"Like the Allies, Germany also employed women in the Armed Forces during WW2. Formed on the 1st of October 1940, the Army’s Corps of Female Signals Auxiliaries (Nachrichtenhelferinnen) was the forerunner of a number of other female branches that were formed as the war progressed, with women serving in the Luftwaffe, Navy and SS. By 1943 there was even a Female Horse-Breakers branch (Bereiterinnen). Despite being subject to the full range of military law and discipline, they didn’t have the status of soldiers, the German High Command making it clear that women should not be involved with firearms or ‘combat’ situations.
With the war taking a turn for the worst and more men being needed at the front, these women started serving in what can be considered ‘combat’ situations such as serving in the anti-aircraft defences or as signals staff with frontline formations outside of Germany. Full military status was finally granted by an order of 28 August 1944.
In this portrait, an Army’s Signals Auxiliary (Nachrichtenhelferin) poses in standard uniform, except for the shirt, which should be white but in this case seems to be a men’s Army grey shirt.
Pinned to her tie the “Lightning badge” from which they got their nickname: ‘Blitzmädchen’."
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