Female administrators of the Third Reich

277 Pages·2017·2.83 MB·English

by  Century

Palgrave Studies in the History
of Genocide
Series Editors
Thomas Kühne
Clark University, USA
Deborah Mayersen
University of Wollongong, Australia
Tom Lawson
Northumbria University, United Kingdom
Genocidehasshapedhumanexperiencethroughouthistoryandisoneof
thegreatestchallengesofthetwenty-firstcentury.PalgraveStudiesinthe
HistoryofGenocideisdedicatedtothestudyofthisphenomenonacross
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passes both comparative work, which considers genocide across time and
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RachelCentury
Female
Administrators
of the Third Reich
RachelCentury
HolocaustMemorialDayTrust
London,UnitedKingdom
PalgraveStudiesintheHistoryofGenocide
ISBN978-1-137-54892-4 ISBN978-1-137-54893-1(eBook)
DOI10.1057/978-1-137-54893-1
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2017945091
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This bookis dedicatedfirst andforemost to all the victims
of theHolocaustand Nazipersecution, especiallythosewhosenames
are longforgotten.
Secondly,this bookis dedicatedto the lateProfessor DavidCesarani
whoworked tirelesslyto ensurethat theirnameswere not forgotten.
A
CKNOWLEDGMENTS
SinceIwasinspiredbythelate,greatProfessorDavidCesaranitobegina
PhD,hewasabeaconofsupportasmysupervisor,alwayskeentohearmy
latest archival findings, and offering valuable insights. I could not have
askedforabettersupervisorandImisshim,hisadviceandsupportgreatly.
Thanks must also go to Professors Jane Caplan and Lisa Pine, my PhD
examiners, for their suggestions and advice on turning the thesis into a
book.
I have visited many archives and libraries in the course of my research.
Iwouldliketothankallthearchivistsandlibrarianswhohaveassistedme,
both in the UK, including the British Library, the Wiener Library, Senate
HouseLibrary,andtheInstituteforHistoricalResearch,andabroad,nota-
blytheBundesarchivinbothBerlinandLudwigsburg,theLandesarchivin
Berlin, the Staatsbibliothek, Berlin, and the Landesarchiv in Hannover.
Particular thanks must go to the German Historical Institute, London
(GHIL),whosestaffarealwayssowelcomingandfriendly,andtoClaudia
Steur at the Topography of Terrors Documentation Centre, Berlin, for
providingmewithmoreinformationthanIcouldhavehopedfor.
Myresearchwouldnothavebeenpossiblewithoutthemanyorganisa-
tions,institutionsandindividualswhoprovidedmewithfinancialsupport.
Many thanks to all these: Royal Holloway for awarding me a College
Research Scholarship; Bnei Brith Foundation for a two year scholarship;
the Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst (German Academic
Exchange Service) for providing me with a two month scholarship;
GHIL for a one month scholarship; the German History Society for a
researchgrant;FriendlyHandforfundingseveralbursariesallowingmeto
vii
viii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
research abroad and attend conferences; and the Michael & Morven
Heller Charitable Foundation, Alan Brill, and the Lewin Lowenstein
Trust.
I would also like to thank everyone at Palgrave Macmillan who has
worked on the book, particularly Emily Russell, who patiently answered
mymanyquestions,andtheserieseditors,TomLawson(whoencouraged
metosubmitaproposalinthefirstplace),ThomasKühne,andDeborah
Mayersen.
Iamgratefultomyfamily,especiallymysisterNaomi,andfriendswho
have been a valuable support network, provided me with great assistance
andencouragement,andwhohaveenduredmyabsencesasIhavedevoted
increasingamountsoftimetomyresearch.Iwouldliketothankthemall
for their understanding and support. Above all, I would like to thank my
husband Dan, who has proof-read every word countless times, and our
boysZack andToby, whohaven’t proof-readanything.
C
ONTENTS
1 Introduction 1
PartI Hitler’sHelferinnen
2 Womenin Servicefor the Fatherland 17
3 WomenatWork 51
PartII Sex, LiesandStenography
4 Typing forthe Third Reich 83
5 Secretaries,Secrets andGenocide 115
6 MakeLove andWar 131
PartIII Chaos,Confusionand Consequences
7 TheEnd ofthe War 159
ix
x CONTENTS
8 Condemnedtothe Consequences 175
9 Conclusion 205
Glossaryof GermanTerms andOrganisations 227
SS Ranks 231
BibliographyandSources 233
Index 265