Luftwaffe Disciplinary /Penal Units

[PaulReck]

Is there any information on these formations? I am looking for ANY data available. I have some of their insignia in my collection(collar tabs and shoulder straps), but I have no details on the units themselves.

Regards
Paul

[PaulReck]

Anyone?

[medic!]

im not sure exactly what unit they would be placed in but im sure it would of been a ground combat unit

[Fallschirmjäger]

Would not all luftwaffe units have there own units for this?,like aircrew,FJ,HGPD,LWFD,flak etc...,or they where all sent to a luftwaffe ground type unit.And info on it,would have to try and check the net,but dont remember now seeing too much on there penal units i think?.

[PaulReck]

This is what I have per Angolia

Luftwaffe Disciplinary Units

Soldiers within the Luftwaffe who proved to be a detrimental to the morale and cohesiveness of their unit were sent on a temporary assignment to Disciplinary Units. Their assignment time would be anywhere from three to six months. During this time, they were place on probation. If the soldier was not fit to be returned to a regular Luftwaffe unit, he was turned over to the authorities for disposition. There were three types of Disciplinary units for the Luftwaffe.

1. Special Detachment:
This unit was established on 07Aug1936, following the regulations of manual D73, "Regulations for the Special Detachments". This unit was disbanded by the onset of hostilities.

2. Probation Camp:
This unit was established by order BLB40 number 146 on 30Jan40. The purpose of this unit was to provide three months of "severe military special training". This unit was eventually disbanded, although no date is known(yet)

3. Special Companies:
This final unit was brought on line to replace the Probation Camp. The Special Companies at special purpose 1, 2, and 3 (Sonderkompainien z.b.V 1, 2, and 3) were established by order LV43 Number 1667 on 06Aug43. All members were demoted to the rank of private and were assigned dangerous work on the front line without weapons for 3-6 months.

I am surprised that there are no published accounts of survivors(not that I could find), as I am sure that they would have been celebrated as heros after the war.

[Fallschirmjäger]

Thanks for that info Paul,so any units,FJ,HGPD etc.. would be sent to these units most likely,or maybe they just dealt with there own or they where chucked out and sent to a LWFD instead too for punishment.But dangerous work on the lines with no weapons sounds bad too,so like runners of supplies,or medic helpers or signals type work possibly.

[Jan-Hendrik]

There are some very detailed articles on this Topic in the "Deutsches Soldatenjahrbuch" published in the beginning of 90s..they belong to the series of Horst Voigt on the hole penal system within the Wehrmacht with each and every unit that ever existed. He published this in more than 20 parts from the late 70s till the mid 90s.

Jan-Hendrik

[PaulReck]

Thank you Jan. Where can I find this book and are there any English versions?

Here is what I have for uniform regulations as well as a picture of the insignia.

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=23337

[A.C.E. van T.]

Luftwaffe Penal Btl.6 was send to the Neerpelt bridgehead during Market-Garden

[PaulReck]

Does anyone know of any books that have any detailed information on the Gau Disciplinary/Penal units? There must be some photos out there as well...

[Fallschirmjäger]

The info maybe out there,just seems none have it here,tried any other forums too like the Wehrmact-Awards ones.And pictures maybe where just lost due to the war,burnt,destroyed etc....,like soldiers who may have took some, died then buried with them,or taken by allied soldiers,russians,lost in vaults or by individual soldiers somehwere.