Women In the Waffen SS ?

[Insomniaque]

Firstly sorry for my bad english.

One time ago I had found a photograph (1944 or 1945?) several women carrying of uniforms SS (That was to probably be prison guardians). I am currently has the search for this photograph, and to have information on the women in Waffen SS (Is it a myth after the "Isla" film or not ?).

In the film "Europa" of Lars Von Trier, the role of the woman in the "werwolf" section (after 45) is important too, but is this which can say some to me more on the question?

I don't know if it's the good section to ask this question or not... Sorry for the mod, if not. Just move my topic.

Thanx.

[PanzerVI]

From what I know Waffen SS did not have female soldiers
The only women in SS were those from SS-Aufseherinnen (Female Concentration Camp Guards).
However they were not SS members.The so-called "SS women" served in guard capacities in the camps, but their official status in the SS was strictly that of auxiliaries - the female guards were never actually SS members.
I recommend the book called : 'The Camp Women: The Female Auxiliaries Who Assisted the SS in Running the Nazi Concentration Camp System'

Your's truly , Bogdan

[_The_General_]

don't forget that a lot off ss girlfriends had there foto taken in there friends uniform!

Please post a scan?

[rh_LiteVixeN]

The Isla films were daft B-movies but one of them "She-Wolf of the SS" was based loosely on Isla Koch, the wife of a concentration camp commandant.

[PanzerVI]

Vixen our debated are not based on any UFA or post-war movies but fact.
It is a fact that the nazi KZL's female guards prooved themselves to be even more barbaric than male guards , showing no mercy towards the inmates.However this discussion doesen't fit here but at the Holocaust part.
I would add a quote from Daniel Patrick Brown's book : 'The Camp Women: The Female Auxiliaries Who Assisted the SS in Running the Nazi Concentration Camp System' which will clearly show their ruthlesness: 'Their official status notwithstanding, the overwhelming majority of these women inflicted tremendous pain and suffering on the thousands of unfortunate, helpless victims who came under their power. The rank-and-file female guards were frequently singled out in post-war trials as being worse than their male counterparts.'

Regards

[David E M]

Nurses, Female signals personel, Telex Operators, Messengers, Typists, Telephone Operators etc.
I believe these were considered SS personel and not Auxiliaries.
I could scan some pics for you, but latley have become worried about the copyright laws.
Cheers.

[Phil Nix]

Nurses, Female signals personel, Telex Operators, Messengers, Typists, Telephone Operators etc.
I believe these were considered SS personel and not Auxiliaries.
I could scan some pics for you, but latley have become worried about the copyright laws.
Cheers.

There was a SS Helferinnen Schule set up in Oberehnheim in 1944 under Karl Mutschler for training female Waffen SS auxiliaires.
Philmil

[PanzerVI]

David my statement was that those women were not --SS MEMBERS--.
For example the foreign volunteers in Waffen SS were not considered as SS members.
And Phil , what was to be the purpose of those Waffen SS women trainess after graduating ?


Bogdan

[giles120]

Panzer VI check out this link to the Belsen trial. Very interesting information on Irma Grese. Often portrayed as sadistic and violent, someone who had no regard for human life and was a mass murderer. This is what I thought before reading this and a number of other articles including one titled 'Irma Grese saint or sinner'.

I do not doubt that she and other Female Auxiliaries were responsible for mistreatment of prisoners, but what one may question after reading is the true extent of this mistreatment.

http://www.ess.uwe.ac.uk/WCC/belsenfwd.htm

A few issues arising;

1. Irma Grese faced three counts of causing death by shooting. None
were coroborated.

2. One witness(Auschwitz) testified that Irma Grese had a dog at the
Birkenau Women's Camp, and she allowed this dog to attack and
savage prisoners. The Court had heard the accused deny that she ever
had a dog, and that has been corroborated by others of the accused
and by other witnesses(survivors) from Auschwitz.

3. A witness(Auschwitz) stated that she saw Irma Grese shoot two
girls dead by firing out of an open window. It was found that windows
in the block in question could not be opened.

4. Another witness(Auschwitz) testified that she saw Irma Grese shoot a
female prisoner(in August 1944) who was outside of her barracks
during a camp wide lockdown. The witness testified that she had been
secretly observing all of this action from inside her barracks. At the
trial it was identified that the witness's barracks were more than 150
feet away, and the camp was in lock-down, which meant that all
windows were closed and shuttered.

Thanks.

[Phil Nix]

David my statement was that those women were not --SS MEMBERS--.
For example the foreign volunteers in Waffen SS were not considered as SS members.
And Phil , what was to be the purpose of those Waffen SS women trainess after graduating ?


Bogdan

Telephone operators, clerks etc
Philmil

[PanzerVI]

Giles120 thank you for the info about Irma Grese and also about the link which prooved itself to be quite self-explaining.However , like every trial it has some loose ends which can't be prooven.False allegations and accusations are omnipresent.
The true extent of the mistreatment could be streched , no doubt there but in my opinion, the most part could be true.
Phil , thanks for your explanation.Perhaps some pics would be interesting to fully portray this debate.

Bogdan

[David E M]

OK, I stand to be corrected on this one. If memory serves, in the book produced by the Waffen SS veterans association, it has pictures of female personnel, no-where does it call them auxiliaries, however when it shows pictures of foreign nurses it does call them auxiliaries.
Don't take this as being written in stone, I will need to check.
Cheers.

[PanzerVI]

No worries mate
Giles said 'Telephone operators, clerks etc'.They look pretty much auxiliary duties to me.
As I've said before some pics would lighten up this topic.

/Bogdan

[David E M]

text reads 'A Telex operator in the Command Headquarters of the Waffen SS in Berlin'
From: 'When all our brothers are silent.

[David E M]

And this one from the same book - note the text.
Cheers.