Three duties that Nazi state imposed on women were as follows:
(i) Women in Nazi Germany were meant to be good mothers and rear pure blooded Aryan children.
(ii) A woman's duty was to maintain the purity of the race, maintain distance from Jews, look after the home and teach their children the values of Nazism.
(iii) They had to be the bearers of the Aryan race and culture.

The two way in which Nazi women were rewarded for their performance was as follows:
(i) They were given favoured treatment in hospitals and were also given concessions in shops and on theatre tickets and railway fares.
(ii) Honour Crosses were given as rewards to encourage women to give birth to more children. A Bronze Cross was given for four children, Silver for six and Gold for eight or more.

1. The idealization of motherhood:
The Nazi cult of motherhood placed great importance on the role of women as mothers and the creation of a racially pure German population. The regime believed that the Aryan race was superior and therefore, it was crucial to encourage women to have as many children as possible. This idealization of motherhood was promoted through various means, including propaganda, policies, and incentives.

- Propaganda: The Nazi regime used propaganda extensively to promote the cult of motherhood. Posters, films, and speeches were used to portray the ideal Aryan mother as strong, healthy, and devoted to her family. These images often showed women with multiple children, emphasizing the importance of a large family for the future of the German nation.

- Policies: The Nazi government implemented policies that supported the ideal of motherhood. For example, the Law for the Encouragement of Marriage provided loans to newly married couples, especially those with the intention of having children. The Law for the Protection of German Blood and Honor prohibited marriages between Jews and non-Jews, further promoting the idea of racial purity.

- Incentives: In order to incentivize women to have more children, the Nazi regime introduced various benefits and rewards. This included the Mother's Cross, a medal awarded to women who had given birth to a certain number of children. The medal came in different grades, with the highest grade, the Gold Cross, given to mothers who had eight or more children.

2. The role of women in society:
The cult of motherhood also had a significant impact on the role of women in Nazi Germany. Women were expected to prioritize their duties as wives and mothers over any other aspirations or ambitions. Their main role was seen as the preservation and propagation of the Aryan race.

- Education and indoctrination: The education system in Nazi Germany aimed to indoctrinate girls with the ideals of the cult of motherhood. Schools taught girls about the importance of traditional gender roles and the virtues of motherhood. They were also taught skills such as cooking, sewing, and childcare, which were considered essential for their future roles as wives and mothers.

- Limited employment opportunities: The Nazi regime discouraged women from pursuing careers outside the home. They believed that women should focus on their domestic responsibilities and leave the workforce to men. Government policies restricted women's access to higher education and professional opportunities, reinforcing the idea that their primary role was in the home.

- The concept of the "Kinder, Küche, Kirche" (Children, Kitchen, Church): This phrase encapsulates the Nazi belief that a woman's place was in the home, taking care of her children, managing the household, and being faithful to her husband. Women were encouraged to embrace this traditional role and to view it as the highest form of contribution to society.

3. Control and regulation of reproduction:
The cult of motherhood also involved strict control and regulation of reproduction to ensure the creation of a racially pure population.

- Eugenics policies: The Nazi regime implemented eugenics policies aimed at promoting the reproduction of "desirable" individuals and preventing the procreation of those considered "undesirable." This included forced sterilization programs targeting individuals with disabilities, mental illnesses, or deemed genetically inferior.

- Lebensborn program: The Lebensborn program was a Nazi initiative that aimed to increase the birth rate of Aryan children. Unmarried women who met the racial