Luftwaffe (Airforce)
The Deutscher Luftsport-verband (DLV) was formed on March 25, 1933 and would become a separate branch of the Wehrmacht in 1935 renamed as Luftwaffe.
The new Luftwaffe was brought out into the open in 1935 when Hitler overthrew the limits imposed on German military expansion by the Treaty of Versailles.
The Luftwaffe was built up by World War I flying fighter ace Herman Göring which also was commander in Chief of the Air Force and Minister of Aviation.
Göring as the commander in Chief of the Air force was made responsible for all administration, training, development and maintenance of the entire Luftwaffe.
Luftwaffe propaganda
Göring and Sweden
After the WW I Hermann Göring went to Denmark as test pilot and in 1920 he begins to work as a commercial pilot for Svenska Lufttraffik in Sweden.
He met the Swedish Baroness Carin von Kantzow (nee von Fock) while she was married to Captain Nils von Kantzow.
Carin divorce from Nils von Kantzow and married Göring in February 1923.
Carin died of a heart attack in Germany, October 1931 after been unwell in heart problems and tuberculosis for a long time.
Göring was convinced that his close connections with Sweden were one of the reasons why Germany never occupied Sweden together with Norway and Denmark in April 1940.
Hermann Göring
In 1939 the Luftwaffe had become one of the largest and most powerful air forces in the world ready to back up the Wehrmacht during the WWII.
Luftwaffe (Quick Dagger Description)
First model (1934/1935)
This dagger was adopted from the Luftsportverband (DLV) dagger but the exact date of adoption is not known. The metal fittings of the hilt and the scabbard were made of nickel silver from the very beginning. Later production models were made of polished aluminium.
The carved wood base grip and scabbard are covered with dark blue leather. The grooved handle is wrapped with a triple silver or a gold colored diagonal wire.
The most commonly seen pattern of DLV officers dirks have pommel and cross guard produced in solid nickel base metal with silvered surfaces. Pommel features a brass swastika that matches the configuration of the swastika on both sides of the cross guard. The double edged blade is plain and 38, 5 cm in length.
Second model (1937)
The 2nd model Luftwaffe pattern was introduced for wear in October 1937 and was called the (Flieger Offizierdolch)
The metal fittings of the hilt are made from cast aluminium. The pommel was usually made of aluminium base metal. Both circled Pommel swastikas usually finished in a gold colour are wreathed with acorns and oak leaves.
The wire wrapped grip was made in various construction and colour. The construction ranges from genuine ivory as an option to plastic and light celluloid shell over a wood base. The grip colours were made in various colours from white to yellow and orange. The obverse aluminium cross guard shows the well known Luftwaffe eagle holding a swastika in his talons. The double edged blade is usually plain and secured to the hilt by the pommel.
The purchaser had the option to order a Damascus steel blade or etched blade at his own expense. The steel scabbard has two suspension bands complete with swivel rings. An oak leaf motif utilized on the suspension bands and the lower portion of the scabbard.
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