Question to Staffelemblem of 6./KG 200 (Mistel)

[robert_schulte]

A bit of topic, but....
Having received my copy of the Mistel-book by Robert Forsyth, I am puzzled about the Staffelemblem of the Mistels. It shows a son riding on fathers shoulders above the clouds. These characters known as "Father and Son" were invented by E.O.Plauen alias Ernst Ohser (of Plauen), a well known caricaturist, but accused by the Nazis for making "defeatist comments". One day before his trial should start at the Volksgerichtshof ("peoples justice court") he committed suicide. So these are the facts...
What I don't understand is, that a character invented by a known political opponent becomes an "official" sign for a Luftwaffe unit. Is this just a clue, that the Luftwaffe or a part of it did not care about politics?
Any comments?

[Ruy Horta]

Perhaps not proof of anything but the leeway given to servicemen, even by the Nazi regime. A good example of what a uniform and a Ritterkreuz could achieve is described in the biography about U-Boot ace Werner Henke. His clash with a local party leader would have left most people in dire straits, however he did so with almost impunity. Does that proof that the Kriegsmarine was openly against the party or its politics?

Another good example closer to the subject is the whole JG 53 Ace of Spades epos, when push came to shove it was the serviceman who decided what kind of emblem was used by the Geschwader, not the party and not even the OKL.