Great Photo

[Jonathan M]

I don't own this photo but i think its a great one to post. A DRK nurse awarded the EKII, OstMedaille and SWB. Enjoy.

Jonathan

[bikerboyzx6r]

Fantastic!

[KBH]

SUPER!!!

[DaveNZ]

wow havent seen a picture like that before

without wanting to look foolish here i have to ask: was it possible for women to earn and wear the likes of wound badges, ost medals and eks etc

I know Hanna Reitsch won the EK1 but thats as far as my knowledge goes on these matters.

how common was it for a woman to get the wound badge or ost front etc?
cheers

dave

[Glenn McInnes]

I would think they could also have been awarded to her Husband,and she is wearing them in his memory.





Glenn

[Jonathan M]

I'm thinking that if she was clsoe enough to the frontline tending the wounded say during the period the Ost Medaille was awarded, she could have exhibited bravery under fire and maybe wounded by shrapnel or such other. Yet again Glenn's suggestion is more plausible!

Jonathan

[Øyvind]

A Norwegian frontline nurse from div Wiking (Anne Gunhild Moxsnes)
She earned here EKII 9. March 1944 for duties performed during an air raid on Reval.

Regards
Øyvind

[HPL2008]

I would think they could also have been awarded to her Husband,and she is wearing them in his memory.

I'm thinking that if she was clsoe enough to the frontline tending the wounded say during the period the Ost Medaille was awarded, she could have exhibited bravery under fire and maybe wounded by shrapnel or such other. Yet again Glenn's suggestion is more plausible!

Wearing a deceased family member's decorations would have been unlawful. Anyway, the woman we see here has certainly earned her awards. This is DRK sister Elfriede Wnuk, who was awarded her Iron Cross on 19 September 1942 as only the second female recipient in WW2. (The first being Hanna Reitsch.)
Working at a rearward area in the mid-sector of the eastern front at 26 years of age, Ms. Wnuk was so severely wounded by shrapnel during a Soviet air raid that one of her legs had to amputated.
The third female Iron Cross recipient, DRK sister Magda Darchinger also held the Eastern Campaign medal and the Silver Wound Badge as well.

[Jonathan M]

Thanks for the heads up HPL2008

Jonathan

[Nigel N]

I'm thinking that if she was clsoe enough to the frontline tending the wounded say during the period the Ost Medaille was awarded, she could have exhibited bravery under fire and maybe wounded by shrapnel or such other. Yet again Glenn's suggestion is more plausible!

Jonathan

i think youre right with this theory! there were only 27 women awarded the ek2 as far as i know, this women looks like ilse schulz, but i could be wrong, maybe someone will know!!

[HPL2008]

i think youre right with this theory! there were only 27 women awarded the ek2 as far as i know, this women looks like ilse schulz, but i could be wrong, maybe someone will know!!

As I already said, it's Elfriede Wnuk.

The Wikimedia page even has the original official text for this press photo:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi..._mit_EK_II.jpg