Posters Artwork Documents

"Youth in the Luftschutz !"

?Bundesarchiv

1943 poster aimed at recruiting/praising Hitler Youth members in the Luftschutz (Air Raid Protection) service. The time from which this poster dates is interesting, since it coincided with a substantial expansion of the air raid protection service involving - among other things the recruitment of women for the first time to the service (in many cases on a compulsory basis). The boy in this poster is comprehensively well-equipped for a Luftschutz member, carrying a short-handled fire axe, a "people's" gas mask, a stirrup pump and a "Luftschutz pattern" "gladiator helmet". One would hope that he had developed his muscles well in the HJ; stirrup pumps (used in conjunction with a bucker of water) would have been very hard work for a juvenile to use, on the basis of his/her weight alone. Luftschutz helmets are a subject in themselves. Most Luftschutz members wore the "gladiator" helmet, which came, from a number of manufacturers, in one, two and three piece variants. Luftschutz members were expected to buy their helmet for RM5. The "gladiators" were relatively light, a weakness discovered in the course of early war air raids. As a result, a limited number of combat-type helmets, many in a two-piece format, were made available. Also, some Luftschutz avoided the RM5 charge by obtaining old pattern combat helmets as well as captured Russian, Czechoslovak, Polish etc helmets and (later) Italian helmets. British "Brodies" do not seem to be popular, although this is not unknown. Since the Luftschutz was organized on a local level, down to "blocks" in cities regarded as particular targets, there is also considerable variation in decal insignia, although helmets specifically made for the organization usually carry the official Luftschutz insignia at the front. In areas of high bombing threat, Luftschutz contingents were expected to operate on a shift basis, with the "off" shift sleeping (if possible) in bunkers, bomb shelters and "bomb-proof basements". Their duties were generally similar to those of British Air Raid Wardens - assisting the police and fire service (also part of the Ordnungspolizei), directing civilians to shelters in the event of an impending air raid, enforcing the blackout and acting as a "first instance" fire extinguishing service where possible (hence the stirrup pumps). By contrast with the British ARP, the task of the Luftschutz became progressively more difficult as the war progressed. Its activity could only be effective in conjunction with effective fighter and anti-aircraft cover, and these were progressively overwhelmed by the establishment of Allied air superiority and, ultimately, air supremacy. For example, the business of directing people to bunkers and shelters became increasingly ineffective when heavy bombing with incendiaries turned these shelters into what amounted to gas chambers, and a stirrup pump is not very useful against a firestorm. Many of the HJ Luftschutz members eventually found themselves manning anti-aircraft guns, or dragooned into the Volkssturm to reinforce Nazi Germany's last stand. Best regards, JR.