SS female staff

Treue Heinrich · Post by **Treue Heinrich** » 11 Jul 2002 10:29

Hi
I've got some questions concerning the female staff of the SS.

- approx. how many women were in the SS?
- what were the different types of the female SS e.g. SS-Aufseherin, SS-Helferin
- what did they have to do in each type of female SS
- what about the ranks? did they have collar tabs or not?

Thanks a lot!

Siegfried Wilhelm · Post by **Siegfried Wilhelm** » 11 Jul 2002 15:07

My ladyfriend is a nut collector of Third Reich women's stuff so I am going to watch this thread carefully for her. As for your questions, I can't answer them except I have seen a lot of her photos of SS women and they don't seem to have any rank insignia like the other branches do. The only thing I notice is that almost all of them have the silver cord around the collar edge that in other branches one would associate with officers. As a matter of fact I only recall seeing one photo where it was not present...which makes me think that it was merely part of the uniform.
Seems like the other branches had quite elabrate systems of rank and insignia--and she's familiar with them, but the SS seemed to be rather plain that way. A bit of a mystery.
As I say, I'll be watching for answers or leads here too.

Marcus · Post by **Marcus** » 11 Jul 2002 18:22

Two types of SS-Helferinnen existed, the ones trained at the Reichsschule fïir SS Helferinnen Oberenheim (known as SS-Helferinnen) or those not trained there (known as the SS-Kriegshelferinnen).
They worked as telephonists, radio operators etc and some worked as officers in charge of for example BDM volunteers.

Here is a badge used by the SS-Helferinnen.

/Marcus

Siegfried Wilhelm · Post by **Siegfried Wilhelm** » 11 Jul 2002 21:01

Do you think perhaps that the two types were differentiated by the presence or lack of the silver collar cord? I know that there was a cuff title for the Reichsschule SS. I have never seen other than a drawing of this though. Even the sleeve diamonds don't seem to show up in many photos.
My ladyfriend has an example of the insignia you picture, but it seems to be an 'enlisted' grade in that it is grey thread embroidered (like enlisted rank collartabs--but the runes are slightly larger) rather than silver...still has the silver cord around it though. Could this for a 'non-trained' helferin? Or just a variation? ...or a fake?

Treue Heinrich · Post by **Treue Heinrich** » 11 Jul 2002 22:10

Siegfried,
maybe you could ask your ladyfriend for some pictures and post them here?
Would help a lot.

But I know there are different ranks in the SS-helferinnenbranch, there's something like Oberführerin, and some other ranks I believe.
But how were their ranks recognised then?

Siegfried Wilhelm · Post by **Siegfried Wilhelm** » 12 Jul 2002 14:39

Hi,
She has a lot of 'tasty' stuff, but alas I don't have scanning capabilities.
The Oberfuhrerin you metioned is an army rank I think--like a Oberleutnant. I know in the other branches the ranks go as high as equivalant to Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel), and know most all the rank insignia for Heer and Luftwaffe...but for SS? No idea.

Treue Heinrich · Post by **Treue Heinrich** » 12 Jul 2002 21:03

hmm too bad about those scans...

Maybe someone else has pictures of SS-helferinnen?
Would help a lot!

Marcus · Post by **Marcus** » 12 Jul 2002 21:13

There are a few photos in "Cloth Insignia of the SS" by John R Angolia.

/Marcus

Treue Heinrich · Post by **Treue Heinrich** » 20 Jul 2002 18:13

Did they also had to have the bloodgrouptattoo?