Paratrooper Badge of the Air Force

Paratrooper Badge of the Air Force		Paratrooper badge of the Luftwaffe in the version since July 26, 1957

The paratrooper badge of the Air Force was donated on November 5, 1936 by the Commander-in-Chief of the German Air Force Hermann Göring and was awarded to officers , NCOs and men of the Wehrmacht after successfully completing the parachute shooter course . The officers and NCOs who worked as teachers at the parachute school were an exception. After successfully completing the parachutist training, they were awarded the parachute gunner's badge immediately, as they had already mastered the skydiving training.

Acquisition and preservation

The parachute rifle badge was awarded for having passed the jumping course at one of the air force parachute schools. This initially lasted two months and was shortened during the war. The parachute rifle badge of the Luftwaffe was awarded together with proof of purchase, the so-called parachute rifle license, after six successful jumps. The certificate and badge were directly linked to the parachute rifle allowance depending on the rank of 65 to 120 RM per month. In order to receive the certificate and allowance, the Wehrmacht member concerned had to prove a minimum number of six jumps per year. Even without proof of preservation, the badge could be worn as an honorary symbol.

Appearance, texture and way of wearing

How to wear the paratrooper badge of the Luftwaffe on the tunic (right soldier)

The high oval badge is made of a silver-plated wreath, oak leaves on the left and bay leaves on the right , which is tied together with a ribbon at the bottom. A gilded, falling eagle with a swastika in its claws is placed on this wreath . The badge was worn as a pin badge on the left chest. It was first awarded on December 15, 1936.

According to the law on titles, medals and decorations of July 26, 1957, badges from the time of National Socialism can only be worn in the Federal Republic of Germany without National Socialist emblems. For this, the swastika was removed from the eagle's clutches.

Others

The beret badge of the paratroopers of the German Bundeswehr is similar to the paratrooper badge . In the official version and according to the Central Service Regulations (ZDv), the falling eagle, as in the version from 1957, also has empty catches and the ribbon has been replaced by the flag of the Federal Republic of Germany .

literature

• Kurt-Gerhard Klietmann : Awards of the German Empire. 1936-1945. Motorbuch, Stuttgart 1981, ISBN 3-87943-689-4 .

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Fallschirmjäger, illustrated book and chronicle 1939 - 1945, Rudolf Böhmler and Werner Haupt, revised edition, Verlag Hans-Henning & Podzun, Dornheim 1971