215. Organisation Todt: OT-Einsatzgruppenleiter I, 1944, Service Uniform.
The Organisation Todt or OT was yet another prime example of a uniformed organisation, created during the time of the Third Reich, which had no historical connection and it was during its period of existence constantly altering its uniform styles, rearranging its rank terms and changing its rank insignia. The Organisation Todt was created and originally directed by Dr Fritz Todt. As a qualified civil engineer it was he who was responsible before the war for the construction of tnuch of the Autobahn system throughout Germany and for the building of the German 'West Wall' defensive system known as the Siegfried Line. In 1940 he was appointed as Minister of Armaments, a position he held until his death in an aircraft crash in 1942. As Armaments Minister he was succeeded by Albert Speer (No. 212). Speer was born in 1905. He was an architect by profession. He joined the Nazi Party in 1932 and on succeeding Professor Troost he became Hitler's personal architect in 1934. He designed the New Reich Chancellery built in Berlin together with the Nurnberg Kongresshalle and other major works. In 1942 on the death of Fritz Todt he was appointed Minister of War Production and Armaments and was also made responsible for State construction work. He proved to be an extremely able organiser, so much so that production and output of war material increased during the years 1943-44 far beyond what had previously been achieved despite the massive Allied boInbing offensive levelled against German industry. As a Minister of State Speer wore a uniform similar to that worn by senior OT officials but without OT rank insignia. Silver cording worn around the edge of the collar indicated his Ministerial position (No. 212. See also Nos. 187-189.) OT construction workers, once war had broken out, found themselves in front-line situations. It was necessary to arm the German personnel in order that they could defend themselves against surprise attacks from the enemy or partisans. Efforts were made so that every German worker, regardless of age, received some instruction in the use of weapons, mostly small arms. Equipment was scarce, most of it going to the regular Armed Forces so that OT units were forced to make do with whatever captured or obsolete stocks they could lay their hands on (No. 213). OT Einsatzgruppen (Work Groups) were employed in construction work in France (the Atlantic Wall etc), Italy (various defensive positions) and the Low Countries. The OT co-operated closely with German and foreign private construction and supply firms and as the war progressed made full use of ever increasing numbers of foreign workers, sometimes slave labour. The transport system used by the Organisation Todt was maintained by the NSKK.

214. Technische Nothilfe: Unterwachtmeister der TN, 1945, Fatigue Uniform.
For heavy duty work such as clearing rubble or working in difficult and dirty areas a fatigue uniform of strong, drill material consisting of ajacket and shapeless trousers was issued to TeNo personnel. They wore their TeNo arm eagle emblem on the left upper arm and the black and grey 'Technische Nothilfe' cuff-title on the left sleeve (see also Nos. 217, 218, 219, & 276).

216. Transportkorps Speer: Stabskapit�in, 1944, Service Uniform.
At the begining of hostilities NSKK transport units were attached to Army and Luftwaffe formations in an effort to supplement the transportation of these regular front-line troops. As the war developed even more NSKK units participated and they became organised, first into Regiments (NSKK-Transport-Regiment 'Luftwaffe' for example), later into Groups and Brigades (NSKK-Transportgruppe 'Todt' and NSKK-Transportbrigade 'Speer') and finally in 1944 they were all grouped together under one title 'Transportkorps Speer', with its Regiments going to the Luftwaffe and the Army. Late in 1944 a new olive-brown coloured uniform was introduced for all ranks of the 'Transportkorps Speer' (No. 216). It had aluminium buttons, brown collar and collar patches of an unusual design displaying the stylised letters 'SP' on both patches. Rank was indicated by the shoulder straps. SP Army units wore the Army pattern national emblem over the right breast pocket.

217. Technical Emergency Corps: TeNo Scharf�hrer, 1940, Greatcoat.
218. Technical Emergency Corps: TeNo Hauptbereitschaftsf�hrer, General Service Branch, 1944, Undress Uniform.
219. Technical Emergency Corps: TeNo Vormann, 1942, Field Service (Armed Forces) Uniform.
The Technical Emergency Corps or Technische Nothilfe (TeNo) founded in September 1919 by the Weimar Government functioned as a strike-breaking organisation which concerned itself chiefly with maintaining vital public services. During the latter years of the Republic when there were few strikes it was used mainly as a technical reserve in case of natural catastrophe. After 1933 it was reorganised as a national force and in 1937 it was incorporated into the Ordnungspolizei. Its main task was to cope with all emergencies and dangers to the public with emphasis on gas and air defence. During the war its role was extended to provide technically trained personnel for emergency work and to deal with breakdowns in public services. The bulk of their work was of an air raid defence nature with the emphasis on protecting vital public utility services. In addition to this home front work units of the TeNo known as TeNo Kommandos operated with the Wehrmacht employed on construction and repair work. They were often used on a large scale in military operations for repairing damage, clearing waterways, repairing lock-gates, operating pumping stations and generating plants amongst other skilled and important tasks. Portions ofthese TeNo Kommandos were incorporated into the German Army and Air Force as technical troops (Technische Truppen) which eventually lost their identity as TeNo units entirely. The pre-war uniforms worn by TeNo personnel were dark navy-blue (Nos. 217 & 218). Its use during the war years declined and it tended to be restricted to those persons already possessing it. For the purposes of both pre-war and war-time work involving TeNo troops when the work was ofa hard or dirty nature an off white herringbone drill suit of jacket and trousers was issued as a work uniform (see No. 214). The field-grey Armed Forces style uniform was worn by TeNo units operating in the field assisting with tasks for the German Forces (No. 219). Worn with the Field Service TeNo uniform by those personnel attached to the Armed Forces was the yellow armband bearing the black gothic lettering 'Deutsche Wehrmacht'. This was a common practice used by a number of German para-military formations or foreign, non-German volunteer units when serving in the field as the use of this arm band, it was claimed, established the wearer as a genuine member of the German Armed Forces entitled to the same privileges as afforded to regular German armed forces personnel (No. 219, see also No. 73 and similarly Nos. 184, 185 & 186). The TeNo had four branches all of which were distinguished by the use offour different colours. Blue was used by the Technical Service Branch, Technischedienst or TD, red for the Air Raid Protection Service Branch, the Luftschutz-dienst or LD, orange-yellow for the Emergency Service, the Bereitschaftsdienst or ED and green for the General Service or Allgemeiner Dienst, AD. The colours were used on the coloured side arm knots by TeNo men and NCOs and as piping to the collar of the dark blue tunics by officers (No. 218). Those TeNo personnel who had successfully passed through the TeNo Reich Training School were permitted to wear on their left upper sleeve of their tunics and greatcoats the silver and black TeNo Tyr-rune emblem.

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