Hi John,
The following is composed from some snippets of information I’ve gathered over time, mostly from German websites. Not very complete but maybe it can help you along in your research.
Under command of Pionier Leutnant Otto Lummitzsch the Technische Anstalt of the Garden Kavallerie Schützen Division in Berlin was formed shortly after the end of WW I. It was in effect a technical Freikorps and was meant to protect vital services like railroads, postal services, food production, storage and distribution centres, gasproduction, powerstations and waterservices against sabotage and strikes in the unruly early Weimar Republic. Other cities took over this initiative and the name Technische Nothilfe began to be applied to all such units and was made formal by the Reichswehrminister Gustav Noske on 30 September 1919.
Though it started as a (para)military organisation the Treaty of Versailles soon made it necessary to change the TeNO to a voluntary service and it became part of the Ministery of the Interior. Most volunteers were either conservative middleclass or students and by 1924 the organisation reached almost half a million members. Most labourers viewed them as ‘The Enemy’ since they were regularly used to break strikes and many pitched battles were fought.
During the late twenties when the German economic situation was more stable and there were hardly any strikes or sabotage acts to deal with the TeNo was mostly used as a resource for technical personnel by police and firebrigades and as a unit to help combat the effects of natural disasters. Membership went down to some 186.000 people in 1930
In the early thirties the TeNo was reduced to the level of the Freiwillige Arbeitsdienst
After the Nazi’s came to power the TeNo started to grow again and was mostly responsible for the protection of civilians and vital services against air-raids and gasattacks. Starting in 1936/7 the TeNo became a part of the Ordnungs Polizei and was led from the Reichsamt TN in Berlin-Steglitz. Landes- Bezirks- and Ortsgruppen were the smaller subordinated units.
In 1934 the original commander Lummitszch was removed from his post because he was married to a half-jewess. Later commanders were Hans Weinreich from June-37 to July-43 and Willi Schmelcher from July-43 to the German capitulation.
During the war the TeNo was active in Germany as well as in the occupied territories. In Holland and Norway local versions were formed. The TeNo was still mostly used to defend against air-raids by building shelters and Flakemplacements and by cleaning up the rubble after the raids. Also the logistics concerned with these matters seem to have been part of their work.
The ranks used by the TeNo:
Reichsführer der TeNo
Stellv. Reichsführer der TeNo
Landesführer der TeNo
Oberabteilungsführer der TeNo
Abteilungsführer der TeNo
Bereitschaftsführer der TeNo
Oberzugführer der TeNo
Zugführer der TeNo
Meister der TeNo
Bereitschaftsleiter der TeNo
Hauptwachtmeister der TeNo
Zugwachtmeister der TeNo
Oberwachtmeister der TeNo
Wachtmeister der TeNo
Rottwachtmeister der TeNo
Unterwachtmeister der TeNo
Anwärter der TeNo
Apart from the TeNo corps there were also TeNo Kommandos that were integrated into the Wehrheer and Luftwaffe where they were mostly employed to assist in large construction and repair programmes. They became the Technische Truppen of the Army.
Two short biographies of the TeNo commanders taken from this site:
http://www.geocities.com/~orion47/SS-POLIZEI/TENO.html
WEINREICH, Hans
(1896 - 19 )
SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Polizei / M.d.R.:
Born: 5. 09. 1896 in Merseberg
Died:
NSDAP-Nr: 5 920
SS-Nr: 278 160
Promotions:
Gen.Lt.d.Pol.: 1.12.42; char. Gen.Lt.d.Pol.: 12.41; Gen.Maj.d.Pol.: 1.01.41; Ehrenhalber SS-Gruppenführer: 1.03.33; SA-Gruf.: 1932
Career:
In retirement: 1.07.1944 - 1945
Chef des Amtes TN, HA-ORPO: 12.1941 - 07.1943
Chef der TN (RATN): 06.1937 - 06.1943
Reichsführer der Technischen Nothilfe (TeNo/TN; Technical Emergency Corps): 10.1934 - 06.1937
Mitglied der Reichstages (Wahlkreis Merseburg): 12.11.1933 -
Stabsführer beim Insp. der SA: 1933 -
Mitglied der Preuß.Landtages: 1932 -
SA-Gruppenführer z.b.V. der Obersten-SA-Führung: 1932 -
1919/1920: Polizei Offizier in Berlin. World War I Service:
Commissioned Leutnant d.R.: 1917
Notes:
Landwirtschftliches Studium Verwalter, Kaufmännischer Angestellter im Leunawerk.
Decorations & Awards:
1914 EK I
1914 EK II
Verwundetenabzeichen, 1918 in Silber
Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
Landesorden
Goldenes Parteiabzeichen
Ehrendegen des RF SS / Totenkopfring
SCHMELCHER, Willy
(1894 - 1974)
SS-Gruppenführer und Generalleutnant der Polizei / Chef der TeNo / M.d.R.:
Born: 25.Oct. 1894.
Died: 15. Feb. 1974 in Saarbrücken.
NSDAP-Nr.: 90 783/SS-Nr.: 2 648
Promotions:
SS-Gruf.u.Gen.Lt.d.Pol.: 9. Nov. 1943; SS-Brigf.u.Gen.Maj.d.Pol.: 16. Sep. 1942; SS-Oberf.: 15. Sep. 1935; SS-Staf.: 20. Apr. 1933; SS-Stubaf.: 10. Sep. 1932; SS-Sturmhauptfuhrer: 0. Sep. 1932; SS-Sturmfuhrer: 30. Jan. 1931; SA-Staf.: ;
Assignments:
Chef der Technische Nothilfe (TeNo/Technical Emergency corps) in Hauptamt Ordnungspolizei: 15. Oct. 1943-May 1945.
SSPF "Shitomir" (Zhitomir): May 1943 - Sep. 1943
SSPF "Tschernigow": Nov. 1941 - Jul. 1942.
Chief, Civil Administration, area of Armeeoberkommando I: 1940 - 1941.
Polizeiprasident in Metz: Dec. 1942 - Oct. 1943.
Polizeiprasident in Saarbrucken: Mar. 1935 - Oct. 1942.
Leutnant d.R. in Infanterieregiment 70, Western Campaign: 1940. Decorations & Awards:
1939 Spange zum 1914 EK I
1939 Spange zum 1914 EK II
1914 EK I: 5.03.1918
1914 EK II: 21.01.1916
KVK I m. Schw.
KVK II m. Schw.
Verwundetenabzeichen, 1918 in Silber
Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
Goldenes Parteiabzeichen
Dienstauszeichnung der NSDAP in Silber
Reichssportabzeichen in Gold
Ehrendegen des RF SS / Totenkopfring der SS
Some sites with various pictures of the Technische Nothilfe
http://www.ernstfam.de/chron270.htm
http://www.thw-braunschweig.de/geschichte/nothilfe.htm
I haven't found any books in English about the Techische Nothilfe but there are some in German. Run it through Google and maybe you can find some translations. I stopped after viewing the first 50 links.
Best regards,
Paul