# German Air Sports Association

The German Air Sports Association (Deutscher Luftsportverband, or DLV e. V.) was an organisation founded in March 1933, shortly after the Nazi Party came to power. Officially, it served as the national umbrella organisation for air sports in Germany. However, in reality, it functioned as a covert means of developing military aviation in defiance of the Treaty of Versailles, which prohibited Germany from having an air force. The DLV provided training for future Luftwaffe pilots and personnel under the guise of civilian aviation activities. Its chairman was Bruno Loerzer, a World War I flying ace, while Hermann Göring, the Reich Minister of Aviation, played a key role in overseeing its operations.
In 1937, the DLV was succeeded by the National Socialist Flyers Corps (Nationalsozialistisches Fliegerkorps, NSFK), which continued to promote and oversee air sports and aviation training within the framework of the Nazi military apparatus. The NSFK played a key role in preparing Germany for aerial warfare and advancing the country's military aviation capabilities.

## History

Since the Treaty of Versailles officially forbade Germany from building fighter planes of any sort, the German Air Sports Association used gliders to train men still officially civilians for the future Luftwaffe. The first steps towards the Luftwaffe's formation were undertaken just months after Adolf Hitler came to power. Hermann Göring, a World War I ace with 22 victories and the holder of the Orden Pour le Mérite, became National Kommissar for aviation with former Deutsche Luft Hansa director Erhard Milch as his deputy. On 25 March 1933 the German Air Sports Association absorbed all private and national organizations, whilst retaining its 'sports' title. In April 1933 the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM – Reich Air Ministry) was established. The RLM was in charge of development and production of aircraft, and soon afterwards the test site or Erprobungsstelle at Rechlin became its testing ground, a military airfield that had been first established in August 1918. Göring's control over all aspects of aviation became absolute, with the exception of gliders and balloons over which Milch had control as deputy kommissar because Goring’s weight prevented him from flying in either.
The German Air Sports Association was dissolved in 1937 and replaced with the National Socialist Flyers Corps, a corporation under public law and subordinate to Reichsluftfahrtminister Göring.

## Rank designations of the DLV

| DLV Airman Rank | Equivalent Luftwaffe Airman Rank |
| DLV-Fliegerchef: Air Marshal | Generalleutnant (Lieutenant General) |
| DLV-Fliegervizechef: Air Vice-Marshal | Generalmajor (Major General) |
| DLV-Fliegerkommodore: Air Commadore | Oberst (Colonel) |
| DLV-Fliegervizekommodore: Air Vice-Commadore | Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant Colonel) |
| DLV-Fliegerkommandant: Flight Commandant | Major (Major) |
| DLV-Fliegerkapitän: Flight Captain | Hauptmann (Captain) |
| DLV-Schwarmführer: Flight Commander | Oberleutnant (Senior Lieutenant) |
| DLV-Kettenführer: Flight Leader | Leutnant (Lieutenant) |
| DLV-Obermeister (Oberflugmeister, Oberfunkmeister, Oberortermeister, Oberwerkmeister): Senior Sergeant (or Senior Flight Sergeant, Sergeant Senior Radio Operator, Sergeant Senior Navigator/Observer, Sergeant Senior Engineer | Oberfeldwebel (Senior Non-Commissioned Officer) |
| DLV-Meister: Sergeant | Feldwebel (Non-Commissioned Officer) |
| DLV-Untermeister: Junior Sergeant | Unterfeldwebel (Junior Sergeant) |
| DLV-Flugzeugführer (Bordfunker, Oberwart): Aircraft Pilot (or Radio Operator, Supervisor) | Unteroffizier (Junior Non-Commissioned Officer) |
| DLV-Hilfsflugzeugführer (Hilfsbordfunker, Unterwart): Assistant Aircraft Pilot (or Assistant Radio Operator, Assistant Supervisor) | Gefreiter (Airman Lance Corporal) |
| DLV-Oberflieger: Senior Airman | No Equivalent |
| DLV-Flieger: Airman | Flieger (Airman) |