Luftwaffe Customs and Courtesies

[Broncazonk]

Right now I am interested in Luftwaffe customs and courtesies, particularly saluting and cover requirements (hats and caps.)

For example:

1) Was saluting ever appropriate indoors?
2) Also, was a cover ever worn indoors?
3) And, did a person ever salute while uncovered?
4) The cover was mandatory while outdoors, correct?
5) What about saluting on the flight line?

6) The "Heil Hitler" salute became mandatory sometime in August, 1944 (after the July 20, plot?)

7) When was the "Achtung" command used in the Luftwaffe? (Inside only, never on the flight line or repair shop, correct?

Does anyone have insight or a source?

Thank you!

Robert

[sidney]

Robert,

Item 3 refers - I don't think that a soldier or officer ever saluted a higher ranked officer uncovered (i.e., without the cap). That is American way, hardly continental European or British.

Regards,
Sinisa

[ChristianK]

Hi Robert,

some observations, mixed with my own experiences in the Bundeswehr (I know, it's not the Wehrmacht, but old habits die hard):

1) I don't know for the Wehrmacht, but in the BW it's not
2) same as 1)
3) + 5) Pretty sure I have seen that quite often in old movie reels from WW2, for example after a combat mission.
4) Pretty sure this was the case back then. Nowadays it's also mandatory (got ticked off for that myself )
6) Mandatory for the whole armed forces, yes.
7) "Achtung!" roughly equals "Attention!". Nowadays it shall be used at any time a superior officer appears at your station, no matter where it's located, indoors or outdoors. I can't imagine this was different back then.

Hope this helped a bit,
Christian

[hanshauprich]

An airman, even the lowest rang, but with the Ritterkreuz must be saluted first by all other ranks!! (Inside and outside) The salut honored the Ritterkreuz not the men!!

[Broncazonk]

Thank you one and all for your replies and responses. I'm pretty certain the Luftwaffe, Wehrmacht, and today's Bundeswehr share similar customs and courtesies with the US Marine Corps. (In fact, when I was in the Marine Corps, we were taught that our customs and courtesies were taken from the pre-WWI Imperial German army, and 3/4 our field tactics were based on the Wehrmacht/Heer. And both realizations were a matter of considerable pride.)

Only the US army salutes indoors and uncovered as far as I know, and that practice seems very weird.

hanshauprich wrote, "An airman, even the lowest rang, but with the Ritterkreuz must be saluted first by all other ranks!! (Inside and outside) The salut honored the Ritterkreuz not the men!!" This is true?

[Tim O.]

Originally Posted by hanshauprich

An airman, even the lowest rang, but with the Ritterkreuz must be saluted first by all other ranks!! (Inside and outside) The salut honored the Ritterkreuz not the men!!

Same with the British Victoria Cross. All salute the holder first, regardless of the holder's or their rank.

Best wishes
Tim O.

[John Beaman]

In US service branches, MOH is also saluted by everyone regardless of rank, as a courtesy and recognition of the honor.

[JohnnyB]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salute