Romance during war. A German soldier says sweet good byes to his lover
This lovely lady is enthusiastically aiding the nation's war effort.Wonder what the vengeful Russians did to her in 1945.
Another touching moment. The warrior and his lady love
These ladies are Nazis. Member of the BDM (Bund Deutscher Mädel). The fanaticism shows on the faces.
MORE ABOUT THE BDM
The Bund Deutscher Mädel or BDM (The League of German Girls), was the only female youth organization in Nazi Germany.
It was the female branch of the overall Nazi Party youth movement, the Hitler Youth. At first, the League consisted of two sections: the Jungmädel, or Young Girls League, for girls ages 10 to 14, and the League proper for girls ages 14 to 18. In 1938, a third section was introduced, the Belief and Beauty Society (BDM-Werk Glaube und Schönheit), which was voluntary and open to girls between the ages of 17 and 21.
It was the female branch of the overall Nazi Party youth movement, the Hitler Youth. At first, the League consisted of two sections: the Jungmädel, or Young Girls League, for girls ages 10 to 14, and the League proper for girls ages 14 to 18. In 1938, a third section was introduced, the Belief and Beauty Society (BDM-Werk Glaube und Schönheit), which was voluntary and open to girls between the ages of 17 and 21.
The BDM was founded in 1930 as the female branch of the overall Nazi Party’s youth movement, the Hitler Youth (HJ). Its full title was the League of German Girls in the Hitler Youth, (Bund Deutscher Mädel in der Hitler-Jugend). It did not attract a mass following until the Nazis came to power in January 1933, but grew rapidly thereafter, until membership was made compulsory for eligible girls between 10 and 18 in 1939. Members had to be ethnic Germans, German citizens, and free of hereditary diseases.
AIM OF BDM
The BDM used campfire romanticism, summer camps, folklorism, tradition, and sports to educate girls within the National Socialist belief system, and to train them for their roles in German society: wife, mother, and homemaker.
ROLE DURING TIME OF WAR
The outbreak of war altered the role of the BDM, though not as radically as it did the role of the boys in the HJ, who were to be fed into the German Wehrmacht (armed forces) or the National Labor Service (Reichsarbeitsdienst, RAD) as soon as they turned 18. The BDM helped the war effort in many ways. Younger girls collected donations of money, as well as goods such as clothing or old newspapers for the Winter Relief and other Nazi charitable organizations. Many groups, particularly BDM choirs and musical groups, visited wounded soldiers at hospitals or sent care packages to the front.
The older girls volunteered as nurses’ aides at hospitals, or to help at train stations where wounded soldiers or refugees needed a hand. After 1943, as Allied air attacks on German cities increased, many BDM girls went into para-military and military services where they served as Flak Helpers, signals auxiliaries, searchlight operators, and office staff. Unlike male HJs, BDM girls took little part in the actual fighting or operation of weaponry, although some Flak Helferinnen operated anti-aircraft guns.
In the last days of the war, some BDM girls, just like some boys of the male Hitler Youth (although not nearly as many), joined with the Volkssturm (the last ditch defense) in Berlin and other cities in fighting the invading Allied armies. Officially, this was not sanctioned by the BDM’s leadership which opposed an armed use of its girl.
ROLE DURING TIME OF WAR
The outbreak of war altered the role of the BDM, though not as radically as it did the role of the boys in the HJ, who were to be fed into the German Wehrmacht (armed forces) or the National Labor Service (Reichsarbeitsdienst, RAD) as soon as they turned 18. The BDM helped the war effort in many ways. Younger girls collected donations of money, as well as goods such as clothing or old newspapers for the Winter Relief and other Nazi charitable organizations. Many groups, particularly BDM choirs and musical groups, visited wounded soldiers at hospitals or sent care packages to the front.
The older girls volunteered as nurses’ aides at hospitals, or to help at train stations where wounded soldiers or refugees needed a hand. After 1943, as Allied air attacks on German cities increased, many BDM girls went into para-military and military services where they served as Flak Helpers, signals auxiliaries, searchlight operators, and office staff. Unlike male HJs, BDM girls took little part in the actual fighting or operation of weaponry, although some Flak Helferinnen operated anti-aircraft guns.
In the last days of the war, some BDM girls, just like some boys of the male Hitler Youth (although not nearly as many), joined with the Volkssturm (the last ditch defense) in Berlin and other cities in fighting the invading Allied armies. Officially, this was not sanctioned by the BDM’s leadership which opposed an armed use of its girl.
The German crowd are under the spell of Hitler's oratory
This German general killed himself in France in late 1944. The bad news was getting hopeless by now. He disfigured the portrait of Hitler before dying.
These men are warming themselves. Presumably in Russia.
This man is gulping his hot drink. Seems like Russia again
Warrior of the Waffen-SS loves his family. Remember the Waffen-SS was a clean fighting unit.
Springing into action to deal with the Russian sniper
Hitler affectionately cuddles a little girl. This picture was for the masses. Goebbels must have nodded in approval
American POW in France in late 1944. The Germans seem to be mocking them
Danish volunteers take the SS oath. The SS seemed to fascinate men in many European countries
This girl is all for Nazism
This picture is from 1933. Von Hindenburg has made Hitler the Chancellor and the man is mighty pleased
Hitler alights from a plane in Smolensk
The Russians are asking the captured German officer some tough hard questions
Wonder if it is in France
A German ready to fire his panzerfaust
Job done!
These German artillerymen seemed to made a direct hit
The men from SS-Totenkopfverbände (SS-TV), meaning "Death's-Head Units". These guys ran the concentration camps. As bad as these men were the guys from Einsatzgruppen, Hitler's Death Squads
Men of the Waffen-SS
This SS man is a POW now. He is lucky to be alive. The Russians took great vicious pleasure in killing captured SS men
Nazi ladies. Women from BDM.
The ladies of female Jugend take the Nazi oath.
The picture with subtext "The men from SS-Totenkopfverbände (SS-TV)..." is actually of Kurt Meyer (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Meyer_%28soldier%29)
ReplyDeleteNazi Salute: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellamy_salute I kid you not!
ReplyDeleteThe germans got exactly what they deserved. As "Bomber Harris" said, "They have sowed the wind, now let them reap the whirlwind".
ReplyDelete