Organisational Badges DLV Ballonführer

[Rosenberg]

After a while in the off I have found something interesting again that I want to share with you.

[Rosenberg]

Any MMarked ones around?

[Scowen]

And very nice it is too!.

I don't know much about these at all. I do know that I've never seen one with a maker mark, only ever Ges.Gesch, & for some reason when they do turn up they're always expensive.

Thanks for showing it.

Cheers

Don

[Rosenberg]

Thanks,Don. I have problems myself finding info on it.Huesken is stating it in one edition as the 3rd version of the Freiluftballonf?hrer badge and in our bible it is the first type,which is a printingerror IMO. There were only about 240 pilots in the early thirties and with the DLV being incorporated in the NSFK a few years later this number shouldn?t have increased much in the mean.Here is another shot of it...

[Nick]

Very nice pin, is that the box of issue and does it have any wording on it ?

Thanks

[Rosenberg]

Nick,

it is a plain case.I have no idea if the case was coming with the pin when issued.That is one of the questions in my book.There seems to be little to no info on minis and cases.

[Guest WAR LORD]

These are indeed rare and very desirable. They are the Balloonists Badge. It comes in two forms, the earlier one, no Swastika and the form as you show with. The case is something else!!!! A real I want thing. The proper tile for this is the 4th type.

German Air Sports League Balloonists Badge - First Type

Instituted on. 1929

Numbers awarded were;

Rarity ? Rare

Known Makers. Unmarked

This pattern consists of a cloth, oval, blue-grey patch which has a hot air balloon surrounded by oak leaves in the form of a half wreath, constructed in silver thread. Sometimes the balloon is constructed of thin, pressed metal that is then sewn over the wreath. There is another form of this award where just the metal balloon emblem is found on either a cloth diamond or circle.

This pattern was worn on the lower left sleeve of the tunic or greatcoat. This qualification badge was introduced in 1929 and was supposed to have existed until 1932. The DLV was authorised to award qualification badges to persons passing the proficiency test for balloon pilots and their crews. It is possible that the version without the wreath was for flight crewmembers.

German Air Sports League Balloonists Badge - Second Type Bronze, Silver, Gold Class

Instituted on. 1932

Numbers awarded were;

Rarity ? Very Rare, Very Rare, extremely Rare

Known Makers. Paul K?st Berlin

These badges are of the same design with only the colour varying to denote the grade. It comprises of a metal badge that measures 48 mm by 38.5 mm. It is formed of a wreath of oak leaves that meet at the apex, tip to tip. There are seven bunches of three leaves and, at the base, is a ribbon that is tied in a bow with the ends running under the base of the wreath. Into the centre of the wreath is a well-defined hot air balloon, with its gondola basket hanging just over the tie of the bow. On to the top of the balloon, in capital letters with raised outer edge lines is, 'D,LV', the fields of them being in filled with black opaque enamel. Beneath this are stylised eagles with straight wings, which have three individual lines of fletch which widen towards their tip. The feathers are achieved by two distinct breaks and these have fine lines that run in opposite directions on each panel. The relevant panel beneath has its lines sloping in the opposite direction to that above.

The reverse shows the stamping of the obverse. There is a large hinge and 'C' shaped hook and a broad, straight, square pin. Round the wreath, in indistinct small raised letters is, 'Ges. Gesch. No P.K 22. PAUL K?ST BERLIN SEYDELSTR 19a.'.

These qualification badges were introduced in 1932 and were to replace the earlier form. However, these badges were seemingly very short lived as they were superseded in 1933 but they were not withdrawn and could be worn until the end of the war.

It has been stated that these badges were awarded in;

Bronze Silver Gold

1929 0 6 7

1930 0 2 0

1931 1 7 2

These figures were then used for the granting of the badge in 1932. This makes the award very rare indeed, albeit there were more badges produced than supposedly awarded. It could be worn on the left breast of the uniform and was issued with a stickpin for civilian clothes.

German Air Sports League Balloonists Badge - Third Type

Instituted on. 1933

Numbers awarded were;

Rarity ? Rare

Known Makers. Unmarked

This form is a round 32 mm badge that has a small circle to represent the sun at the centre and from this emanate rays. Over this is superimposed a hot air balloon that is circular, with a gondola basket hanging from it with well-defined rigging. On either side of the gondola basket are pair of upturned wings, which have three distinct fingers of feathers at their tips. These and the wings have a raised outer edge line and the resultant field is in filled with blue enamel. On either side of the balloon are the letters, 'D' and 'L' with 'V' beneath the gondola basket. These have outer raised edge lines and the resultant field is in filled with blue enamel. The whole of the badge is finished with a silver wash.

The reverse is plain with a long needle pin and in small raised capital letters GES.GESCH.

This award has been designated as the first type of balloonists badge and it has been stated that it was in existence from 1929 to 1932. It is possible that this ran concurrently with that which I have described as the first type. It could also be that this award was for wear on civilian clothing as well. This badge has also been described as the first type of free balloonists badge that was employed by the Deutsche Luftfahrtverband (DLV) from 1929 to 1932. This organisation was seemingly autonomous but at the same time working with the embryo Deutscher Luftsport-Verband, (DLV) which was not officially introduced until Hitler came to power in 1933. Hitler also abandoned the school at Lipezk in Russia and relied on the DLV to train the new personnel of his clandestine Luftwaffe. The clandestine nature of events surrounding the organisation tends to lead the collector to difficulties in exactly identifying to which organisation the badge belongs, as there is a considerable overlap in the organisations as well as in their titles.

It was awarded in a presentation case that was elongated, hinged and had a press-stud catch. The exterior was black and it had a white satin lid interior with a white velvet internal base.

German Air Sports League Balloonists Badge - Fourth Type

Instituted on.

Numbers awarded were;

Rarity ? Very Rare

Known Makers. Unmarked

This design takes the same form as German Air Sports League Balloonists Badge Third Type with the exception that the balloon has a swastika placed upon it and the rest of the balloon is filled with blue enamel. It was awarded in a presentation case as described with this badge.

The historical purpose of the award is unknown but it must be the successor and could be the civil form of the balloon pilot?s badge. With the amalgamation of the various air organisations into one Nazi dominated organisation, it is possible that this award was to be worn as a commemorative piece, with the swastika added to recognise former free balloon pilots who had qualified in the Deutsche Luftfahrtverband (DLV).

[Rosenberg]

Warlord,

thanks a lot for this extensive overview of the various types.I would have never been able to retrieve this information.

Regards

[Guest WAR LORD]

Thanks but in my last book. More with pics.

[Avitas]

I was just admiring this badge in Warlord's book a month or so ago, what a great find Rosenberg! There's just something about the balloon badges that is so appealing (not to mention the rarity of this specific DLV badge!). I don't suppose anyone else owns an example to show?

Cheers,

Pat

[Rosenberg]

Thanks,Pat and again Warlord.I will try get a hold on that book of yours.

Regards

[flight1859]

Thanks,Pat and again Warlord.I will try get a hold on that book of yours.

Regards

Here is one of the two I own.