Page 185 - Le donne nel primo conflitto mondiale - Dalle linee avanzate al fronte interno: La grande guerra delle italiane - Atti 25-26 novembre 2015

II Sessione: ZONE DI GUERRA 185

the heavy losses by renewed enlistments or combing out formations in the rear area
and staffs. To raise the necessary 1.5 to 2 million soldiers several measures were envi-
saged. Soldiers assigned to armaments production, military staffs and establishments
in the zone of communication were to be replaced in a so called ‘exchange action’
(Austauschaktion). This affected women as well since they were expected to replace
most of these men. Furthermore, the exemptions from military service, on grounds
of indispensability from civilian jobs deemed to be essential for the war effort, were
significantly reduced and it was even considered to raise the age limits for the obliga-
tory ‘Landsturm’ service. 10
In January 1917 the Hungarian ministry of defence proposed to draw increasin-
11
gly on so called ‘female auxiliaries’ apart from the traditional medical services. At first
this proposal was not supported. As no general solution for the manpower shortages
could be agreed upon between the ministries of defence of both parts of the Empire
and the common war ministry until spring 1917, Emperor Karl I decreed the imposi-
tion of a superordinated common institution responsible for the army replacements.
It was headed by the ‘Head of Replacement Affairs of the Joint Armed Forces’ (Chef
des Ersatzwesens für die gesamte Bewaffnete Macht), who was now expected to im-
plement all measures necessary to provide the number of replacements necessary.
At that time numerous female auxiliaries had already been employed in the ‘army
in the field’. Apart from the aforementioned ‘army sisters’ these women had primarily
been hired on the individual initiative of offices and institutions in the zone of com-
munications. To avoid having to provide feeding and accommodation the authorities
tried to recruit only local women, who were to be employed for minor service only.
The salaries had to be in accordance with local wage levels, whereby the Austro-Hun-
garian Supreme Command at first had not issued orders regarding the employment of
female auxiliaries. 12
This changed in 1917 and should also affect the aforementioned medical services, as
female auxiliaries were now employed for non-medical tasks as well. Such duties com-
prised the work of kitchen personal, auxiliary office workers and household servants.
The Supreme Command nevertheless stipulated that women should only be appointed

10 Rudolf Hecht, Heeresergänzung-Österreich-Ungarn im Ersten Weltkrieg, Vienna 2010, p. 284.
11 Both parts of the empire had their own ministries of defence which didn’t replace but complement
the common war ministry.
12 OeStA/KA/AhoB/ChdE, 18-1/4 1917, ‘Weibliche Arbeitskräfte’.

II-sessione.indd 185 05/05/16 10:32