The role of women towards family and occupation changed clearly in the last decades in Germany. The number of divorces is increasing, the birth rate is going down, and women's gainful employment is changing.
by Andreas Clauß.
First, you have to become aware of the different backgrounds in Germany's history. The Eastern part of Germany, which was the GDR until Germany was reunified in 1991, was affected a lot by the compatibility of family and occupation in the GDR. It was more common in the GPR for Women to work than in West Germany. In addition the government provided women with institution that cared for the children during their mothers were working, which was more developed than the system of caring places for children in West Germany.
The attitude of Women is to be divided in to two dimensions. First the idea of role allocation between women and men, and second the attitude towards the consequences of gainfully employed women.
East Germans responded clearly more modern as West Germans to both points above.
The reason for that diversity between East and West are differences in the social and economic conditions. In the East, it was easier for women to have a family and a gainful employment than in the West in the past.
Women in West and East Germany think more modern than men about the consequences of working. For example, women are not worried as much as men that working could affect the development of their child. However, that distinction between men and women was bigger in the West than in the East. More men in the East were able to make the experience that a working wife doesn't led to the negative consequences Western men are afraid of. .
Of course, the age is an important factor, only 29% of the adults under 30 years agreed that it would be the best solution if women stay at home and raise children, and men work. 78% of the people over 65 years agreed in the traditional method of division of labor.
