 In 1908 the old (originally Prussian) ban on women's participation in politics, which for some years had been interpreted with varying levels of vigour in different parts of Germany, .Helene von Forster joined the "Fortschrittliche Volkspartei" (FVP / ""Progressive People's Party""), remaining a member after 1918 when, following a party merger, the FVP became part of the new "Deutsche Demokratische Partei" (DDP / ""German Democratic Party"").During the 1914/18 war she ran her organisation's own Red Cross hospital in Nuremberg.