List of flags of the German Air Force (1933–1945)

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The list of flags of the German Air Force (1933–1945) includes all flags, stander and pennants that were used by the German Air Force between 1933 and 1945.

Commander in Chief of the Air Force

Since the beginning of the development of the Air Force in the Third Reich , Hermann Göring had been appointed as its boss. In 1933 he was still designated as Reich Minister of Aviation, but on February 26, 1935 he was finally appointed Commander in Chief of the Air Force. He held this position until April 1945 when Adolf Hitler deposed him and replaced him with Colonel General - later General Field Marshal - Robert Ritter von Greim .

flag date designation description
OKLw1 left.svg 1933-1935 Command flag of the Reich Minister of Aviation (left side) Introduced on May 5, 1933, this flag showed the imperial eagle, which was used until 1935, in the center. Below the laurel wreath is the Pour le merite order , which Hermann Göring was awarded during the First World War. Starting from the center of the laurel wreath, there are a total of four stylized propeller blades on the flag pointing into the corners. The flag was apparently used until April 1935, when only the following alternative variant came into use
OKLw1 right.svg 1933-1935 Command flag of the Reich Minister of Aviation (right side) Similar to the left side, but with the symbols arranged in reverse
OKLw1 left Alternative.svg 1933-1935 Command flag of the Reich Minister of Aviation (left side) This was an alternative variant of the previous flag, which was probably used in the same period as this one. Apparently it served as a kind of "transitional flag" since April 1935, which was used until the end of 1935 until the subsequent variant was introduced. Since April 1935 the designation of this flag was the command flag of the Reich Minister of Aviation and Commander in Chief of the Air Force
OKLw1 right Alternative.svg 1933-1935 Command flag of the Reich Minister of Aviation (right side) This is the likely appearance of the right side of the flag, as there are no images or descriptions. However, it can be assumed that the style of the appearance was adapted to the first variant
OKLw2 left.svg 1935-1938 Flag of the Reich Minister of Aviation and Commander in Chief of the Air Force (left side) Introduced at the end of 1935, the new model of the flag featured the symbol of the Luftwaffe, a gold-colored, flying eagle in the four corners of the flag, in the center of which was a gold-colored, pointed swastika. The flag was lined on all four sides with a two cm wide, gold-colored border, on which there were a total of 76 small, tipped swastikas.
OKLw2 right.svg 1935-1938 Flag of the Reich Minister of Aviation and Commander in Chief of the Air Force (right side) Like the left side, but with the symbols in the reverse order. In the lower area you can also see the representation of the order Pour le merite
OKLw2 left.svg 1938–1945 (de facto until 1940) Flag of the Reich Minister of Aviation and Commander in Chief of the Air Force (left side) Identical to the previous version
OKLw3 right.svg 1938–1945 (de facto until 1940) Flag of the Reich Minister of Aviation and Commander in Chief of the Air Force (right side) Introduced on April 28, 1938, the new version of the right-hand side of the flag, which was otherwise identical to the previous version, also showed two crossed field marshal baton of the Luftwaffe, which had been placed between the swastika and the Pour-le-merite order . This change happened at the same time as Göring was promoted to field marshal
Reichsmarschall Version 1 left.svg 1940-1941 Standard of the Reichsmarschall (left side) After Göring was appointed Reichsmarschall on July 19, 1940, he had a personal standard made at the same time. In practice, this standard is also likely to have served as a command sign for the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force, as can also be seen on contemporary illustrations. It is not known whether and to what extent the official flag of the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force von Göring was still used. Behind the gold-colored swastika were two crossed, ivory-colored Reichsmarschall's baton, on which a gold-colored grid pattern was applied
Reichsmarschall Version 1 on the right 1940-1941 Standard of the Reichsmarschall (right side) In the center of the standard is the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross , which was awarded to Hermann Göring once in the Third Reich
Reichsmarschall version 2 left 1941-1945 Standard of the Reichsmarschall (left side) The new version of the standard was introduced in February 1941 and shows the newly designed imperial eagle in the center. Two ivory-colored, crossed Reichsmarschall's baton are placed on the laurel wreath and placed behind the swastika. Placed on top of these are two imperial eagles and two large crosses of the Iron Cross
Reichsmarschall version 2 on the right 1941-1945 Standard of the Reichsmarschall (right side) In the center of the standard is the grand cross, which is now framed by a wreath of laurel leaves

Other rank and command flags

flag date designation description
State Secretary for Aviation 1937 (?) - 1945 Flag of the Secretary of State for Aviation From September 24, 1938, the designation was: Flag of the Secretary of State for Aviation and Inspector General of the Air Force . The position of State Secretary for Aviation has been held by Erhard Milch since February 22, 1933 . On September 24, 1938, he was also appointed Inspector General of the Air Force, a command that remained in existence until January 7, 1945
Chief General Staff Luftwaffe.svg 1937-1940 Flag of the Chief of the General Staff of the Air Force Introduced on September 1, 1937, abolished on July 13, 1940. The last Chief of Staff of the Air Force was Hans Jeschonnek , who assumed the position on February 1, 1939 and held it until his suicide on August 19, 1943
Generalluftzeugmeister.svg 1940-1944 Service flag of the general aviation master Introduced on July 13, 1940, abolished on June 20, 1944. The position of general air master was held by Erhard Milch throughout the period.
Chief of an air fleet version 2.svg 1937 (?) - 1940 Flag of the Chief of an Air Fleet and Commander East
Chief of an air fleet version 1.svg 1940-1945 Flag of the chief of an air fleet
Commanding General of an Air Corps 1937 (?) - 1945 Flag of the Commanding Generals of the Air Force From 1940 the designation was: flag of the commanding general of an air corps, the commanding general of a flak corps, the commanding general and commander in an Luftgau, a general of the air force at the high command of the army, a general of the air force at the high command of the navy
Commander of an air division, svg 1937 (?) - 1945 Flag of the commander of an air district, commander of an air division, leader of the sea air force From 1940 the designation was: the flag of the commander of an aviation division, a senior intelligence officer, the commander of the sea air forces, a senior commander of the fortress flak artillery, the commander of an air defense area, the commander of the air force in an army group
Field Marshal General Luftwaffe Right Side.svg 1941-1945 Flag of the General Field Marshals of the Air Force (right side) Introduced on February 17, 1941. This flag and the following national emblems were rank flags that were used in addition to a command flag that might have to be used
Field Marshal Air Force Linke Seite.svg 1941-1945 Flag of the General Field Marshals of the Air Force (left side)
Commanding General of the Air Force.svg 1941-1945 National emblem on the vehicle of the commanding generals of the Air Force National emblems were only used on motor vehicles
General der Luftwaffe.svg 1941-1945 National emblem on the vehicle for the Air Force generals
Other members of the Luftwaffe.svg 1941-1945 National emblem on the vehicle for the other members of the Air Force

Air Force troop flags

Main article: Troop flag (Wehrmacht) # Air Force

See also

literature

  • Flag book , edited and published by the High Command of the Kriegsmarine, Berlin 1939, Reichsdruckerei, M.Dv.Nr.377
  • Brian Leigh Davis: Flags & Standards of the Third Reich , London 1975, ISBN 0356048799

swell

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ DAVIS, 1975 shows a black and white photo of the left side of the flag on p. 136
  2. ↑ Two photos in DAVIS show the standard attached the other way around (the eagle's direction of view is directed away from the standard pole). Another photo also shows the standard in the version from 1941 hung upside down, which suggests that little emphasis was placed on correct page orientation.
  3. ↑ The FLAGBOOK shows the second version of the Reichsmarschallstandard from 1941 next to the official flag of the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force, so that it can be assumed that the latter has never been officially abolished