There were many roles that women played in the German Military of World War Two. They served as nurses, signal operators, tramcar operators, and even searchlight operators in anti-aircraft emplacements. While women filled several roles in the Third Reich’s push for power, there are two roles that women in 914.Grenadier Regiment currently portray: Nachrichtenhelferinnen or DRK (Deutches Rotes Kreuz) nurses.  While these are only two of the female roles, there were many places for women in the German Military, as there are in our unit.

Nachrichtenhelferinnen (Female Signals Auxiliaries): In 1940, the Corps of Female Signal Auxiliaries was created. These women served as radio operators, telephone operators, switchboard operators, and secretarial workers inside of communications units. The creation of this group led to the creation of several others, including the Corps of Welfare Auxiliaries (Betreuungshelferin), the Economics Auxiliaries (Wirtschaftshelferinnen), and the Corps of Female Staff Auxiliaries (Stabshelferinnen). In 1944, all of these Auxiliary groups were combined into one, which was called the Corps of Female Auxiliaries (Wehrmachthelferinnen). The Nachrichtenhelferin wore a signals badge on their left sleeve called a Blitz. Because of this, these auxiliaries earned the nickname of “Blitzmädchen”.

The typical working uniform consisted of:

• Grey cotton work dress with removable white collar and embroidered Blitz on left sleeve
• Grey M38 cap with yellow piping and embroidered Blitz
• Seamed stockings with black leather shoes

Or, as a walking out or cold weather uniform:

• Grey wool tunic jacket with embroidered Blitz on left shoulder
• Grey wool kick-pleated skirt
• Blouse with black men’s tie and Blitz brooch (gray blouse for work, white blouse otherwise)
• Grey M38 cap with yellow piping and embroidered Blitz
• Seamed stockings with black leather shoes

Deutsches Rotes Kreuz (German Red Cross): The Deutsches Rotes Kreuz is the German chapter of the Red Cross, and was taken control by the German government in 1938. During this time it established rank, uniforms, and insignia for all of its members. The DRK was responsible for providing health care and nursing services for the general public, POWs, and the German military. The DRK nurses never saw the front lines, however; they typically did their work in camps and hospitals behind the front line, and were occasionally caught up in military operations, famously during Operation Market Garden.

The typical working uniform consisted of:

• One-piece cotton long-sleeved work dress with white detachable collar. Blue and white pinstriped for Helferin, or solid grey for Nurses
• DRK embroidered white arm-band
• A white cotton tie-back apron
• Standard German issued white cotton nurses hat
• Seamed stockings with black leather shoes

Or, as a walking out uniform:

• Grey wool tunic jacket
• Grey wool kick-pleated skirt
• White blouse with men’s tie
• Grey M38 cap
• Seamed stockings with black leather shoes