Original Item: Only One Available. This Deutschen Luftsport-Verbandes (German Air Sports Association) Wimpel (Pennant) is in very good aged condition, and measures about 5 1/8" in hoist by 11 3/4" in fly. The construction is quite robust, as one would expect for a vehicle pennant, and it is made from two piece of wool sewn together with a central light canvas central support and canvas header. This has attachment strings at the corners, which are currently tied together.

The pennant design is printed / dyed into the wool, and displays the DLV logo on a blue background. It is double sided, so the logo appears correctly from either side. Items such as this were most likely used on vehicles such as cars, to show off one's membership in the organization. Overall condition is very good considering the age, with age toning and staining to the pennant, as well as some holes and tears through the wool. This looks to have been used for a long period of time.

It still retains an original maker label on the header, which reads:-

FAHNENRICHTER
gegr.1869 KÖLN 8

"Fahnenrichter" translates to "Flag Bearer", which looks to be the name of the company founded in 1869, indicated by "gegr. 1869", short for gegründet (founded). We have had several flags and pennants by this company previously. The pennant design was legally protected in Germany, as indicated by the ges. gesch. label, an abbreviation of Gesetzlich Geschützt, meaning "Protected by Law."

With the wonderful aged look and intact makers label, this is sure to be a welcome collection to any pre war civic organization collection.

History of the Deutschen Luftsport-Verbandes
The German Air Sports Association (Deutscher Luftsportverband, or DLV e. V.) was an organisation set up by the NSDAP Party in March 1933 to establish a uniform basis for the training of military pilots. Its chairman was Hermann Göring and its vice-chairman Ernst Röhm.

Since the Treaty of Versailles officially forbade Germany from building fighter planes of any sort, the German Air Sports Association used gliders to train men still officially civilians for the future Luftwaffe. The first steps towards the Luftwaffe's formation were undertaken just months after Adolf AH came to power. Hermann Göring, a World War I ace with 22 victories and the holder of the Orden Pour le Mérite, became National Kommissar for aviation with former Deutsche Luft Hansa director Erhard Milch as his deputy. On 25 March 1933 the German Air Sports Association absorbed all private and national organizations, whilst retaining its 'sports' title. In April 1933 the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM – Reich Air Ministry) was established. The RLM was in charge of development and production of aircraft, and soon afterwards the test site or Erprobungsstelle at Rechlin became its testing ground, a military airfield that had been first established in August 1918. Göring's control over all aspects of aviation became absolute.

The German Air Sports Association was dissolved in 1937 and replaced with the National Socialist Flyers Corps, a corporation under public law and subordinate to Reichsluftfahrtminister Göring.