Female members of the Unione Nazionale Protezione Antiaerea (UNPA, “National Union for Anti-Aircraft Protection”) being trained in first aid in Brescia, Northern Italy, 1940s. [1024 x 704]
The UNPA was a volunteer organization created in Italy in 1934 and tasked with instructing the civilian population about how to behave in case of air raids; manage air raid shelters; participate in the rescue efforts after the raids, helping to rescue survivors, recover the dead, clear the rubble, etc. Its members did not man the Flak or perform other ‘military’ task, the UNPA was essentially a “civil defense” organization, roughly comparable, for instance, to the British Civil Defence Service. Its members were recruited among men exempt or rejected for military service (elderly men, men with physical impairment – to the point that in some parts of Italy terms like “only good for the UNPA” became derogatory expressions) as well as women.
dormyguy
Just to be clear: these women were likely all fascists. Not so cool…
Lavrentio
The UNPA was a volunteer organization created in Italy in 1934 and tasked with instructing the civilian population about how to behave in case of air raids; manage air raid shelters; participate in the rescue efforts after the raids, helping to rescue survivors, recover the dead, clear the rubble, etc. Its members did not man the Flak or perform other ‘military’ task, the UNPA was essentially a “civil defense” organization, roughly comparable, for instance, to the British Civil Defence Service. Its members were recruited among men exempt or rejected for military service (elderly men, men with physical impairment – to the point that in some parts of Italy terms like “only good for the UNPA” became derogatory expressions) as well as women.
dormyguy
Just to be clear: these women were likely all fascists. Not so cool…