 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Technische Nothilfe" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(April 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Technische Nothilfe | |
 Standard of the TN during the Third Reich | |
| Civil defence overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 30 September 1919 (1919-09-30) |
| Dissolved | May 1945 |
| SupersedingCivil defence | |
| Jurisdiction |  Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany |
| Civil defence executive | |
Technische Nothilfe (abbreviated as TN, T.N, T.H, Tech Nh, TeNo, TENO;lit. 'Technical Emergency Corps') was a German organisation. It began as astrikebreaker organisation after theFirst World War, but developed into a volunteer emergency response unit. During the Nazi period TN became in charge of technicalcivil defence.
The TN was founded on 30 September 1919 byOtto Lummitzsch [de] with the stated purpose to protect and maintain vital and strategic facilities (e.g., gas works, water works, power stations, railways, post offices, agriculture concerns and food production activities). At the time (1919–1923), these vital infrastructure facilities were under threat fromsabotage and attack during a period bordering oncivil war, which was caused by the collapse of German economy following the end ofWorld War I and exacerbated by a spate of politically motivatedwildcat strikes, usually by left-wing elements. In effect they were strike-breakers.
The organization was formed from primarily post World War I army engineering/technical unit members, and transitioned into a volunteer civilian organization which was registered by the Department of the Interior. The change was required by thedemilitarisation requirements of theTreaty of Versailles, in order that the TN would not be classified as a military organization. Based on the nature of its operations, the background of its personnel was mainly conservative middle class, but included a large number of students, especially those in technical studies. In theWeimar Republic period, the TN was seen as a threat by the working class and thus aroused the animosity of trade unionists, and more particularly theCommunist Party of Germany. The TN intervened as a volunteer aide organization, when strikes could not be avoided, and when the public welfare was endangered as in strikes of electricity, food service and railroad workers.
As economic conditions improved (after about 1925) and strikes became less common and less aggressive, the TN was able to shift its activities into public welfare areas such as disaster relief (Katastrophendienst), with respect to floods, fires, industrial accidents, bridge and railway collapses; as well as responding to motor vehicle accidents in the countryside. A mobileBereitschaftdienst (BD; literally ‘Call Service’) was set up, in order to be able to more readily respond. Clandestine air raid protection activities also began in the late 1920s – early 1930s as theLuftschutzdienst (LD; ‘Air Protection Service’). From 1931 to 1934, the TN also became involved in theFreiwilligen Arbeitsdienst (FAD; 'Volunteer Labour Service') and supervised training at over 12,000 locations. The FAD was later morphed into theReichsarbeitsdienst (RAD).Throughout theThird Reich the TN, within Germany, focused oncivil defence — air raid rescue, general disaster response, and relief work. From 1936 the TN was gradually absorbed intoOrdnungspolizei as an auxiliary police organization and it came under the ultimate control ofHeinrich Himmler, as the head of the police, and ultimately the SS. From June 1, 1943, the TN members, serving outside of theReich, wore the green uniform of the Police and were referred to as the TN-Police. In addition to working within Germany, the TN was active in Nazi-occupied countries from September 1, 1939 asEinsatzgruppen, which followed theWehrmacht and restored vital services and functions in Poland, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Norway. Local TN branch organisations were formed in some occupied countries, notably as theTechnische Noodhulp in the Netherlands and as theTeknisk Nødhjelp inNorway.
The TNEinsatzgruppen participated in the occupation of the Saar, Austria, Sudetenland, Poland and then in the Western Campaigns of 1940. Their purpose was to secure vital industries, prevent or repair sabotage, rebuild the infrastructure (bridges, power plants, drinking water facilities, wastewater facilities, etc.) TN units were taken intoLuftwaffe (air force) service early on and other TN units intoHeer (land army) service in mid 1941. Those in Army were named theTechnische Truppen, which was commanded byErich Hampe, the long termStellv. Chef der TN [#2 TN man from 1919 to 1940]. Also, some TN units served in theKriegsmarine (Navy), although it is poorly documented. Other TN units, under the control of the TN Headquarters (Reichsamt Technische Nothilfe), remained in service until the end of World War II.
In 1945, the victoriousAllies dissolved the TN. Its functions were assumed again in 1950 when Otto Lummitzsch was requested by theWest German government to form theTechnisches Hilfswerk (literally: 'Technical Relief') which exists to the present day with civil defence responsibilities and also participates in worldwide disaster relief responses.
| No. | Portrait | Chief of the TN | Took office | Left office | Time in office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ![Otto Lummitzsch [de]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aNo_image.png) | Lummitzsch, OttoOtto Lummitzsch [de] (1886–1962) | January 1919 | April 1934 | 15 years, 3 months |
| 2 | ![Hans Weinreich [de]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aBundesarchiv_Bild_121-0140%2c_Berlin%2c_italienische_Polizeif%25C3%25BChrer%2c_Empfang_(cropped).jpg) | Weinreich, HansHans Weinreich [de] (1896–1963) | April 1934 | September 1943 | 9 years, 5 months |
| 3 |  | Schmelcher, WillyWilly Schmelcher (1894–1974) | 15 October 1943 | May 1945 | 1 year, 6 months |
| No. | Portrait | Deputy Chief of the TN | Took office | Left office | Time in office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Hampe, ErichErich Hampe (1889–1978) | 1920 | 1941 | 20–21 years |
| Collar insignia | Shoulder insignia | Ranks | Equivalent rank in theWehrmacht | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1936–1943 | 1936–1943[1][2] | 1943–1945[3] | ||
 | TN-Anwärter | Anwärter der Technische Nothilfe | Soldat | |
| TN-Mann | — | Obersoldat | ||
 | TN-Vormann | Unterwachtmeister der Technische Nothilfe | Gefreiter | |
 | TN-Obervormann | Rottwachtmeister der Technische Nothilfe | Obergefreiter | |
 |  | TN-Scharführer | Wachtmeister der Technische Nothilfe | Unteroffizier |
| — | Oberwachtmeister der Technische Nothilfe | Unterfeldwebel | ||
 | TN-Oberscharführer | Zugwachtmeister der Technische Nothilfe | Feldwebel | |
 | TN-Hauptscharführer | Hauptwachtmeister der Technische Nothilfe | Oberfeldwebel | |
 | TN-Stabsscharführer | Meister der Technische Nothilfe | Stabsfeldwebel | |
 | TN-Kameradschaftsführer | Zugführer der Technische Nothilfe | Leutnant | |
 | TN-Gemeinschaftsführer | Oberzugführer der Technische Nothilfe | Oberleutnant | |
 | TN-Gefolgschaftsführer | Bereitschaftsführer der Technische Nothilfe | Hauptmann | |
 | TN-Bereitschaftsführer | Abteilungsführer der Technische Nothilfe | Major | |
 | TN-Hauptbereitschaftsführer | Oberabteilungsführer der Technische Nothilfe | Oberstleutnant | |
 |  | TN-Bezirksführer | Landesführer der Technische Nothilfe | Oberst |
 |  | TN-Landesführer | ||
 |  | Stellvertretender Chef der Technische Nothilfe | — | Generalmajor |
 | Chef der Technische Nothilfe | Chef der Technische Nothilfe | Generalleutnant | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
