 1 2 . 1 9 3 8 " ,
T-175/123/649255-270.
66 The individual SS-Führer for this study w e r e identified by way of t h e
D i e n s t a l t e r s l i s t e der S c h u t z s t a f f e l der NSDAP. Stand 3 1 . 1 2 . 1 9 3 8 , B e a r b e i t e t von der P e r s o n a l k a n z l e i , Berlin 1 9 3 8 , which furnished t h e n a m e (among
o t h e r identifying information) of all SS-Führer a c c o r d i n g to r a n k . This
rank s t r a t i f i e d list was f u r t h e r subdivided into t h r e e s t r a t a consisting
of t h e S S - T o t e n k o p f v e r b ä n d e (TV), t h e SS-Verfügungstruppe (VT), and t h e
A l l g e m e i n e SS (Allg.SS). O n c e t h e F ü h r e r w e r e identified, biographical
i n f o r m a t i o n on t h e m was c o l l e c t e d from t h e SSO and RuSHA personnel r e c o r d s
of t h e Berlin D o c u m e n t C e n t e r . B e c a u s e t h e TV and VT s t r a t a had r e l a t i v e l y
few c a s e s (N=437 and N=766 r e s p e c t i v e l y ) , I d e c i d e d to c o l l e c t d a t a on all
t h o s e individuals who belonged to one of t h e s e g r o u p s . As to t h e Allg.SS,
i t was t o o l a r g e / t o t a l population N=12,669) t o c o l l e c t i n f o r m a t i o n o n all
individuals. C o n s e q u e n t l y , a s y s t e m a t i c r a n d o m s a m p l e of 900 men was
chosen to r e p r e s e n t this b r a n c h of t h e SS: B e c a u s e r e c o r d s for a c e r t a i n
n u m b e r of individuals could not be l o c a t e d , and s o m e i n f o r m a t i o n was not
identifiable b e c a u s e d o c u m e n t s had been d a m a g e d , t h e final s a m p l e s consist
of 400 TV, 6 9 2 and 851 Allg.SS m e m b e r s ( t o t a l N = j 9 4 3 ) .
6 7 "Bevölkerungspolitik i m SS-Führer Korps, Stand 1 . 1 2 . 1 9 3 8 " , T - 1 7 5 / 1 2 3 /
6 4 9 2 5 5 - 2 7 0 . For obvious r e a s o n s e a r l y m a r r i a g e s w e r e p r o m o t e d a m o n g SS
p e r s o n n e l . See for e x a m p l e "Wann sollen wir h e i r a t e n ? " , Das S c h w a r z e Korps
( 1 0 S e p t e m b e r 1 9 3 6 ) . I t has been pointed o u t , h o w e v e r , t h a t b u r e a u c r a t i c
inefficiency in t h e handling of m a n d a t o r y m a r r i a g e r e q u e s t s was delaying
b o t h m a r r i a g e and p o t e n t i a l c h i l b e a r i n g . Equally c o u n t e r p r o d u c t i v e w e r e
o r d e r s r e q u i r i n g "SS officer c a n d i d a t e s , staff o f f i c e r s a t t a c h e d t o t h e
H a u p t ä m t e r , and m e m b e r s o f t h e SS-Verfügungstruppe t o m a r r y until t h e y
w e r e p a s t t h e a g e o f t w e n t y - s e v e n , unless t h e y a t t a i n e d c e r t a i n r a n k s
prior t o t h a t d a t a . " Thompson, "Lebensborn", 6 5 .
68 H i m m l e r ' s c o n c e r n a b o u t t h e m a r i t a l s t a t u s of his men is r e f l e c t e d in t h e
w a r t i m e c o r r e s p o n d e n c e of S t a n d a r t e n f ü h r e r Dr. B r a n d t . See Heiber, R e i c h s führer!, d o c . // 366, 2 9 7 and doc // 2 7 7 , 2 3 9 .
69 "Bevölkerungspolitik im SS-führer Korps, Stand 1 . 1 2 . 1 9 4 8 " , T - 1 7 5 / 1 2 3 /
64925770 Jill S t e p h e n s o n , ' " R e i c h s b u n d der K i n d e r r e i c h e n ' : The L e a g u e of L a r g e
F a m i l i e s in t h e Population Policy of Nazi G e r m a n y " , European Studies
Review 9 ( 1 9 7 9 ) , 368.
71 C o n t e m p o r a r y e x p l a n a t i o n s for t h e i n c r e a s e in f e r t i l i t y a r e provided by
C o n r a d and Irene T a u b e r , " G e r m a n F e r t i l i t y Trends in 1 9 3 3 - 1 9 3 9 " , A m e r i c a n
J o u r n a l of Sociology 46 ( O c t o b e r 1940), 1 5 1 - 1 6 4 ; P.K. Whelpton, "Why t h e
L a r g e Rise in t h e G e r m a n Birth R a t e ? " , A m e r i c a n J o u r n a l of Sociology 41
( N o v e m b e r 1 9 3 5 ) , 2 9 9 - 3 1 3 ; and Hans S t a u d i n g e r , " G e r m a n y ' s Population Mi-
-
40
-
r a c l e " , Social R e s e a r c h 5 (May 1938), 1 2 5 - 1 4 8 . A more s c e p t i c a l view is
expressed by J. Hajnal, "The Analysis of Birth S t a t i s t i c s in t h e Light of
R e c e n t International R e c o v e r y of t h e Birth R a t e " , Population Studies 1
(September 1 9 4 7 ) , 1 3 7 - 1 6 4 and more r e c e n t l y Stephenson, "Reichsbund",
op.cit.
72 By c o m p a r i n g t h e f e r t i l i t y levels of t h e 1930s with t h o s e of t h e 1 9 5 0 s and
early 1960s, both Knodel and Stephenson r e a c h t h e conclusion t h a t t h e
Nazis found t h e m s e l v e s in a period which signaled e i t h e r t h e end or at
l e a s t t h e s t a b i l i z a t i o n of a secular decline in f e r t i l i t y . Knodel, D e c line, 5 2 , 2 4 6 - 2 4 7 , and Stephenson, "Reichsbund", 369.
73 S t a t i s t i s c h e s R e i c h s a m t , S t a t i s t i s c h e s J a h r b u c h für das D e u t s c h e Reich
1 9 4 1 / 4 2 , Berlin, 6 6 .
74 S t a t i s t i s c h e s Bundesamt, S t a t i s t i s c h e s J a h r b u c h für die Bundesrepublik
Deutschland, Wiesbaden i 9 6 0 , 6 1 ; 1 9 8 0 , 6 7 ; 1 9 8 4 , 7 0 .
75 S t a a t l i c h e Z e n t r a l v e r w a l t u n g für S t a t i s t i k , S t a t i s t i s c h e s J a h r b u c h der
Deutschen D e m o k r a t i s c h e n Republik, Berlin 1 9 5 6 , 38, 1 9 8 4 , 3 5 6 .
76 C.Alison Mcintosh, "Low F e r t i l i t y and Liberal D e m o c r a c y in Western E u r o p e ,
"Population and D e v e l o p m e n t Review 7 (June 1 9 8 1 , 2 0 1 .
77 Edward S h o r t e r , " F e m e a l E m a n c i p a t i o n , Birth C o n t r o l , and F e r t i l i t y in
European History", A m e r i c a n Historical Review 78 (June 1 9 7 3 ) , 6 1 2 - 6 4 0 .