Figure 1.-- The Reich Labor Service was created for young people after they had finished school. It was part of a Depression era program to create jobs for young people and work on useful public proects. It also provided military desciplin and thus was a useful experience for future soldiers. The RAD once the War began had provided a pool of labor to work on military projects. By 1944 as the Allies approached the borders of the Reich, the RAD began to be find itself in combat situations. Put your cursor on the image to see the offical RAD caption on the back.

The Reich Labor Service was created for young people after they had finished school. It was part of a Depression era program to create jobs for young people and work on useful public proects. It also provided military desciplin and thus was a useful experience for future soldiers. The RAD once the War began had provided a pool of labor to work on military projects. The RAD by 1943 was militarized and armed. The RAD continued working on construction projects, but they also were given many military assignments, including laying minefields and workig on anti-tank defenses. There were many other projects assigned as war work. They worked on fire-fighting, helped clear bomb damage and construct bomb shelters as well as temporary accommodation for bombed-out civilians. Some RAD personnel were used in actual combat roles as the War continued. They manned fortifications and anti-tank and anti-aircraft positions. As the war continued, mora and more men of younger ages were drafted into the military and the strength of the RAD was sharply reduced. By 1944 as the Allies approached the borders of the Reich, the RAD began to be find itself in combat situations. The NAZI art work here had this caption on the back (as best I can make out), "520/Arboitaryun: Die deutsche Jugend, die einmal mit der Waffe in der Hand für die Heimat kämpfen wird, hat durch die Erziehung und Führung in unserer Jugendorganisation und durch die harte Schule des RAD gelernt, mit allen Schwierigkeiten und mit jeder Lage fertig zu werden. Jeder junge deutsche Mann, der die Reihen des RAD verlässt, besitzt das Rüstzeug das er benötigt um im großen Kampf, den das Reich zu führen gezwungen ist, siegend zu bestehen." The credit line is: "RAD.-Zeichn. Kriegsber.: Stübner/Atl., 16.2.1944: R.E.M." This means something like: "520/Arboitaryun: The German youth, who one day are going to fight for the Heimat [Homeland] with a weapon in their hand, have learned to solve all difficulties and every situation through education and leadership in our youth organisation and through the hard school of the RAD. Every young German man, who leaves the ranks of the RAD, having the equipment that he needs in the big war that the Reich has been forced to wage, stands victoriously." The credit LINE is: "wheel-draw. Kriegsber.: Stuebner/Atl., 16.2.1944: R.E.M." The date is February 16, 1944. Note the NAZI line that Germany had "been forced" to fight the War.

Created: 7:19 PM 8/29/2007
Last updated: 7:19 PM 8/29/2007