L000959 1933 COMMEMORATIVE FLIGHT SQUADRON DISTRICT BADGE. (Gedächtnis Abzeichen)

BACKGROUND: During the Third Reich a large variety of commercial commemorative and decorative items were available and the manufacturers took advantage of Hitler’s cult of personality and the NSDAP’s popularity by offering every type of conceivable product ranging from hair ornaments, plates, wristwatches, pocket knives, candy, finger rings, lapel pins etc., etc., etc., all decorated with NSDAP symbols, likeness’s of Hitler and the ubiquitous swastika. Besides the commercial produced commemorative and decorative items there wear also a wide variety of additional, semi-official items to commemorate special events. Among other restrictions, the Treaty of Versailles banned Germany from developing any military air force and in order to circumvent this the German’s began the secret development of a military air force shortly after Adolf Hitler’s ascension to power in January 1933. In March 1933 that the DLV, Deutscher Luftsportverband, (German Air Sport League), was officially established by absorbing all civilian flying organizations into a single organization, by law. The DLV consisted of a civilian section commanded by Hauptmann a.D. Bruno Loerzer with Hermann Göring as honorary president and the Fliegerschaft, (Pilot Base), the clandestine core of the newly forming Luftwaffe under control of the RLM, Reichsluftfahrtministerium (National Ministry of Aviation). From that time assorted sized units began to be established through-out Germany with the smallest tactical unit being the Staffel, (Squadron), which generally consisted of about nine aircraft along with the corresponding crews and support units. This badge commemorates the formation of a squadron in the town of Quakenbrück in Lower Saxony in 1933. Of Note: The Reichsluftwaffe was official established on February 26^TH 1935 as the third branch of service of the Armed Forces. On March 9^TH 1935 the formation of the new Reichsluftwaffe was announced to the foreign press and on March 16^TH conscription was reintroduced for all three branches of service. On May 21^ST 1935 the Reichsluftwaffe designation was altered to Luftwaffe.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Roughly 2 1/8" tall, 1 3/8" wide, vertically oval, silver washed, die stamped alloy construction commemorative badge features an embossed oak-leave wreath with a bow superimposed to the bottom center and an early style, (Circa 1927-1934), NSDAP, political style eagle with out-stretched wings, clutching a wreathed, canted, recessed swastika in it’s talons superimposed to the top center. The outer wreath encompasses three stylized, face-on, embossed, aircraft in flight positioned above Quakenbrück’s Coat-of-Arms consisting of a mediaeval style castle and script, "Taufe der Kreis Fliegerstaffel Hermann Göring Quakenbrück 30. 7. 1933", (Origin of the District Flight Squadron Hermann Göring Quakenbrück July 30^TH 1933). The silver wash is retained about 65% with spots wear to the base alloy. The reverse of the badge is a mirror image of the obverse and has an unusual black residue. The horizontal pin back device has broken off. Scarce early squadron formation commemorative badge.

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