Female Railway Workers

[Matt Gibbs]

Hello, I was going to call this Reichsbahnhelferinen but I suddenly realised I wasn't sure of their actual official title!
Anyway, this is a series of photographs from magazine article[s] relating to the work of women on the railways, as taken and credited to the official Reichsbahn press photographers. The Reichsbahn appeared to be one of the premier organised companies as far as public and press relations go, they had some really good photographers. There are several good german books including a pretty old seried called Reichsbahn at War. Not sure how many books there are as I have only seen 1 in the UK and it was volume 3!
Anyway, some photo pictures for you to enjoy. As I work in the rail industry my interest was specially awakened by these.
Regards
Matt

[Matt Gibbs]

More women of the rails!

[Matt Gibbs]

Does anyone collect their uniforms! Must be some time in 1944 I think.

[Matt Gibbs]

Women workers in the occupied territories. This shot is from a series which was taken in the Ukraine I believe.

[Matt Gibbs]

Hello - again!
Here is a chart detailing the later war rank tabs which changed over to a different style than the "stylised winged wheel". These look more like the designer took his brief from the pattern of later political style collar tabs.
The Reichsbahn rank structure was based on the pay scale or grade of job of the employee concerned.
Regards
Matt

[Vikki]

Great pictures, Matt! I especially like insignia and uniform details in some of them.

Here are a few more I thought you'd like. The first is from "The Home Front: Germany" from the Time-Life series World War II, the following two from Frauen helfen siegen.

Best,
~Vikki

[Vikki]

From the postcard series "Frauen schaffen für euch": Die Zugschaffnerin and Die Aufsichtsbeamtin.

[Vikki]

Look close, she's not wearing a long skirt, but 1940s trousers.

Best,

~Vikki

[curiousrommel]

Thanks Matt and Vikki for the photos of the Female Railway personnel uniforms. I have seen several photos of male employees, but never female uniforms.
I have lately bought a complete uniform of a female tram worker, including caps, tunic and skirt. Unfortuately the caps and tunic lack Third Reich badges.

Regards,
Ignatius
(Malta)
rommel10452@yahoo.com

[Vikki]

Hello Ignatius,


Great set!


For some reference on tram Schaffnerinnen you may find interesting, see:
viewtopic.php?t=52502


Closer shots of the similar early Reichsbahn cap insignium. Scan of the insignium from my collection; photo of it in wear from Gordon Williamson's World War II German Women's Auxiliary Services.

Best,
~Vikki

[I B Piper]

Here's one of my Reichsbahn pieces. I have no idea why the piping is missing.

[Vikki]

Here's another female Reichsbahn picture I'd forgotten about, showing good detail of the Schaffnerin's "tools of the trade"--and that she's wearing a civilian sweater under the uniform. From Der ReichsArbeitsDienst: Männer und Maiden by Wolfram Mallebrein.

On her lapel is the RADwJ Kriegshilfsdienstabzeichen, worn by women who had completed their mandatory RADwJ service and then did a further six months’ work for the war effort.

Best,
~Vikki

[Ripli]

So many photos!

This has to be the very BEST forum I have seen to date on the war. NICE job!

I love that photo above where the woman is leaning out of the train and the steam is all around her. Cool!

Ausgeseichnet! Sehr alle!

[Heimatschuss]

Hello,

let's give this rusty veteran thread a new push and throw some fresh coke into the engine. Spring is coming soon, I feel it!

Sources:
Top picture:
DB Museum (Ed.)
Im Dienste von Demokratie und Diktatur. Die Reichsbahn 1920 - 1945.
2. Auflage; DB Museum Deutsche Bahn AG; Nuremberg; 2004; p.111

Bottom picture:
Andreas Knipping
Das große Buch der Eisenbahnzeit.
Geramond Verlag; Munich; 2004; p.99

Hope you like it
Torsten

[Matt Gibbs]

Thats a lovely photo of the female driver with the car. I love the angle of the shot and everything. Is it an Adler, or Horch perhaps? Sleek looking grille anyway! Often I think the notek lights are stuck on anywhere and look daft, but actually its one of the reasons I like that pic.
Perhaps I am biased as I work in the transportation industry [as have my family since about 1875] but I'd like to see and read more on the railway service workers, the men as well.
Regards
Matt