German Women's Battalion

Discussion in 'The Eastern Front' started by Uncle George, May 1, 2015.

  1. Uncle George

    Uncle George Active Member

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-32529679

    Much in this BBC article is old news, but new to me is the mention, in the diary of a Ukrainian lieutenant, of a "[German] battalion of women fighters." Russia employed women's battalions in the Great War: but German?
     
  2. TriciaF

    TriciaF Junior Member

    It says in the article they wanted to avenge the death of their husbands.
    As for the rapes I first heard about this from my sister's German penfriend, whose mother had hidden in a cellar to avoid being raped by the Russians.
     
  3. Nijmegen

    Nijmegen Member

    Der Spiegel, 07.05.1984: "Hitler selbst genehmigte, im Februar 1945, die Aufstellung des ersten Frauenbataillons."
    Hitler himself approved the deployment of female battalions, in February 1945.

    There is a book (in German) by Heinz G. Konsalik, "Frauenbataillon".
     
  4. Uncle George

    Uncle George Active Member

  5. TriciaF

    TriciaF Junior Member

    So he was running out of men of military age to send to the front lines towards the end, and had to call up young lads and women.
     
  6. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Downfall : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downfall_%282004_film%29

    "General Mohnke is outraged when he sees conscripted civilians needlessly gunned down. Mohnke later confronts Joseph Goebbels their commander as to the slaughter. Goebbels tells Mohnke that he has no pity for the civilians, as they chose their fate. Hitler, Braun, Traudl and Gerda Christian discuss various means of suicide. Hitler loses his sense of reality."

    On BBC4 last night - does quite a good job of showing the tragedy of these. Forcing your enemy into having to kill women and children because they are trying to kill you... some of these were seen as "homeguards" - it would have made for a very different "version" of "Dad's Army" : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dad%27s_Army ...if Hitler had actually managed to get here.... : http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Dad%27s_Army

    German U-boat Captain: I am making notes, Captain, and your name will go on the list; and when we win the war you will be brought to account.
    Captain Mainwaring: You can write what you like, You're not going to win the war!
    U-boat Captain: Oh yes we are.
    Mainwaring: Oh no you're not.
    U-boat Captain: Oh yes we are!
    Pvt. Pike: [Singing] Whistle while you work, Hitler is a twerp, he's half-barmy, so's his army, whistle while you work!
    U-boat Captain: Your name will also go on the list! What is it?
    Mainwaring: Don't tell him Pike!
    U-boat Captain: Pike!

    Rm.
     

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