NS-Frauenschaft Gaufrauenschaftsführerin

[Igor Karpov]

Hello,

here are some shots from a photo series that shows Flemish nurse trainees of the German Red Cross (DRK) taking their final course exam in La Hulpe, Belgium on Jan. 28th, 1944. One of the photo captions gives the name of the female DRK official addressing the future nurses as
'DRK-Oberstführerin von Hoffmann'. In my opinion the face and hairdo of this woman have a stark resemblance to that of Frieda von Hofmann, the Gaufrauenschaftsleiterin in Gau Köln-Aachen.

There are some factors making it very likely this is indeed Frieda von Hofmann:

a) Frieda von Hofmann had served as a nurse during WW I and was married with a MD.

b) Several prominent members of NS-Frauenschaft including Gertrud Scholtz-Klink also held high ranks in the German Red Cross. The relationship between NS-Frauenschaft and the female division of the German Red Cross was more or less symbiotic during WW II.

c) Gau Cologne-Aachen where Frieda von Hofmann worked had very close ties to neighbouring Belgium during the German occupation 1940 - 1944.

d) The spelling of German names and designations by Cegesoma is often somewhat haphazard. 'Hoffmann' and 'Hofmann' are easily confused.

What do you think?

Best regards
Torsten

Affirmative. Yes, Thorsten, she held the rank of DRK-Oberstführerin.

Regards,
Igor

[nachomenorca]

Hi! I have this Frauenschaft Urkunde signed by Isabella Pompe? Please let your opinion if this signature is from her, I check the lnames list all you have posted and seems to match with this Gaufrauenschaftsleiterin.

Thanks in advance

Nacho

[nachomenorca]

Hello,

I found information about Gaufrauenschaftsführerin of Sudetenland - Isabella Pompe. I hope you find it interesting!

date of birth: 22. 12. 1901
place of birth: Wien, Austria
date of death: ???
place of death: ???

She was born as Isabella Grandmayer, profession: the literature teacher, member of DTV.
15. 1. 1934 she was joined to SdP (Sudetendeutsche Partei) (no. 51291). From 1935 member of the Kreisleitung in Böhmische Leipa (Česká Lípa) and the Kreisfrauenschaftsleiterin, from 1.1.1936 member of Frauenbeirates der SdP, head of the Frauenorganisation (she was officially represented by Rudolf Dietel in SdP, but she was doing all the important work). Gaufrau in BdD (Bund der Deutschen), from 1936 the leader of the women in Deutschen Kulturverband. In agreement with Gertrud Scholz-Klink she was named as Gaufrauenschaftsleiterin. She was also the leader of Deutsche Frauenwerk, the leader of Gauwaltung DAF and the leading expert for women question.
Thanks to Pompe became the Frauenschaft in the county of Sudetenland the strongest organisation in the whole Reich – it was very hard to find a woman in Sudetenland who was not a member of the NS-Frauenschaft or Deutsche Frauenwerk!
Even before the declaration of all-out war deployment she developed a large recruitment event for women to work, she personally spoke at large gatherings in all districts of the county, where she attended 3-4 day gatherings per day. The result was great – hundreds of women volunteered for service although this service was not obligatory for them.
She had good relationship with Konrad Henlein, she had great authority and was characterized as very ambitious and ruthless woman, type of “butch woman”, who put great pressure at her co-workers and the entire surroundings. She permitted no own opinion.
She lived separated of her husband and had close relations with some woman in Berlin (implied that she was a lesbian). Her husband was allegedly expelled from the SS and the party.

In 1946 she lived in Munich under name Römpel.
Honors: 30. 1. 1943 Honorary Golden Badge of NSDAP.

Source: Biman, Stanislav: Kdo byl kdo v Říšské župě Sudety. Biografická příručka A-Z, Státní oblastní archiv v Litoměřicích, 2008, ISBN: 978-80-254-3039-2 (electronic publication - "Who was who in Reichsgau Sudetenland. Biographical guide.")
Original source: A MV; BA Berlin BDC PK J 156/1925

best regards,
Lucie

Hi Lucie! I didn't realize this post of you, fantastic info about Isabelle Pompe!!

Best Regards

Nacho

[Igor Karpov]

Gaufrauenschaftsführerin Niederdonau Anna Vietoris.

Regards,
Igor

[Igor Karpov]

Gaufrauenschaftsführerin Württemberg-Hohenzollern Anny Haindl.

Regards,
Igor

[Igor Karpov]

Here's another photo of Else Muhr-Jordan, the Gaufrauenschaftsleiterin of Vienna

Else Muhr-Jordan (center).

Regards,
Igor

[Igor Karpov]

The NSDAP address books for 1938 - 1941 show Maria Vogl as Gaufrauenschaftsleiterin (GFL) (Rademacher, 2000, p.364). According to Fillies-Kirmsse (1941, p.129) Vogl was just an acting (kommissarische) GFL even in April 1941 when the list for her book was compiled. Vogl's term of office ended on March, 3rd, 1942 when Dr. Anna Kottenhoff took over as Gaufrauenschaftsleiterin (N.N., 1942a, 1942c)

Gaufrauenschaftsleiterin Vogl with Dr. jur. Friedrich Rainer.

Regards,
Igor

[Igor Karpov]

The succession of Gaufrauenschaftsleiterinnen in Hamburg now looks like this

???? - 1930 Else Gloy (Deutscher Frauenorden) [1]
1930 - Oct 31, 1930 Maria Meyer (Deutscher Frauenorden) [2]
Oct 31, 1930 - Jan 1933 Maria Meyer (NS-Frauenschaft) [2]
Jan 1933 - May 1, 1935 Martha Warnecke [3][4], deputy Maria Meyer [2]
May 1, 1935 - Dec 1, 1936 Maria Meyer [2], deputy Else Gloy [5]
Dec 1, 1936 - 1939(?) Maria Warnholtz [2]
1939(?) - 1945(?) Maria Schmidt [6][7]

Martha Warnecke became Hauptabteilungsleiterin in the Reichsfrauenführung in 1936.

Maria Warnholtz and Maria Schmidt may be the same person. 'Maria' is a typical Catholic first name while Hamburg and its surroundings are Protestant areas. Finding three different 'Marias' there looks highly unlikely. Warnholtz was a bachelorette according to [2] so may have changed her family name by marriage later.

A photo of Maria Warnholtz for a comparison.

Regards,
Igor

[Igor Karpov]

Salzburg
----------
The NSDAP address books for 1938 - 1941 show Maria Vogl as Gaufrauenschaftsleiterin (GFL) (Rademacher, 2000, p.364). According to Fillies-Kirmsse (1941, p.129) Vogl was just an acting (kommissarische) GFL even in April 1941 when the list for her book was compiled. Vogl's term of office ended on March, 3rd, 1942 when Dr. Anna Kottenhoff took over as Gaufrauenschaftsleiterin (N.N., 1942a, 1942c)

From March, 3rd, 1942 till late 1942 the GFL post was held by Dr.iur. Anna Dammer(-Kottenhoff) (N.N., 1942a, 1942c)
(See http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... 2#p1473712). If the photo caption in N.N. (1942e) is correct she still was GFL when she resigned from all student association positions on Dec. 9th, 1942 (N.N., 1942f). Her time as Gaufrauenschaftsleiterin must have ended at that date or shortly afterwards because from N.N. (1942d) you get the impression that she was already out of office when that copy appeared.

A photo of Liselotte Machwirth, Reichs-Referentin of the ANSt.

Regards,
Igor

[Halfdan S.]

A photo of Liselotte Machwirth, Reichs-Referentin of the ANSt.

Thank you for posting, Igor - never heard of this lady before. After Dr. Dammer-Kottenhoff Hertha Miedzinski held the post temporarily (end of 1943). Do you know Machwirths tenure?

Regards
Halfdan S.

[Igor Karpov]

Thank you for posting, Igor - never heard of this lady before. After Dr. Dammer-Kottenhoff Hertha Miedzinski held the post temporarily (end of 1943). Do you know Machwirths tenure?

Regards
Halfdan S.

Halfdan,

I know that she was active as such in April 1935.

Regards,
Igor

[Igor Karpov]

Weser-Ems 1933-1942: Friedel Klausing

Reichsfrauenführerin and Friedel Klausing (1st from r).

Regards,
Igor

[Igor Karpov]

Here's another photo of Else Muhr-Jordan, the Gaufrauenschaftsleiterin of Vienna

Else Muhr-Jordan (center).

Regards,
Igor

Another one of Else Muhr-Jordan (portrait).

Regards,
Igor

[Mark Costa]

A photo of Liselotte Machwirth, Reichs-Referentin of the ANSt.

Thank you for posting, Igor - never heard of this lady before. After Dr. Dammer-Kottenhoff Hertha Miedzinski held the post temporarily (end of 1943). Do you know Machwirths tenure?

Regards
Halfdan S.

Machwirth was the female leader from 1934-1936 and replaced when Scheel took over from Dereichsweiler in 1936. Inge Wolff replaced her until Kottenhoff took over later.

Mark Costa

[Halfdan S.]

Cheers Mark,

Regards
Halfdan S.