THIRD REICH LUFTWAFFE COMMAND FLAGS

GREATER GERMAN REICH

COMMAND FLAGS OF THE LUFTWAFFE • 1935-45

The German Luftwaffe's World War II command flags and pennants were derived from those of the Army. For the Luftflotte, Fliegerkorps and Fliegerdivision, a golden yellow Luftwaffe eagle was added to the Army-pattern flag. For officials of the High Command, special distinguishing flags were introduced in 1935. Those of the Reich Minister for Aviation and Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe, Hermann Göring, displayed the Pour le Merite he had won as a flier in the First World War. When Göring was promoted to Field Marshal in 1938, crossed batons were added to his flag. When he was elevated to the unique rank of Reichmarschal in 1940, Göring began to use a different flag and the 1938 design fell into disuse, though it was not officially abolished.

Commanding generals of air fleets, air corps and air divisions had Army-pattern command flags; other commanding generals had a generic command flag. In 1940, when several Luftwaffe generals were promoted to the rank of field marshal, a distinctive flag was introduced for their use, displaying crossed batons and Luftwaffe eagles on a sky blue field.

Luftwaffe units below the Fliegerdivision level had command flags similar to those of the Army, with the addition of the Luftwaffe eagle in silver gray. Parachute infantry (Fallschirmjäger) units, which were part of the Luftwaffe, had flags and pennants with a golden yellow field, this being the arm-of-service color (Waffenfarbe) for flying units. At the division level, the Fliegerdivision pennant was used.

In 1942 ground combat divisions began to be raised from surplus Luftwaffe personnel, a new range of command flags and pennants was introduced for them. They were similar to the Army pattern: a black field with a broad horizontal stripe in the Waffenfarbe, with the addition of a silver-gray Luftwaffe eagle.This enabled a distinction to be made between flak units and regular artillery units within the divisions. The first few Luftwaffe field divisions had no regimental echelons, but later on the independent rifle battalions were grouped under a regimental headquarters. As with the parachute troops, the Fliegerdivision pennant was used at the division level.

Flag Proportions: Luftwaffe high command and Luftflotte flags were made square. Fliegerkorps and Fliegerdivision flags were made in 2:3 proportions.

Images Added May 2021

Reich Minister for Aviation's Standard 1933-35 • Commanding General's Flag • Air Fleet Flag 1940-43 • Air Wing Flag