West Germany: The Vanishing Hausfrau

Ah, the German hausfrau. There she stands in front of her beloved stove. Her mind untarnished by thoughts that do not concern the care of her family or the future of her soul, she is cheerfully dedicated to producing heartier dinners, cleaner floors, and more babies. From a life tightly bound by Kinder, Kirche and Küche, she gazes fondly up at her worldly husband.

This is a picture comforting to any German male—but these days he is likely to find it only in an old movie. In fact, the traditional hausfrau is no more. Today's West German housewife, says...

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