page_title: Organization of the Luftwaffe
section_title: Strategic level: Oberkommando der Luftwaffe
hierarchical_section_title: Organization of the Luftwaffe / Strategic level: Oberkommando der Luftwaffe
caption_attribution_description: For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, which may be erroneous, biased, obsolete or politically extreme. Scherl: Parade zu Ehren Blombergs Der Reichskriegsminister Generalfeldmarschall von Blomberg beging am Sonnabend [11.3.1937] die Feier seines 40jährigen Militärjubiläums. Die drei Wehrmachtsteile - Heer, Marine und Luftwaffe - ehrten den Jubilar durch eine Parade vor dem Reichskriegsministerium. Generalfeldmarschall von Blomberg beim Abschreiten der Front der Ehrenkompanien; rechts neben ihm Oberst von Alten, der Kommandeur der Wachtruppe Berlin, links die Oberbefehlshaber der drei Wehrmachtsteile, Generaladmiral Raeder, Generaloberst Göring und Generaloberst Freiherr von Fritsch. 13.3.1937 [Herausgabedatum]
context_page_description: Between 1933 and 1945, the organization of the Luftwaffe underwent several changes. Originally, the German military high command, for their air warfare forces, decided to use an organizational structure similar to the army and navy, treating the aviation branch as a strategic weapon of war. Later on, during the period of rapid rearmament, the Luftwaffe was organized more in a geographical fashion.
  Under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was prohibited from having an air force, with the former German Empire's Luftstreitkräfte disbandment in 1920. German pilots were secretly trained for military aviation, first in the Soviet Union during the late 1920s, and then in Germany in the early 1930s. In Germany, the training was done under the guise of the German Air Sports Association at the Central Commercial Pilots School.
  Following its 15 May 1933 formation in secret, the formation of the German air arm was openly announced in February 1935, with Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring as its Commander-in-Chief, in blatant defiance of the Versailles Treaty.
context_section_description: The OKW was the highest in the military command structure. It was responsible for the co-ordinated effort of the three military arms. It was headed by Wilhelm Keitel after he took over from war minister Werner von Blomberg in 1938. Since the head of the Luftwaffe, Göring, was also a cabinet minister, any Luftwaffe operational orders would come from Hitler to him, who would pass them on to Luftwaffe leaders, bypassing the OKW.
  On 5 February 1944, through the efforts of Günther Korten and Karl Koller, the Luftwaffe High Command (German: Oberkommando der Luftwaffe) (OKL), was formed. Colonel General (German: Generaloberst) Hans Jeschonnek was appointed Chief of Staff of the OKL. This created a military command out of the all encompassing Reich Air Ministry (RLM), controlling all aspects of aviation. The OKL covered general as well as operational staff of the Luftwaffe. The following parts of the Luftwaffe were under its command:
  The General Staff
  Operational Staff
  Weapons Inspectorates
  Inspector of Fighters (German: General der Jagdflieger)
  Supply and equipment
  A Signals Division
  The other components, such as armament and aircraft manufacturing remained under the control of the RLM.
  The OKL was led by the Chief of the General Staff. It was strategically divided into eight directorates (German: Abteilungen) numbered consecutively. The directorates were:
  Operations Directorate
  Organization Directorate
  Training Directorate
  Troop Movement Directorate
  Intelligence Directorate
  Equipment and Supply Directorate
  Historical Archives Directorate
  Personnel Management Directorate
  There were also 17 Inspectorates (German: Luftwaffen Inspektion):
  Luftwaffen Inspektion 1 – Reconnaissance
  Luftwaffen Inspektion 2 – Bombers and Dive Bombers (General der Kampfflieger)
  Luftwaffen Inspektion 3 – Fighter, Destroyer, Ground Support and Weaponry (General der Jagdflieger)
  Luftwaffen Inspektion 5 – Air safety and equipment
  Luftwaffen Inspektion 6 – Motor vehicles
  Luftwaffen Inspektion 7 – Signal communications (General der Nachrichtentruppe)
  Luftwaffen Inspektion 8 – Naval aircraft (Disbanded in 1942)
  Luftwaffen Inspektion 9 – Pilot training schools
  Luftwaffen Inspektion 10 – Troop service and training
  Luftwaffen Inspektion 11 – Parachute and air-landing forces
  Luftwaffen Inspektion 12 – Navigation
  Luftwaffen Inspektion 13 – Air Defense (Under the control of the Secretary of State for Aviation)
  Luftwaffen Inspektion 14 – Medical
  Luftwaffen Inspektion 15 – Air Defense zones
  Luftwaffen Inspektion 16 – Air sea rescue services under the umbrella of Sea Rescue Service German: Seenotdienst.
  Luftwaffen Inspektion 17 – Construction troops and prisoners of war (Under the control of the Secretary of State for Aviation)
  Luftwaffen Inspektion 18 – Luftwaffe field units
caption: War minister and OKW commander Blomberg followed by the three armed forces chiefs inspecting a parade in honor of Blomberg's birthday in 1937
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