The women who lived under the swastika
This section will hold information and a brief introduction on what roles women maintained during the Third Reich.
This section will be solely used for educational purposes and holds no pollitical agenda.
Working for the Wehrmacht
Women working for the Wehrmacht were paid by the rates fixed for workers in public services, unless they were drafted. In that case they only received a small compensation for their personal expenses.
In 1942 a standardised payment for Helferin was introduced. The rates for public services applied for those working outside of the Reich. The women received free board and lodgings and were able to apply for a deployment bonus.
If women were placed in positions that soldiers would have occupied, they could be given the same wages.
1st February 1945, after the foundation of the Wehrmachthelferinnenkorps, the payment was reviewed and categorised in the military equivalents.
Working for the DRK
On 23rd December 1937 the Deutsche Rote Kreuz, DRK, lost all the charitable means and youth organisations and was totally reorganised under the hierarchical way of the regime.
In World War II more than 600 000 DRK members / nurses did their duty on all fronts.
The nurses work environment mainly being to look after the wounded, take care of POW´s, duty in air raid shelters, to assist settlers from the East and later refugees - generally caring for civilians and soldiers.
A considerably amount of DRK nurses had been awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class for their dediction. A list of decorated women can be found under recommended internet sources
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