World War 2 In Review: air raid precautions

Flag of the Reichsluftschutzbund.

The Reichsluftschutzbund (RLB; "Reich Air Protection League") was a civil defense organization in Nazi Germany in charge of air raid precautions in residential areas and among smaller businesses.

Purpose

The RLB was organized by Hermann Göring in 1933 as a voluntary association. Existing volunteer air raid precaution associations were forced to merge with RLB. In 1939 the RLB became a Körperschaft des öffentlichen Rechts (quasi-autonomous non-governmental organization), while in 1944 it became an affiliated organization of the Nazi Party. RLB was dissolved by the Allied Powers after the end of World War II. Its successor in the Federal Republic of Germany was the Bundesverband für den Selbstschutz.

The RLB was in charge of educating and training ordinary German men and women in civil defense procedures necessary for the basic level of local self-help of the civil population against air raids. The local level was formed around air raid wardens and operated in small first intervention squads. The training include fire fighting, protection against chemical weapons, communication procedures and preparation of houses and apartments against air raids.

Organization

In 1939 the RLB had about 15 million members, 820,000 volunteer functionaries (of which 280,000 women) and 75,000 local units. The membership was trained at 3,800 civil defense schools with 28,000 instructors.

RLB was led by a Präsidium, whose president, and vice president and chief of staff, were active duty general officers of the Luftwaffe. The presidium was in itself a department immediately subordinated to the Ministry of Aviation.

Coterminous with each Luftgaukommando (air district command) was a RLB-Gruppe (RLB-group) under a leader aided by 46 full-time staff members.

For each Regierungsbezirk, there was a RLB-Bezirksgruppe (regional group).

The basic organization was the RLB-Revier, one for each police precinct in the cities, or the RLB-Gemeinde-Gruppe, one for each urban or rural municipality for the rest of the country. In the case of a city with several precincts, the citywide organization was called an RLB-Ortsgruppe (local group). Several municipal groups formed an RLB-Ortskreisgruppe, one for each Landkreis. Each Ortsgruppe and Ortskreisgruppe had a leader and a staff of nine members, of which five where full-time salaried employees.

The basic organizations had a varied number of Untergruppen (sub-groups) divided into Blöcke (blocks) under Blockwarte (block wardens) which controlled and liaised with a number of Luftschutzgemeinschaften (air raid protection communities) under Luftschutzwarte (air raid wardens). Each community consisted of an apartment building or several smaller buildings, although a large apartment complex could have several communities. In addition to the warden, the community should have an assistant warden, house fire fighters, helpers and messengers as a first intervention squad. Duty in these squads were compulsory (Notdienstpflicht) for the civilian population.

Ranks and Insignia of the Reichsluftschutzbund

Uniforms and insignia of the Reichsluftschutzbund were paramilitary titles adopted by the Reichsluftschutzbund (transl. State Air Protection Corps – RLB) for wear on paramilitary uniforms of the RLB.

Uniforms

Much like the uniforms of the SA and the SS, the RLB maintained its own elaborate system of uniforms and ranks. While most often a field uniform was worn, that had little accoutrements beyond rank, a shoulder band with RLB insignia, a helmet with RLB identification on it and occasionally a gorget; a service coat did exist, which was modeled off of the standard Nazi Party paramilitary dress. The Nazi armband was worn on the service coat, but was absent on the field uniform, where it was replaced by the RLB armband. A badge that had the initials of the Reichsluftschutzbund on it also existed, and was worn by members both in and out of uniform.

Women could also volunteer for the RLB, and were permitted to wear the field uniform, but without rank.

Table of Ranks

RLB rank	Translation	*Luftwaffe* equivalent
Reichsluftschutzbund-Präsident	Reichsluftschutzbund president	General der Flieger
General-Hauptluftschutzführer	General head air protection leader	Generalleutnant
Generalluftschutzführer	General air protection leader	Generalmajor
Oberstluftschutzführer	Chief air protection leader	Oberst
Oberststabsluftschutzführer	Chief staff air protection leader	Oberstleutnant
Stabsluftschutzführer	Staff air protection leader	Major
Hauptluftschutzführer	Head air protection leader	Hauptmann
Oberluftschutzführer	Senior air protection leader	Oberleutnant
Luftschutzführer	Air protection leader	Leutnant
Luftschutzobertruppmeister	Senior master air protection trooper	Feldwebel
Luftschutztruppmeister	Master air protection trooper	Unteroffizier
Luftschutzobertruppwart	Senior air protection trooper warden	Hauptgefreiter
Luftschutztruppwart	Air protection trooper warden	Obergefreiter
Luftschutzobertruppmann	Senior air protection trooper	Gefreiter
Luftschutztruppmann	Air protection trooper	Flieger

Civil Defense Decoration

The Civil Defense Decoration (Luftschutz Ehrenzeichen) was a German civil award created by Adolf Hitler on 30 January 1938.

It was awarded for meritorious service in German air raid protection. It was open both to members of the Reichsluftschutzbund, the principal German air raid precautions organization, and others involved in this work, including police, fire and emergency services. It was usually necessary to have at least four years service before an award could be made.

It was bestowed in two classes:

1st class: a gilt cross with curved arms. It had a swastika in the center within a ring bearing the inscription: Für Verdienst im Luftschutz (For merit in Air Defense). It was awarded for outstanding contributions to air defense in Germany.

2nd class: a circular medal in grey metal, framed by an oak wreath. In the center is a swastika surrounded by the inscription: Für Verdienst im Luftschutz (For merit in Air Defense). It was awarded to those who had made special contributions to air defense.

The reverse of both classes bore the date 1938, the year the decoration was instituted. Both classes were worn on the left chest on a light purple ribbon with black-white-red borders.

About 200 1st class crosses were awarded. The second class was more common.

The wearing of Nazi era decorations was banned after Germany's defeat in 1945. The Civil Defense Decoration was among those re-authorized for wear by the Federal Republic of Germany in 1957, re-designed to remove the swastika symbol.

Luftschutzpolizei

Luftschutzpolizei (LSP) (Air Raid Protection Police) was the local civil defense organization in Nazi Germany.

LSP was the civil protection service in charge of rescuing victims of bombings in connection with the Technische Nothilfe (Technical Emergency Service) and the Feuerschutzpolizei (professional fire departments). Created as the Security and Assistance Service (Sicherheits und Hilfsdienst (SHD)) in 1935, it was renamed "Luftschutzpolizei" in April 1942, when transferred from the aegis of Ministry of Aviation to the Ordnungspolizei. The transfer took place as part of the reorganization of the German civil defense caused by the heavy casualties suffered from Allied bombings of civilian targets. The local SHD was transferred to the Ordnungspolizei as Luftschutzpolizei. The mobile reserve columns were transferred to the Luftwaffe, as motorized rescue battalions, and greatly expanded.

The LSP belonged to the Technical Auxiliary Police together with the Technical Emergency Service and the volunteer fire departments. It was subordinate to the local civil defense commander (the local state or municipal police commissioner), and under the direct leadership of the local protection police commander (Kommandeuer der Schutzpolizei), who exercised tactical command during air raid protection operations. In Hauptamt Ordnungspolizei, civil defense matters were handled by the Inspectorate of Air Raid Protection and Air Raid Protection Police.

The LSP contained the following services:

Fire-fighting and decontamination service (FE)

Repair, demolition and rescue services (I)

Medical and first aid service (S)

Veterinary first aid service (V)

Specialized technical squads (H)

The LSP was organized in Abteilungen (battalions), Bereitschaften (companies), Züge (platoons), Gruppen (squads), and Trupps (teams).

The LSP in Hamburg, had in 1943 9,300 members, organized as follows:

30 F-companies

18 F-platoons (water)

8 Decontamination parks

18 I-companies

13 I-parks

13 S-companies

72 Medical air raid centers

3 Medical supply depots

7 Veterinary air raid centers

5 H-companies.

A Fire-fighting company was, according to the table of equipment, outfitted with the following vehicles. In reality, this standard could not always be maintained.

2 Fire engines LF-25 with a capacity of 2,500 liters water per minute.

2 Fire engines LF-15 with a capacity of 1,500 liters water per minute.

2 Fire engines LF-8 with a capacity of 800 liters water per minute.

1 Hose vehicle

1 Ladder truck, large

The personnel was made up of men over conscription age, drafted into full-time civil defense service. Allied intelligence sources believed the mean age was 45 years old. The manpower needs of the Wehrmacht, the industry, and the economy had priority over the LSP. As a result, only 70% of the billets in the table of organization could be filled. Many of the men were of questionable physical stamina. As members of the LSP they were also members of the reserve police. Officers of the LSP were trained at the Police Academy for Air Raid Protection Tactics, at Berlin-Schöneberg. While in uniform or performing an official duty, they were subject to the special SS and police jurisdiction.

Ranks

Former ranks in the SHD	Ranks in the Luftschutzpolizei 1942	Ranks in the Luftschutzpolizei 1943	Comparative ranks British Army
SHD-Mann	LS-Mann	Anwärter d. LS-Pol	Private
SHD-Mann	LS-Mann	Unterwachtmeister d. LS-Pol	Senior Private
SHD-Truppführer	LS-Truppführer	Rottwachtmeister d. LS-Pol	Lance Corporal
SHD-Gruppenführer	LS-Gruppenführer	Wachtmeister d. LS-Pol	Corporal
SHD-Gruppenführer	LS-Gruppenführer	Oberwachtmeister d. LS-Pol	Sergeant
SHD-Hauptgruppenführer	LS-Hauptgruppenführer	Zugwachtmeister d. LS-Pol	Staff Sergeant
SHD-Stabsgruppenführer	LS-Stabsgruppenführer	Hauptwachtmeister d. LS-Pol	Sergeant Major
–	–	Meister d. LS-Pol	Sergeant Major
SHD-Zugführer	LS-Zugführer	Zugführer d. LS-Pol	Second Lieutenant
SHD-Oberzugführer	LS-Oberzugführer	Oberzugführer d. LS-Pol	First Lieutenant
SHD-Bereitschaftsführer	LS-Bereitschaftsführer	Bereitschaftsführer d. LS-Pol	Captain
SHD-Abteilungsführer	LS-Abteilungsführer	Abteilungsführer d. LS-Pol	Major
SHD-Abteilungsführer mit besonderem Auftrag	LS-Abteilungsleiter	Oberabteilungsführer d. LS-Pol	Lieutenant colonel

References

Erich Hampe (1963), Der Zivile Luftschutz im Zweiten Weltkrieg, Frankfurt am Main: Bernard & Graefe, pp. 430–451.

Steiner-Welz, Sonja (2005). Die Deutsche Wehrmacht 1933-1945. Mannheim: Welz, Reinhard, Vermittlerverlag, plate 136.

Jährig, Horstjoachim (1938). Deutscher Luftschutz : Jahrbuch im Auftrag des Präsidiums Reichsluftschutzbundes bearbeitet von LS-Hauptführer Horstjoachim Jährig (in German). Berlin: Riegler Verlag. p. 21.

Dorling, H. Taprell (1956). Ribbons and Medals. London: A. H. Baldwin & Sons.

Littlejohn, David; Dodkins, Colonel C. M. (1968). Orders, Decorations, Medals and Badges of the Third Reich. R. James Bender Publishing, California.

Lumsden, Robin (2001). Medals and Decorations of Hitler's Germany. Airlife Publishing.

Deutsches Reichsgesetzblatt (1938). Statute of the Luftschutz Ehrenzeichen, 30 January 1938 (in German).

German Federal law (1957). Bundesministerium der Justiz: Gesetz über Titel, Orden und Ehrenzeichen, 26.7.1957. Bundesgesetzblatt Teil III, Gliederungsnummer 1132-1 (in German).

German Federal regulation (1996). Dienstvorschriften Nr. 14/97. Bezug: Anzugordnung für die Soldaten der Bundeswehr. ZDv 37/10 (in German).

Brunswig, Hans (1981). Feuersturm über Hamburg (in German). Motorbuch Verlag.

CIA (24 August 1999). "Records Integration Title Book" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 23, 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2018.

Deuster, Dieter (2009). Deutsche Polizei-Uniformen 1936-1945 (in German). Motorbuch Verlag.

Hampe, Erich (1963). Der Zivile Luftschutz im Zweiten Weltkrieg (in German).

Linhardt, Andreas (2002). Feuerwehr im Luftschutz 1926-1945 (in German). Braunschweig.

McNab, Chris (2014). Hitler's Eagles: The Luftwaffe 1933–45. London.

Rodehau, Erwin (2016). "Das Kraftfahrwesen des Feuerlöschdienstes im Deutschen Reich 1933–1945". Feuerwehrchronik (in German). 13 (3): 56–76.

SHAFE (1945). The German Police. London.

Williamsson, Gordon (2006). World War II German Police Units. London.

RLB poster from circa 1943.

Boys serving as messengers for the local air raid precaution organization, with RLB helmets.

Luftschutz fire fighters in action, 1939.

Service uniform and insignia of the Reichsluftschutzbund (RLB), the 'National Air Raid Protection League' in Nazi Germany, 1937. (Illustration: Deutsche Uniformen, Verlag Moritz Ruhl, Leipzig)