WomeninNaziGermany

Primarysources

SOURCEC

Context:
InterviewbetweenanhistorianandawomannamedHelga,wholivedinGermany
underNazicontrolandbeenamemberofthe
BundDeutscherMadel,
LeagueofGermanGirls,
(BDM).Theinterviewispartofresearchcollatedforthebook"BerlinGirlHerStory1929
1952".TheinterviewerhadacopyoftheBDMmembershiprequirementsandcodeofconduct
anddiscussedeachrequirementwithHelga.

Ken:"Helga,theJungmaedelLeagueintheHitlerYouth(JM)wasforgirlsages10to14.Isthis
whenyoujoined?"

Helga:"Yes,Iwas10...itwas1939."

Ken:"TheLeagueofGermanGirlsintheHitlerYouth(BDM)wasforgirlsages14to17.Were
youamemberthen?"

Helga:"Yes.Thiswasanaturaloccurrenceatthatage."

Ken:"WasthereanyceremonywhenyoupassedfromJMtoBDM?"

Helga:"No."

(Whenshewas14,inNovember1943,shewaslivinginCaputh,southwestofBerlinand
Potsdam.Thewarhadprogressedtothepointthatmanyoftherequirementswerebeing
ignored,aswereceremonies.)

Ken:"WhatabouttherequirementsoftheJungmaedelChallenge?"

(Interviewergoesthrougheachrequirement60meterrunin14secondslongjumpof2
metersballthrowof12meters2forwardrollsandgettingupwithoutuseofthehands2
backwardrollsjumpingthroughswingingropeparticipationinaonedaytrip,etc.

Ken:"Didyoudoanyofthesethings?"

Helga:"None.IdonotrememberanyofthegirlsIknewdoingthese.Though,Iremembersome
girlshadsometrips.ButIcannotsayforsurethattheywereBDMrelatedorperhapsschoolor
churchrelated."

Ken:"Whataboutmembershipfees,financialaid,orinsurance?"


Helga:"IassumethatIpaidmyduesorIwouldn'thavebeenamember.Idon'trememberhow
muchtheywere,andIremembernothingaboutfinancialaidoranykindofinsurance."

Ken:"Jungmaedelserviceincludes:onceweeklya2hoursocialeveninganda2hoursports
afternoon,participationinonetripeachmonth,participationincampingtrips,andthatsort...
Didyoudoanyofthese?"

Helga:"Wehadnoroutineweeklymeetings.Wemetonlywhentherewassomespecial
purposeoractivitytobeplanned.Inthesecases,theattendancewasconsideredmandatory.
AsIsaidbefore,Iwasinvolvedinnotripsorroutinesportsactivities."

Ken:"DidyouparticipateinJungmaedelrolecall?"

Helga:"No."

Ken:"Didyouparticipateinparentconferencesandmembershipdrives?"

Helga:"No."

Ken:"Whataboutparticipationinfestivalsandtheirpreparations?"

Helga:"Yes.Theseactivitieswereformalandwewerepreparedforthese.Itdependedonwhat
theoverallBDMwasdoing.Wewerejusttoldwhatourpartwastobe."

Ken:"Andparticipationinrallies?"

Helga:"Yes.Iftherewasanyformalgatheringinourarea,wewereexpectedtobetherelooking
ourbest...andwedid...andwewere."

Ken:"WhataboutcollectingfortheNationalsozialistischeVolkswohlfahrt(NSV),[national
welfareprogram]?"

Helga:"Yes.ThiswasanactivepartofBDMandIparticipatedinthesecollections.

Ken:"TheconditionsandmethodsforgreetingandsalutingarespelledoutintheBDM
procedures.Thecorrectgreetingisalways,"HeilHitler"withthestretchedoutarmateyelevel.
Howoftendoyourememberdoingthis?"

Helga:"Onlyataproperfunctionwithsomedignitary.Itwasaformalshow.Weneversaluted
eachotherandnotevenourBDMgroupleader.Ourmeetingsoccurredwhentherewas
somethingtodiscuss.Wewerebusywithschoolandschoolworkanddidn'thavethetime

othersmighthave,orthinkweshouldhavehad.WeweresimplytoobusytomaketheBDM
somesortofclub.

(Hergroupleaderhadalotofresponsibilityathome.)

Ken:"Youwerealsotogreetyouracquaintances,relatives,teachers,andrecipientsofthe
Mother'sCrosswiththeGermanGreeting.Didyoudothis?"

Helga:"Never."

Ken:"Additionally,youweretomeetleadersofthevariouspartyleaderswiththeGerman
Greeting.Also,everyBDMgirlandJungmaedel.Doyourememberdoinganyofthis?"

Helga:"Yes,butagain,onlyinthecaseofformalgatherings.Weneverdidthatinthestreetsor
evenatBDMmeetings."

Ken:"AndwhatabouttheGermanGreetingatthepresentationofflags,singingorplayingofthe
NationalAnthemortheHorstWesselSong.Doyourememberdoinganyofthis?"

Helga:"Yes.Wedidthosethingsthenbutagain,onlyatformalgatherings.Wedidn'tdoitatour
meetings."

Ken:"Thereweremanybehavioralpoliciesaboutwhatyoushouldandshouldnotdo.Onesuch
wasthatyouwerenottohangaroundrestaurantsandbarsafter8p.m.andyouwerenottobe
outafter9unlessonofficialbusiness.Doyourecallthis?"

Helga:"ThesewereenforcedbymaleHitlerYouthbutdidn'tapplytomebecauseIhadastrict
momwhokeptacarefuleyeonme."

Ken:"Andyouwerenottogotoamusementparksinuniform.Doyourecallthis?"

Helga:"Yes,butweonlyworetheuniformforformalorBDMbusinesssothiswasnotanissue.
Iwasgenerallydoingmyschoolworkandmostoftheothergirlswere,aswell."

Ken:"Andyouarenottohitchridesonatrip?"

Helga:"Irememberthat,butitwasanonissuebecausewedidn'ttaketrips."

Shevolunteeredonerestrictionthatwasleftoffthelist.

Helga:"Wewereforbiddenfromwatchingmoviesrated18orolder."

SheremembersthisbecauseshewasinsuchamoviewhenamaleHitlerYouthmemberputa
flashlightinherface.ShewasknowninCaputhandshewasonly14.Shewasescortedfrom
thetheater.

Ofhistoricalinterest:shedidnothaveBDMissuedshoesandhadneverseenaBDM
BerchetesgardenjacketuntilIshowedheraphotographofone.Herblousesdidnothave
buttonsalongthewaist,nordidherskirtshavebuttonholes.

Sheremembersthediamondshaped,red/whiteHitlerYouthpinsandpatches,buttheonly
patchsheworewasthetriangularshoulderpatchonwhichwasherprovince(Brandenburg).

Sheneverhadabackpackoranyother"required"uniformissues.Shehadnohats,pins,or
flags,andnocufftitles.