What does TENO stand for?

[skelly]

Good morning,
A friend of mine got a knife that at one time belonged to a member in a TENO unit. What were thier funtion? What does TENO mean?
Thank you for any answers,
Steve

[Peter J.]

Hi Steve,

TeNo or TN, the Technische Nothilfe (Technical Emergency Corps) was formed 1919 as a voluntary organisation. It's main purpose was to perform stand-by duty in case of any general strike. It was absorbed into the Police organisation in 1937 and finally into the SS network.

KR
Peter

[skelly]

Peter,

Thank you very much for the information,
Best regards,
Steve

[Craig Gottlieb]

Not sure what "stand by" service is, but I do understand that the Teno served during and after air raids, helping to repair buildings and services after such raids. Field units were also organized to operate with the German Army in Germany as well as in occupied areas. These units were used for demolition work, clearing waterways and repairing damage to public utilities such as power lines and railroads. In a nutshell, they were a civil engineering corps of sorts. The leadership cadre of full-time personnel wore uniforms daggers and awards of the type we collect.

[skelly]

Craig,

Thanks for the reply. A fellow employee was given a dagger by his aunt and was curious what it was and wh would wear it. I have one more (or tw0 ) questions. It has an hanger with an acorn attached to it. The crown of acorn is red and the bottom of acorn is silver. What does this mean? Is a a rank of the member? It is a dagger in excellent condition with a yellow handle and the numbers on the dagger and scabard match. Of course he wants to know its worth. I told him to hang on to it......hope he listens to me
thanks once again for all your help gentlemen/ladys
Steve

[Donald Abenheim]

Hi Steve,

TeNo or TN, the Technische Nothilfe (Technical Emergency Corps) was formed 1919 as a voluntary organisation. It's main purpose was to perform stand-by duty in case of any general strike. It was absorbed into the Police organisation in 1937 and finally into the SS network.

KR
Peter

The above is of great merit, especially as concerns the situation in Germany immediately after 9 November 1918 of a Bolshevik revolution or internal disturbances of different kinds that would have crippled public utilities, as then later did happen in Berlin in 1931 with a strike of the transit system. Much of the Nazi organizations we interest ourselves in derived from the institutional response to civil disturbances and a Reich-wide kind of first reponse, as it were. The Technische Nothilfe or Technisches Hilfskwerk still exists in Germany and is used for disaster relief not only in Germany itself, but far afield as part of Germany's humanitarian relief to stricken areas. As to repair after air raids, much of this was also done by special SS Baubrigaden recruited from the concentration camp system. As the allied air offensive grew in its destruction ca. 1943/4, all of the civil-military agencies on the German homefront were mobilized, not the least of which was the NSDAP itself. If you are interested and can read German, I have wonderful titles on this score. The most important of which is volume IX of the official history of Germany in the II. World War published by the Militaergeschichtliches Forschungsamt in Potsdam.

[Peter J.]

Not sure what "stand by" service is, but I do understand that the Teno served during and after air raids, helping to repair buildings and services after such raids. Field units were also organized to operate with the German Army in Germany as well as in occupied areas. These units were used for demolition work, clearing waterways and repairing damage to public utilities such as power lines and railroads. In a nutshell, they were a civil engineering corps of sorts. The leadership cadre of full-time personnel wore uniforms daggers and awards of the type we collect.

Absolutely correct Craig. I forgot the word "initially" . Donald, thanks for the additional information

KR
Peter