Reichsbund der Kinderreichen
Encyclopedia
Reichsbund der Kinderreichen (RDK) or (RdK), Reich's Union of Large Families or, literally: "Reich's League of those wealthy in children", was one of the most important pronatalist
groups founded in Germany after World War I
.
To qualify as a member of this league a family should have at least four children. Widows were also admitted.
The German Large Family League was forcefully nazified
after the Nazi takeover of power
in 1933. As such its goal became the preservation and promotion of the German hereditarily healthy
Aryan
family ("Erhaltung und Förderung der deutschen, erbgesunden, arischen Familie").
. Its new acronym became RDF and Dr. Robert Kaiser
became its new leader.
Under Dr. Kaiser, the RDF became essentially a propaganda
organization, promoting marriages
and natality among the youth despite the war-related difficulties.
As a Nazi organization the German Large Family League was disbanded after Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II
. The American Military Government
issued a special law outlawing the Nazi party and all of its branches. This Denazification
decree was also known as "Law number five".
Natalism
Natalism is a belief that promotes human reproduction. The term is taken from the Latin adjective form for "birth", natalis. Natalism promotes child-bearing and glorifies parenthood...
groups founded in Germany after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
To qualify as a member of this league a family should have at least four children. Widows were also admitted.
The German Large Family League was forcefully nazified
Gleichschaltung
Gleichschaltung , meaning "coordination", "making the same", "bringing into line", is a Nazi term for the process by which the Nazi regime successively established a system of totalitarian control and tight coordination over all aspects of society. The historian Richard J...
after the Nazi takeover of power
Machtergreifung
Machtergreifung is a German word meaning "seizure of power". It is normally used specifically to refer to the Nazi takeover of power in the democratic Weimar Republic on 30 January 1933, the day Hitler was sworn in as Chancellor of Germany, turning it into the Nazi German dictatorship.-Term:The...
in 1933. As such its goal became the preservation and promotion of the German hereditarily healthy
Eugenics
Eugenics is the "applied science or the bio-social movement which advocates the use of practices aimed at improving the genetic composition of a population", usually referring to human populations. The origins of the concept of eugenics began with certain interpretations of Mendelian inheritance,...
Aryan
Aryan
Aryan is an English language loanword derived from Sanskrit ārya and denoting variously*In scholarly usage:**Indo-Iranian languages *in dated usage:**the Indo-European languages more generally and their speakers...
family ("Erhaltung und Förderung der deutschen, erbgesunden, arischen Familie").
Renaming
The RDK was renamed Reichsbund Deutsche Familie, Kampfbund für erbtüchtigen Kinderreichtum (German Family Reich's League, Struggle League for a Hereditarily Strong Offspring), in April 1940, in the first years of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Its new acronym became RDF and Dr. Robert Kaiser
Robert Kaiser (Nazi leader)
Dr. Robert Kaiser was the leader of the RDF, Reichsbund Deutsche Familie after 1940, in the first years of World War II.The RDF, a branch of the NSDAP, was the pronatalist organization in Nazi Germany. Before Dr...
became its new leader.
Under Dr. Kaiser, the RDF became essentially a propaganda
Nazi propaganda
Propaganda, the coordinated attempt to influence public opinion through the use of media, was skillfully used by the NSDAP in the years leading up to and during Adolf Hitler's leadership of Germany...
organization, promoting marriages
Marriage promotion
Marriage promotion is a neoliberal policy aiming to produce “strong families” for the purposes of social security; as found in 21st century American maternalism.The George W...
and natality among the youth despite the war-related difficulties.
As a Nazi organization the German Large Family League was disbanded after Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II
Aftermath of World War II
After World War II a new era of tensions emerged based on opposing ideologies, mutual distrust between nations, and a nuclear arms race. This emerged into an environment dominated by a international balance of power that had changed significantly from the status quo before the war...
. The American Military Government
Allied Occupation Zones in Germany
The Allied powers who defeated Nazi Germany in World War II divided the country west of the Oder-Neisse line into four occupation zones for administrative purposes during 1945–49. In the closing weeks of fighting in Europe, US forces had pushed beyond the previously agreed boundaries for the...
issued a special law outlawing the Nazi party and all of its branches. This Denazification
Denazification
Denazification was an Allied initiative to rid German and Austrian society, culture, press, economy, judiciary, and politics of any remnants of the National Socialist ideology. It was carried out specifically by removing those involved from positions of influence and by disbanding or rendering...
decree was also known as "Law number five".