Luftwaffe Luftaufsicht 1934-45

[Larry D]

Gentlemen:

The following is a brief history of the Luftaufsicht and its school that I put together a week or two ago from the stated sources. There is precious little in print about this organization and I am hoping some of you might have some additional information. Here are a few questions that I would hope to learn something about:

1) Can it be said with absolute certainty that this organization performed air traffic control duties in Germany and, if so, did the school train both civil and military air traffic controllers?

2) What is the difference between the Reichsschule f?r Luftaufsicht and the Flugleitungsschule d.Lw.? Did the latter replace the former for air traffic control training?

3) How large was the Luftaufsicht organization?

Any help with these and additional information would be greatly appreciated. There are a number of Luftwaffe militaria books out there that I do not have and one or more of these might shed some additional light on this subject. The 2007 Bender title by David Littlejohn is one, for example.

Thanks a million,

Larry D.

Reichsschule f?r Luftaufsicht

(State/National/Federal School for Civil Flight Control)

The Luftaufsicht organization came into existence in 1934 and continued to the end of the war. It was administered at RLM-level and came under the Allgemeines Luftamt (LB) (Chef: Ministerdirektor Fischer). There were at times 4 to 6 branches under this department, including: LB 1 (Luftverkehr = Civil Air Traffic); LB 2 (Hoheitsverwaltung ? Luftaufsicht = National or Territorial Administration for Air Traffic Control); LB 3 (Reichswetterdienst = National Weather Service); LB 4 (Reichsflugsicherung, zivile Bodenorganisation = National Flight Safety, Civil Ground Organization, i.e., Airports). The Chef (chief) of LB 2 throughout the war was an Oberst Karl Waldmann, a reserve officer who belonged to the Flieger branch of the Luftwaffe. LB 1, LB 3 and LB 4 all had civilians as their chief. From 1934 to about 1938, Luftaufsicht personnel wore a distinctive uniform with distinctive ranks. After that date they wore standard Luftwaffe uniform with standard Luftwaffe ranks. These people ran the German civil aviation establishment, including the providing of security for the airports. Very little information has been found on the Luftaufsicht organization and virtually nothing at all in the surviving Luftwaffe records. They were not present on Luftwaffe airfields, unless it was a dual-use airfield that the Luftwaffe shared with civil aviation. The Reichsschule f?r Luftaufsicht trained the personnel for the Luftaufsicht organization and was in existence at least by September 1935. The Kommandeur of the school was Gen.Maj. Ludwig Schauer (5 Sep 35 - 4 Aug 39) who died in office. The existence of the school after that date cannot be determined. Was it the predecessor of Flufleitungsschule d.Lw.?

[Sources: K.Ries - Luftwaffen Story 1935-1939 (Mainz, 1974); B.L.Davis ? Uniforms and Insignia of the Luftwaffe, Vol. 1, (London: Arms & Armour, 1999), pp.27-28; H.Boog - Die deutsche Luftwaffenf?hrung 1935-1945: F?hrungsprobleme, Spitzengliederung, Generalstabsausbildung (Stuttgart: Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, 1982), pp.216, 220, 226, 236, 248, 294, 302f, 339, 569, 588f, 596, 603f, 625, 629.]

Flugleitungsschule d.Lw.

(Air Movement Control School, or Air Traffic Controller School)

KStN: 1870 (L).

Date established has not been found, but in 1942 it was located at Berlin-Sch?nwalde with a Stab, Ausbildungsgruppe and a Sch?ler-Kp. In January 1943 it moved to Berlin-Tempelhof and on 26 September 1944 it was ordered disbanded. Was this school the successor to the Reichsschule f?r Luftaufsicht?

[Sources: NASM T-2/USSBS roll 7001/8182; G.Tessin - Teil 14: Die Luftstreitkr?fte (Osnabr?ck, 1980).]

[Paul R]

Hi Larry,

I am sorry to say that I am looking for the same information as you. I actually learned something from your post!!

Here is a thread I set up some time ago, displaying related pieces from my collection.

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=17336

Unfortunately, the great information you posted has raised even more questions for me!

1. There were members of the Luftaufsicht who served as officials and others who were members of the regular Luftwaffe! What were the differences in their roles? I assumed that the Officials served in the Civil Airports/facilities while the Regular Luftwaffe Air Traffic Controlmen worked on Luftwaffe Airfields. I do know of the specific(first pattern) insignia mentioned in your cited sources(pea green officials tabs and boards), but their later insignia was also unique by waffenfarbe... perhaps I am confused by wording?

2. The Meteorological Service fell under the Luftaufsicht?!?! Very interesting!

Regards

Paul

[Larry D]

Hi Larry,

I am sorry to say that I am looking for the same information as you. I actually learned something from your post!!

Here is a thread I set up some time ago, displaying related pieces from my collection.

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=17336

Unfortunately, the great information you posted has raised even more questions for me!

1. There were members of the Luftaufsicht who served as officials and others who were members of the regular Luftwaffe! What were the differences in their roles? I assumed that the Officials served in the Civil Airports/facilities while the Regular Luftwaffe Air Traffic Controlmen worked on Luftwaffe Airfields. I do know of the specific(first pattern) insignia mentioned in your cited sources(pea green officials tabs and boards), but their later insignia was also unique by waffenfarbe... perhaps I am confused by wording?

2. The Meteorological Service fell under the Luftaufsicht?!?! Very interesting!

Regards

Paul

Thanks for replying, Paul.

I agree - every new piece of information leads to new questions! Thanks for the link to your earlier paper on this organization as it shows that between us we have probably mined all of the published information on this subject. Next stop will probably have to be the archives. I'm thinking U.S. military attach? (air) in Berlin, 1934-41. The reports they sent back to Washington are rich in details about these early Reich organizations, and that goes for the RAF attach?'s reports back to London, too.

If I come upon any additional information, I'll certainly let you know.

Thanks again!

Larry

[Paul R]

If I come upon any additional information, I'll certainly let you know.

Thanks again!

Larry

Thanks Larry... it is amazing how much data has been lost to time!!