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. |