Reichsluftschutzbund

The Reichsluftschutzbund (RLB) "(National Air Raid Protection League)" was an organization in Nazi Germany in charge of air raid precautions in residential areas and among smaller businesses.
Purpose.
The RLB was organized by Hermann Göring in 1933 as a voluntary association. Existing volunteer air raid precaution associations were forced to merge with RLB. In 1939 the RLB became a "Körperschaft des öffentlichen Rechts" (quasi-autonomous non-governmental organization), while in 1944 it became an affiliated organization of the Nazi Party. RLB was dissolved by the Allied Powers after the end of World War II. Its successor in the Federal Republic of Germany was the Bundesverband für den Selbstschutz.
The RLB was in charge of educating and training ordinary German men and women in civil defence procedures necessary for the basic level of local self-help of the civil population against air raids. The local level was formed around air raid wardens and operated in small first intervention squads. The training include fire fighting, protection against chemical weapons, communication procedures and preparation of houses and apartments against air raids.
Organization.
In 1939 the RLB had about 15 million members, 820 000 volunteer functionaries (of which 280 000 women) and 75 000 local units. The membership was trained at 3 800 civil defence schools with 28 000 instructors. 