[Andreas Brekken]

Hi, guys.

I think I should probably wait until my next shipment of microfilms from the NARA arrive before I comment this any further. It should contain a few thousand records on personnel dispositions, promotions etc

However...

The answer to the original question, if there is a difference between the Staffelkapitän and Staffelführer designations seem to be clear. There is a difference!

I also have a feeling that the Staffelführer term might be an official appointed term, but that this position was not a RLM and Personalamt appointment, but that it was done at unit level.

We have a simmilar situation with units also. For example, the 14th Staffel of JG 5, the so-called Jabo Staffel was created in a so-called 'auf dem Kommandowege' fashion. Thus - the unit was not created, nor ever fully approved, as a unit in the RLM GenQu system. It was to be a temporary unit, created using personnel and aircraft from the commanding unit (in this case the Luftflotte 5). Such units could later on be taken into the fold so to speak, and given an establishment strength of aircraft and pilots, but not necessarily. My example was not a proper unit ('etatisiert' was the word used by the germans), until it became an integral part of SG 5.

So I believe that the term Staffelführer was appointed to a person that led the unit in combat (Einsatzmäßig), and not necessarily (important! as I believe he could have both functions) organisational (or Personalmäßig). And that this appointment didn't have to involve the Personalamt and thus wasn't an official position.

Note that the Luftwaffe often use these distinctions also on units! Personalmäßig JG 11, Einsatzmäßig JG 5 unterstellt. (example from Norway)

I still believe that the reason the term occur in the GenQu documents are because it was important for the statistical and organisational units of the RLM to know that they had lost a seasoned veteran with an important function within the Staffel.

Regards,
Andreas B