Oberkommando der Luftwaffe

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The Oberkommando der Luftwaffe (OKL) was the air force High Command of the Third Reich.

Air Force Commanders-in-Chief

Reich Marshal Hermann Göring (to 1945)
Field Marshal Robert Ritter von Greim (1945)

[edit] The Command Flag for the Reich Minister for Air Travel

On 5 May 1933 the German Air Ministry, with Hermann Göring as Reich Minister for Air Travel (Reichsluftfahrtminister) was founded. This event came along with the introduction of a command flag that was produced in different sizes, ranging from 200 cm down to 30 cm. The flag consisted of bright red material on which was placed in the centre of the obverse a wreath of silver colored laurel leaves. In the centre of the leaves was a black eagle. Suspended from the base of the wreath was a true-colored representation of the "Pour le Mérite". Extending from the left and right side of the wreath were a pair of stylised wings each consisting of four ascending "feathers". Also extending from the wreath towards the four corners of the flag were four black-edged white inactive wedges, a feature that was to be incorporated in the design of the future unit Colors of the new Luftwaffe. In each of the four corners was set a black swastika. The reverse looked almost the same as the obverse but with the following differences: Instead of the eagle there was placed a black swastika and instead of the four swastikas there were placed four eagles. The flag was in use until the end of 1935. There was also an alternative pattern of the flag with slight differences: The eagle in the centre was set on a red field and the four plain white wedges did not extend right into the corners of the flag. Exact details about the reverse of this flag are unestablished.

Reichsluftfahrtminister 1933 - 1935 (obverse)

Reichsluftfahrtminister 1933 - 1935 (reverse)

Reichsluftfahrtminsiter (alternative variant) (obverse)

[edit] The Command Flag for the Reich Minister for Air Travel and Commander-in-Chief of the German Air Force

On 26 Feb 1935 Hitler officially created the Luftwaffe with Hermann Göring as its Commander-in-Chief (Oberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe). Late in 1935 a flag was instituted that consisted of a square of bright red silk. The flag was similar to some extend to that used before. The differences of the obverse were that now there was placed in the centre a gold swastika and instead of the four black swastikas four golden Luftwaffe eagles were added. The wings were left out. Moreover the flag was edged on all four sides with a gold-braided border, which incorporated a row of 76 small gold swastikas all standing on their points. The reverse displayed a golden Luftwaffe eagle in the center and four golden swastikas set in each corner of the flag. Suspended from the base of the silver laurel was a true representation of the "Pour le Mérite". When Göring was promoted to "Generalfeldmarschall" a pair of Luftwaffe Field Marshal's batons were added to the flag's reverse design and shown crossed above the "Pour le Mérite". The obverse remained the same as before. This alteration took place on 28 Apr 1938.