Deutches Rotes Kreuz (ranks and more)

[William Sinclair]

Deutches Rotes Kreuz
Ranks
Uniforms
Medical bag

Ranks are as follows (Lowest to Highest):

Helferin
Vorhelferin
Oberhelferin
Haupthelferin
Wachtführerin
Oberwachtführerin
Hauptführerin
Feldführerin
Oberfeldführerin
Obersführerin
Generalführerin
Generalhauptführerin

Rank symbols was displayed on the collar of the blouse and Jacket.

Uniforms:

Ward Dress

Service Dress

Uniform Jacket:
When in service dress rather than ward dress, a double-breasted medium grey wool jacket was worn by officer equivalent grades. This was fastened with two rows of two buttons, and had a contrasting dark grey collar; Two internal breast pockets had shallow-pointed, buttoned external flaps. In common with jackets worn by other female auxiliaries, there was a pointed, outwards-buttoning tab on the lower part of each sleeve.

Headgear:
A dark grey felt fedora was worn with the jacket on formal occasions; the left side of the brim was often folded up and pinned against the crown. The DRK emblem was worn either on the hatband or on the side of the upturned brim. This was a white woven oval patch bearing the black German eagle, with a white swastika on its chest, grasping a red cross. When in war dress a starched white traditional nurse's cap was worn, with a red cross on the front.

Greatcoat:
The grey wool greatcoat was double-breasted, and fastened by two rows of three buttons. It had internally hung pockets with external flaps at each hip. The sleeves like those of the jacket, had buttoned tabs.

Blouses & skirts:
Junior ranks wore a medium grey pleated-front blouse with a white collar. On the right sleeve was worn the DRK emblem, a triangular patch with a silver-grey thread embroidered 'droop-winged' national emblem over the name of the wearer's parent district.

On the left sleeve was worn a white armband bearing a red cross; above the cross in an arc of a black Gothic letters was the word 'Deutches; below it '- Rotes Kreuz -'. With the blouse was worn a matching grey skirt with a two front pleats and concealed (slash) side pockets. When in ward dress a white Apron was worn, usually a bib-fronted style typical of nursing dress of the period, with shoulder straps and a large pocket on the right side of the front. Senior ranks - officer equivalents - wore a similar blouse but with the collar in the same grey as the body. They did not wear white aprons with ward dress, exposing the grey skirt.


The basic uniform:
The basic uniform worn by DRK nurses during wartime consisted of the medium grey pleated-front blouse with contrasting white collar, combined with a skirt in matching colour with two front pleats and concealed pockets at each side. The DRK triangular cloth patch was worn on the right sleeve, and a plain white armband with red cross on the left. The collar was worn buttoned up, with an enamelled DRK brooch worn at the throat. A starched white nurse's cap was worn, with a woven band stitched along its front edge; this featured red crosses alternating with the letters "RK". With ward dress a white apron, normally of the bib-fronted type, was worn over the blouse and skirt.

An alternative was a similar blouse but with a grey collar matching the body of the garment. This style blouse was worn with Red Cross collar patches: Rectangles of very pale grey cloth, with an inner edging of aluminium cord, bearing enammeled red crosses centrally. The triangular DRK patch and Red Cross armband were worn on the sleeves. The skirt worn with this blouse had a central front pleat to half way up from the hem, and five buttons set vertically at the top of the side pleats.

The most junior DRK helferinnen was often seen searing a pinstripe blouse with the ward dress.

Uniform Jacket: The grey woll jacket described above was provided for service dress wear: Double-breasted, with two rows of two buttons, two internal breast pockets with shallow-pointed, buttoned flaps, a dark grey contrasting collar, and outwards-buttoning sleeve tabs. The collar patches described above were also worn on this jacket, as were tehe standard triangular DRK sleeve patch and armband. The jacket was worn with a plain-fronted grey wool skirt, featuring button fastening at the left side all the way from waist to hem.

DRK bag contence:

The contents contained typical first aid items.

• Pouch of loose lambs wool
  
• An arm sling
  
• A plastic cup
  
• Bristle brush
  
• Glass hypodermic syringe
  
• Hypodermic needles
  
• Safety pins
  
• Soap
  
• Salve in metal tins
  
• Sterile bandages
  
• Tongue depressers
  
• Vials of pain medication
  
• Glass vials

Sources:
All art work is from:
www.wwiidaybyday.com/uniformen/drk.htm
Osprey Men-at-arms 396