A Buncha Bavarian Flyboys? Veterans assoc?

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi, an obvious Bavarian bent here... the trhree in the middle are decorated, the rest in the group have bowties and a flieger hat badge, lapel badge etv,  but no medals... is this an associan? Ex fliegerkorps veterans?

[GreyC]

Hi,

as the emblem on the lapel and within the wreath on cap is basically identical with the emblem of the Fliegertruppen of WW1 and because many wear the whitish rosetta that looks to me like a batch worn on "veterans get togethers" and because the flag was a gift from "the ladies of the party-committee" it all looks like a veteran´s association of the Fliegertruppen to me (pilot´s badge worn).

GreyC

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi, thanks,

What threw me was the fact that 3 guys have awards... and the other 15-20 in the pic have absolutely no awary, not even an EK2, which is statistically not really "right"

[IrishGunner]

From my perspective, only the three with medals are veterans - medals, white rosetta, and age appearance.  The rest, especially the ones in the front appear a bit young to be veterans; unless, of course, they were late war entrants and this is an photo taken shortly after the war.  If that is the case, perhaps, they were ground crew and never were in a position to earn a medal.

Could this be a flying association or club, perhaps even a school, where an enthusiasm for flying and emphasis on aviation dominated?  The veterans could be mentors or professors.  And the remainder are members/students.

I don't see the Ehrenkreuz (but maybe that's a Bavarian thing); so, this photo might be pre-1934.  However, the Nazis did come to power in 1933 and made significant changes to the education system, including an emphasis on military skills.  So, I think my theory holds some beer.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

If this was early 20s it could very well be vets, I am wondering if the reason the majority have no medals is because the ground troops in flying units got proportionally less than the fighting troops?

I am going to guess very early postwar... BEFORE the association awards became popular...

[GreyC]

I´d second, you, Chris.

GreyC

[CRBeery]

Look at the guy in the center. Is #5 on the bar a Hindenburg Cross?