Combined Pilot and Observer Badge with Diamonds
This is the personal piece from the estate of General Bruno Loerzer.
The laurel/oak leaf wreath crafted in 14 karat gold, the Luftwaffe eagle manufactured in several parts of white gold and completely set with diamonds, reverse side with a thin gold overlay and screwed onto the wreath. The pin with safety catch, stamped “585” gold under the pin hinge. Lightly worn in beautiful condition, complete in original presentation case.
Accompanied by some documents from the estate of Loerzer. The piece was sold in Hamburg in 1960 after his death and has been in a private collection since then.
Bruno Loerzer (born January 22, 1891 in Berlin; died August 22, 1960 in Hamburg) was a fighter pilot in World War I and Generaloberst of the German Luftwaffe in World War II.
Loerzer entered the Prussian Army on September 13, 1911 and was trained as a pilot during World War I. Until mid-1915, he served as a reconnaissance observer together with Hermann Göring. Until January 1917, he was assigned to three different fighter squadrons. During this time, he achieved his first two aerial victories over French aircraft. After his 20th kill in October 1917 and the award of the Pour le Mérite in February 1918, he was appointed commander of the newly formed Jagdgeschwader III.
As leader of Jasta 26 and three other fighter squadrons, he was very successful. His units, equipped with the technically superior Fokker D.VII — one of the best aircraft of World War I — inflicted heavy losses on the Allies and were therefore particularly feared. Loerzer himself achieved 44 kills during the entire war and was thus one of the most successful German fighter pilots.
After 1918, Loerzer fought in various Freikorps in the Baltic region before being discharged from the Reichswehr as a Hauptmann on March 31, 1920. During the Weimar Republic, he was director of the Reichsverband der deutschen Luftfahrzeughalter, a civilian pilots' association.
Under the National Socialists, his career benefited primarily from his friendship with Hermann Göring. In 1933, he first became president of a military cover organization, the Deutscher Luftsportverband and Reichsluftsportführer, before being reactivated as an Oberst in 1935 — with the official founding of the Luftwaffe, previously prohibited by the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles — and appointed Kommodore of a fighter wing in 1937. From 1938, he became Inspector of Fighter Pilots.
At the outbreak of war, Loerzer was Generalmajor and commander of the 2. Fliegerdivision. Appointed Commanding General of II. Fliegerkorps in October 1939, he became Generalleutnant on January 1, 1940 and was promoted to General der Flieger as early as July 19 of the same year. In February 1943, he was then appointed by Göring with promotion to Generaloberst as Chief of the Luftwaffe Personnel Office and Personnel Armament, a position whose duties Loerzer was far from capable of fulfilling. On December 20, 1944, he was therefore relieved of his command, transferred to the Führerreserve and finally discharged on April 29, 1945.
The laurel/oak leaf wreath crafted in 14 karat gold, the Luftwaffe eagle manufactured in several parts of white gold and completely set with diamonds, reverse side with a thin gold overlay and screwed onto the wreath. The pin with safety catch, stamped “585” gold under the pin hinge. Lightly worn in beautiful condition, complete in original presentation case.
Accompanied by some documents from the estate of Loerzer. The piece was sold in Hamburg in 1960 after his death and has been in a private collection since then.
Bruno Loerzer (born January 22, 1891 in Berlin; died August 22, 1960 in Hamburg) was a fighter pilot in World War I and Generaloberst of the German Luftwaffe in World War II.
Loerzer entered the Prussian Army on September 13, 1911 and was trained as a pilot during World War I. Until mid-1915, he served as a reconnaissance observer together with Hermann Göring. Until January 1917, he was assigned to three different fighter squadrons. During this time, he achieved his first two aerial victories over French aircraft. After his 20th kill in October 1917 and the award of the Pour le Mérite in February 1918, he was appointed commander of the newly formed Jagdgeschwader III.
As leader of Jasta 26 and three other fighter squadrons, he was very successful. His units, equipped with the technically superior Fokker D.VII — one of the best aircraft of World War I — inflicted heavy losses on the Allies and were therefore particularly feared. Loerzer himself achieved 44 kills during the entire war and was thus one of the most successful German fighter pilots.
After 1918, Loerzer fought in various Freikorps in the Baltic region before being discharged from the Reichswehr as a Hauptmann on March 31, 1920. During the Weimar Republic, he was director of the Reichsverband der deutschen Luftfahrzeughalter, a civilian pilots' association.
Under the National Socialists, his career benefited primarily from his friendship with Hermann Göring. In 1933, he first became president of a military cover organization, the Deutscher Luftsportverband and Reichsluftsportführer, before being reactivated as an Oberst in 1935 — with the official founding of the Luftwaffe, previously prohibited by the provisions of the Treaty of Versailles — and appointed Kommodore of a fighter wing in 1937. From 1938, he became Inspector of Fighter Pilots.
At the outbreak of war, Loerzer was Generalmajor and commander of the 2. Fliegerdivision. Appointed Commanding General of II. Fliegerkorps in October 1939, he became Generalleutnant on January 1, 1940 and was promoted to General der Flieger as early as July 19 of the same year. In February 1943, he was then appointed by Göring with promotion to Generaloberst as Chief of the Luftwaffe Personnel Office and Personnel Armament, a position whose duties Loerzer was far from capable of fulfilling. On December 20, 1944, he was therefore relieved of his command, transferred to the Führerreserve and finally discharged on April 29, 1945.
