Home Page World War II Armed Forces — Orders of Battle and Organizations Last Updated 22.02.2012
German Air Force
Glossary
 
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
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 Defense
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)
NOTES:
Some German designations have been hyphenated here for clarity. In many cases the hyphen is not used.
[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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