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World War II Armed Forces — Orders of Battle and Organizations | Last Updated 14.02.2025 |
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World War II Armed Forces — Orders of Battle and Organizations | Last Updated 14.02.2025 |
| Abbreviation | German Term | English Term |
| A | ||
| Abt. | Abteilung | Battalion [Note 1] |
| Ammo | – | Ammunition |
| Aufkl Gr | Aufklärungs-Gruppe | Reconnaissance Group |
| AVGAS | – | Aviation Gasoline |
| B | ||
| Betriebs- | Operations | |
| BoFlGr (BF Gr) | Bord-Flieger-Gruppe | Ship-Based Aviation Group |
| BoFlSt | Bord-Flieger-Staffel | Ship-Based Aviation Squadron |
| Btl | Bataillon | Battalion |
| C | ||
| CoS | – | Chief of Staff |
| D | ||
| DLM | Deutsche Luftwaffe Mission | German Air Force Mission (Military Assistance Group) |
| E | ||
| Einsatzgruppe | Operations Group | |
| Erg | Ergänzungs- | Training and Replacement (sometimes used operationally) |
| Erpr | Erprobungs- | Test |
| ETr | Eisenbahn-Transportschutz | Railroad protection |
| F | ||
| (F) | Fern- | Long-Range (Strategic) Recon |
| FAGr | Fernaufklärungsgruppe | Long-Range (Strategic) Recon Group |
| FAS | Flakartillerieschule | Antiaircraft School |
| FB | Flugbereitschaft | Communications Flight / Headquarters Aircraft Pool |
| FJ | Fallschirmjäger | Parachute Infantry, Parachutist |
| Fl | Flieger- | Aviation |
| FlDiv | Flieger-Division | Air Division |
| Flak | Flugabwehrkanone | antiaircraft gun |
| Flak | – | the Luftwaffe anti-aircraft forces |
| FliFü | Flieger-Führer | Air Commander |
| Flivo | Flieger-Verbindungsoffizier | Air Liaison Officer |
| Flk | Fliegerkorps | Air Corps |
| Fs | Fallshirm- | Parachute |
| FsJg | Fallschirmjäger | Parachute Infantry, Parachutist |
| G | ||
| G | Geschwader | Wing |
| (gem) | gemischt | mixed |
| Gen.d.Lw. | General der Luftwaffe | General of the Luftwaffe |
| GG | General Göring | Elite Luftwaffe unit |
| Gr | Gruppe | Group |
| Gruft | Gruppenfliegerstab | Luftwaffe Army Coorperation Headquarters |
| H | ||
| (H) | Heer | Short-Range (Tactical) Recon attached to Army |
| Hqs | – | Headquarters |
| HöNaFü | Höherer Nachrichtenführer | Higher Signal Commander |
| J | ||
| JaFü | Jagd-Flieger-Füher | Chief of Fighter Aviation |
| JGr | Jagd-Gruppe | Fighter Group (single-engine) |
| JG | Jagd-Geschwader | Fighter Wing (single-engine) |
| K | ||
| Kdo | Kommando | Command |
| KG | Kampf-Geschwader | Bomber Wing |
| KGr zbV | Kampf-Gruppe zur besonderer Verwendung | Transport Group |
| Koflug | Kommando Flughafenbereich | Airfield Regional Command |
| Koluft | Kommandeur der Luftwaffe | Air Force Commander (Coordinator attached to the Army) |
| Kü Fl Gr | Küsten-Flieger-Gruppe | Coastal Aviation Group |
| L | ||
| LBM | Luftwaffenbefehlshaber Mitte | Air Force Command Center |
| le (lei) | leicht | light |
| Lfl | Luftflotte | Air Force Fleet |
| LG | Lehr-Geschwader | Demonstration Wing (sometimes used operationally) |
| – | Luftgau | Air District |
| LLG | Luft-Lande-Geschwader | Air Landing Wing (Glider) |
| Lsp | Luftsperr | Barrage Balloon |
| LTF | Lufttransportfüher | Chief of Air Transport |
| Lv | Luftverteidigung | Air Defence |
| Lw | Luftwaffe | German Air Force |
| M | ||
| mot | motorisiert | motorized |
| mot Z | motorisierter Zug | motor towed, usually by a halftracked prime mover |
| N | ||
| (N) | Nacht- | Night |
| NA Gr | Nahaufklärungs-Gruppe | Short Range (Tactical) Reconnaissance Group |
| NJD | Nachtjagd-Division | Night Fighter Division |
| NJG | Nachtjagd-Geschwader | Night Fighter Wing |
| NS Gr | Nachtschlacht-Gruppe | Night Ground Attack Group |
| O | ||
| (o) | ortsfest | static, not mobile |
| Ob.d.L. | Oberberbefehlshaber der Luftwaffe | Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe |
| OKL | Oberkommando der Luftwaffe | Luftwaffe High Command |
| P | ||
| Pi | Pionier | Engineer |
| (Pz) | Panzer | Short-Range (Tactical) Recon attached to mechanized unit |
| PzJg | Panzerjäger | Antitank |
| R | ||
| Rgt | Regiment | Regiment |
| S | ||
| (S) | See | Marine Aviation |
| s. | schwer | heavy |
| SA Gr | Seeaufklärungs-Gruppe | Maritime Reconnaissance Group |
| (Sch) | Schlachtflieger | Ground Support |
| Santitäts-Flugbereitschaft | Medivac (Medical Air Evacuation Flight) | |
| Seenot | Air-Sea Rescue | |
| Seenotstaffel | Air-Sea Rescue Squadron | |
| SF | Siebel-Fähre | Siebel ferry |
| Sfl | Selbstfahrlafette | self-propelled chassis |
| SKG | Schnell-Kampf-Geschwader | Fighter-Bomber Wing |
| SNDF | Seenotdienstführer | Chief of Air-Sea Rescue |
| St, Sta | Staffel | Squadron (but see Stab, below) |
| St, Stb | Stab | Headquarters (but see Staffel, above) |
| (St) | Stuka (Sturzkampfflieger) | Dive-Bomber |
| Stabia | Stabsbildabteilung | Headquarters' Photo Detachment |
| StG | Stuka-Geschwader | Dive-Bomber Wing |
| Stoluft | Stabsoffizier der Luftwaffe | Staff Officer for the Airforce |
| T | ||
| TG | Transport-Geschwader | Transport Wing |
| V | ||
| (v) | (verlegbar) | moveable, but without organic transport |
| W | ||
| Wetter | Weather | |
| WBZ | Wetter-Beratungs-Zentrale | Weather Station |
| Wekusta | Wetter-Erkundungs-Staffel | Weather Observation Squadron |
| Westa (F) | Wetter-Fernerkundungs-Staffel | Long-Range Weather Observation Squadron |
| Wüstennot | Desert Rescue | |
| Z | ||
| (Z) | Zerstörer | Fighter (twin-engine) |
| zbV | zur besonderen Verwendung | for special use |
| ZG | Zerstörer-Geschwader | Fighter Wing (twin-engine) |
| ZSt | Zerstörer-Staffel | Fighter Squadron (twin-engine) |
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NOTES:
Some German designations have been hyphenated here for clarity. In many cases the hyphen is not used, and the words were run together. [1] The word Abteiling has other meaings as well, for example: – When used within the context of a headquarters, it means section. – When used within the context of military (or civilian) bureaucracies, it means department. – When used in conjunction with trains, it means compartment. |
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