The Army Balloon Observer's Badge

A Comprehensive Study

by William C Stump

The institution of the Army Balloon Observer’s Badge

On July the 8th, 1944, the High Command of the German Army, OKW, authorized the introduction of the Army Balloon Observers Badge to award officers and men of the field artillery balloon observer units while on active front-line duty. Together with the procedural instructions this authorization was published in the "Allgemeine Herrresmitteilungen" (General Army Commutations) with date of August 7th, 1944. The badge was to acknowledge the extremely hazardous duty of directing artillery fire and observation while observing from a two to three man gondola hanging from a gas filled balloon. Cables suspended the balloons on the ground to heights from 300 to 1000 meters. Although the German artillery units had been using balloon observation units throughout the war, the troops did not have a distinctive qualification badge to indicate their proficiency and specialized duty. Up until the date of institution of a special badge in recognition of their service the War Merit Cross was awarded for their bravery. The criteria for the bestowal of the Iron Cross did not apply to the balloon observers. The majority of the Army Balloon Observer units were stationed on the Eastern Front especially in the later years of the war until 1945.

For the Officers and men serving in the Army’s Balloon Observer Battalions during World War II it was a very dangerous duty in the best of conditions. These observers perched in gondolas hanging from gas filled balloons in heights sometimes ranging as high as 1500 feet in the air. Their primary duty was to act as artillery spotters for the artillery units. In the early days of the war the Luftwaffe provided adequate protection for the observer units. However, as the war progressed, and the Luftwaffe no longer ruled the skies over the battlefields of Europe, the danger increased and the observer units became prime targets from not only ground fire, but from enemy aircraft. This duty subjected the officers and men to ever increasing danger.

Duties of the Army balloon observer and criteria for its award as described by the former director of the Army's Reconnaisance / Observation Staff of the General of Artillery

A member of this daring unit best describes the duty of an Army Balloon Observer. He was a former artillery officer and regimental commander, Oberst and Kdr. Of Pz. A. R. 93, and a German Cross in Gold winner. His name was Oberst A. D. Hans Joachim Froben. The following is the translation of the text as it was published in the Deutsches Soldatenjahrbuch (The German Soldiers Yearbook), in the early 1980’s. Oberst Froben also described his service to Dr. Klietmann for his 1981 book, AUSZEICHNUNGEN DES DEUTSCHEN REICHES, 1936-1945. This translation does not make a claim to professional accuracy, but faithfully reflects the contents of the article. The following is just as it was published and was translated for me by my friend and fellow researcher, Bernhard H. Holst, who is also an expert translator.

"Alone at a height of 900 –1,500 feet was the balloon observer in a wicker basket with a strapped on parachute. The basket hung just below a balloon, which was first charged with 1,500 cubic meters then 600 cbm of highly flammable gas with the valve release cord and the parachute ripcord fastened in close proximity to the edge of the basket. The observer surveyed a large area by day and by night, in windy and cold conditions for many hours. He himself was visible from afar and practically invited enemy fighter attacks and artillery file. Evan though friendly antiaircraft gave protection; sudden enemy action was to be anticipated. In extreme cases the observer was perhaps able to use the parachute, but some observers were wounded while descending or were caught by his crashing and burning balloon.

Of course the balloon filled with flammable gas was not a modern reconnaissance means, but had the advantage over a fast moving plane to be able to survey a larger area from one point and was practically unnoticeable during the night. It is noted here that the western allies used balloons in 1939/40 and the eastern enemy until 1945.

The importance was the observations on strength and direction of the enemy; road and rail traffic; troop, armor and material concentrations and more. The shortest route to higher command transmitted these observations. The observer directly supported friendly forces by: continuous reports of movements on the battlefield, occasionally in operations against partisans, ranging shots by own artillery on recognized enemy artillery and mortar positions, armor concentrations and others. Observers could not even see many of these targets on the ground.

During the first years of WW II there were no special recognition for these performances which were equally appreciated by higher command and the troops in the field. Because the criteria for the bestowal of the Iron Cross did not apply to the balloon observers, only the War Merit Cross, introduced for less exciting war service, could be received. Thoughts about the introduction of a special distinctive badge were made early on but did not proceed further because no one thought of a long duration of the war and the number of possible recipients was also very small. I relinquished command of Pz.A.R. 93 in September of 1943 to assume a position on the staff of the "General der Artillerie" (general in charge of all artillery matters) namely that of Director of Group III (Reconnaissance/Observation Branch of the several branches making up the artillery arm). My Predecessor, Oberst Meredikes, among other matters asked me to pursue a distinctive badge for the balloon observers. The growing air superiority of the enemy caused more dangers to the observers and it was high time to do something for them.

Once I understood the many chores of my assignment within such a large staff I sought out the applicable office for the creation of new distinctions and found it in the Group P 5 of the Herrespersonalamt (army personnel office). Soon I had the opportunity for personal contact with the director of that group. During the conversations he suggested that a respective formulation be worked up. He believed that a performance badge (Leistungsabzeichen) would be authorized even for only the small group, of eligible personnel.

Now I had to envision what bestowal criteria for the performance evaluation of balloon observers on active front line duty were to be. Because I myself had no experience as an observer I effected the detachment to my staff of an experienced officer, Oberleutnant Uhde who was soon presented. As a result of out consultations and calculations we established criteria based on a point system. Thereby the importance of the observer reports and the targets engaged for the high command, and for the troops directly supported as well as the personal effort of the observer, were evaluated. Duration of the observation mission and the exposure to enemy planes or artillery played a role also. For example, every enemy target engaged and every four hours observation duration recorded were valued at one point. The first evacuation by parachute during a combat mission for compelling reason, brought ten points and every subsequent one five points were received. Three grades of the badge were established: Grade I in Bronze for twenty points, Grade II in Silver forty-five points and Grade III in gold seventy-five points. Only the highest grade awarded was to be worn on the left breast, if applicable to the left of the Assault badge. All this was brought into agreement with the awards section and it was able to judge this aspect: artillery commanders (division/corps level), commander of the observation battalion or the battery commander. Basis for the evaluation was to be the Balloon diaries kept up at platoon level. The applications for the award were to be made to the "General der Artillerie" in the OKH. From there the award document and the badges were then to be sent directly to the applying formation.

On July 8th, 1944, the OKH authorized the introduction of the Balloon Observer Badge in recognition of the performance by the observers while on active front-line duty. Together with the procedural instructions this authorization was published in the "Allgemeine Herrresmitteilungen" (General Army Commutations) with date of 7. August, 1944. The efforts to establish a visible recognition of the commitment of the observers in the balloon baskets were thereby concluded.

The manufacture of the badge was entrusted by orders and awards group to a jeweler in Dresden. Of two samples presented to me I selected one for the final manufacturer, twenty to forty of each grade was to be made. Repeatedly badges were bestowed by the "General der Artillery" and the respective documents were sent out. If actual badges were delivered, I do not know because I was reassigned to the command of an artillery regiment in early 1945."

At this point in the investigation, one must ask themselves some serious questions. Is the award document pictured in Dr. Klietmann’s book and Adrian Foreman’s books the same document, stamped with the unit seal in the same place and position, and signed by the same person? The small number of badges apparently ordered to be manufactured was so small was the likelihood of any substantial number of them to have survived the war, if actually produced possible? All evidence seems to indicate that no badges were sent to recipients by the time of the officer in charge of ordering the badges, Oberest Hans Joachim Froben, was reassigned to combat duty in early 1945, but only award documents were issued. Therefore, was it possible for the "jeweler in Dresden" that he said was commissioned to produce the small quantity of badges to have geared up to produce the badges, go through the required steps leading to the production of the badges in the time of 44 days? From the information supplied by former Oberst Hans J. Froben, he seems to indicate that no badges were sent to recipients by the time of his reassignment to combat duty in early 1945, but only documents were issued. If his time schedule is correct, and we take January 1, 1945 as the date of his departure for combat duty, it gives a maximum of 44 days for the "jeweler in Dresden" to complete production of the badges. Could all this be accomplished in 44 days to have the badges ready to be shipped to the OKH for distribution to the troops?

The different design flaws of the badges featured in various reference books - 1968 - 2001

There is no dispute that the Army Balloon Observer’s Badge was instituted on July 8th, 1944. There is no dispute that awards of the badge were made during the weeks and months after the badge had been officially instituted. Known presentation documents (Urkunde’s) and entries in the service man’s identification and personal record books, "Soldbuchs", attest that the awards had been made. The major disputes arose over when the awards were made and did the recipient receive a badge as outlined in the criteria for awarding the badges. When was the badge designed, approved and awarded during WWII and what does the design look like? When were the recipients officially awarded their citation? Were all three classes of badges, as outlined in the statues, awarded and produced? Opinions and speculation can’t be allowed to influence the investigation, but only rational factual evidence is to be considered. I have been opinionated from the beginning due to my first hand knowledge gained over 30 years ago, but I will discount it first and not show anything except documented facts. I know that I will be accused of being bias, and truthfully and guess down deep I am. However, I will try my utmost to only show factual and documented evidence. I always say that facts and good hard evidence can’t be biased. I ask no more from anyone and if I accomplish my goal, everyone can understand the true factual story of one of the most controversial awards instituted and awarded by the German Army during WWII.

As stated earlier, and as Exhibit No. 1 shows, Dr. Klietmann said that this badge was the original design approved by the Reich’s Orders Chancellery prior to the end of the war. Note the design of the eagle and how the head rises well above the neck and wings. However, the left wing is slightly wider than the right wing. (See Exhibits No. 1, close up of the eagle.) In Dodkins and Littlejohn’s book the design of the eagle’s head changes to appear that the eagle’s left wing is the same heights as the right and the beak appears to be looking at the "beard or hump" on the top of its left wing. (See Exhibits No. 3 and 3-A) John R. Angolia used the same photographs in his 1976, 1985 and 1987 revisions. (See Exhibits No. 2 and 2-A) Another change can be observed with Forman’s presentation in his 1988 2nd Edition book. The "beard or hump" is just beginning to develop and the eagle’s head appears to be looking at the flaw. Also, the left wing is beginning to look underdeveloped as compared to the right wing. In 1981, Dr. Kleitmann presents yet another photograph of the Army Balloon Observer’s Badge that is the possible key to understand the "beards or humps" on some of the other badges. It appears that when the photograph of this badge was taken, the camera was held at an angle that allow the shadow of the badge to be captured giving an illusion of a "beard or hump" on the left wing of the eagle. Furthermore, this photograph is not the same photograph that he said was than taken of the original matrix. I did not see this photograph when visiting Dr. Klietmann in 1968, nor did he mention that it existed. Finally, when John Ormsby and I wrote the text for the Clay Publication Group series MEDALS & DECORATIONS OF HITLER’S GERMANY, 1981, we used a photograph of a Army Balloon Observer's Badge of the "bearded badge" used by Angolia. It was the only photograph of a badge we had and it was, after all, the badge we featured was thought to be original at this point in time. (See Exhibit No. 2 and 2-A.)

Finally, to really understand the mystery of the different badge designs one must look at the 1988 1st edition of Adrians Forman’s book. FORMAN’S GUIDE TO THIRD REICH GERMAN AWARDS.AND THEIR VALUES. Here the first red flag was raised that would be a high water mark in the study of the various design differences used over a 33 year span of covering the Army Balloon Observer’s Badge. Forman used the original Klietmann photograph that in the beginning Klietmann said was the only known example of the badge to survive the war. If this was the case, why did Dr. Klietmann provide photographs of different badges and why did Forman suddenly change in his next two updates of his book to the later Klietmann supplied badge designs? It appears that Forman wasn’t aware of the photograph of the second badge that Dr. Klietmann displays first in a German publication in 1955 and again his book published in 1981. He probably didn’t have the photograph of the new badge until after Klietmann introduced it to the world in 1981. I am just speculating as to Forman’s reasons for changing photographs and I can’t use it in the final determination of the facts. It does, however, give us something to think about. Klietmann changed his original story of only one badge surviving the war to a small number of badges having been made. He knew about the second badge in 1968, but neglected to tell me. He as much told the collecting world, "Here a second badge is with its new design." All he accomplished was to throw more doubt on all the existing reproductions with the "beard or hump" on a deformed left wing. That new photograph was really the second red flag, but it was wrapped around the flagpole until we seriously began to look at the history of the badge. It was Mr. Otto Spronk who unfurled the flag and now we can see things that was camouflaged and right under out nose all along.

As I said in the beginning, I would not introduce speculation, but would allow creditable circumstantial evidence to be entered as creditable evidence to this report. Since I am not a professional photographer, I consulted Mr. Otto Spronk, noted collector and researcher in the field of Third Reich history. He is also a professional photographer of many years’ experience and his input into this investigation is that of a professional "expert" witness. I don’t think anyone in our hobby can impeach his credentials. Mr. Spronk and I have looked closely at the photograph of the second badge Dr. Klietmann introduced as an original period badge or designing original. I have no doubt that this second badge was exactly as Dr. Klietmann propertied the badge to be in 1981. If you will look closely at the photographs of this badge, especially the enlarged photograph, you will see a perfectly proportioned German National eagle. The wings are correctly designed with no "beard or hump" on the left wing. Most importantly, it does not have a deformed left wing. What is seen is that the photograph is of the original design matrix that was approved by Dr. Doehle sometime in late 1944 or early 1945. The photograph that Dr. Klietmann first said was the original designed matrix that was in the hands of the designer probably was the original design reject by Hitler. It was sent back to the designer, Ellmar Lang as proved in the letter to Lang from the OKW on July 26, 1944. (See Exhibit 5.) The second designing matrix would be the only original badge Dr. Klietmann ever seen and he was probably was right again and the man who had it was most likely Ellmar Lang, the designer whose original design was not approved by Hitler.

Now we come to the beard, hump and deformed left wing that appears on all the other badges purported to be original issued badges. The next question is how did the deformity occur and why was it allowed to pass inspection by the inspectors of the Reich Order’s Chancellery?

I again bring in the expert testimony of Mr. Otto Spronk. His explanation of how the deformity became part of the "bearded" badge was because of the way the photographer who made the photograph took the picture of the second badge. Klietmann said in his 1981 book that the example of the badge he featured was an example of an original badge. By featuring this badge, there is no doubt that he doubt he had photographs of two of the designing matrixes. The "beard" on the badges I have as examples of original period badges, and the copies later made from them, were caused by a mistake in creating the die. If you will look at the enlarged photograph the original Klietmann photograph, you can see that this photograph was made by angling the camera to the left of the badge thus producing a shadow under the beak. This shadow was incorporated into the die when the producer of the die thought the shadow was part of either the oak leaf wreath or the way the eagle was designed. Granted, this is a hypothesis, but no other logical explanation has been introduced that can show a different cause for the deformed die. Using logic again, no producer of Third Reich medals or badges would make such a gross error in designing a die even at this late date of the war. As the firm producing the badge had to submit a final product to the Orders Chancellery for approval prior to production, it is also not logical to assume that the Orders Chancellery officials would have accepted such a monstrosity. Therefore, the other evidence will more than substantiate these hypotheses and let it be accepted as creditable circumstantial evidence to be considered in the final analysis of that total sum of evidence.

 Evidence supporting that the Army Balloon Badge was produced and issued

Unfortunately, I have not found any documented factual proof that the badge was produced. I have a lot of opinions and speculation, but I won’t use opinions and speculation and will not enter them into the report. I will allow the two distinctly different designed badges with the "beard or hump" deformed left wing be admitted into evidence on behalf of the proponents that these badges are original war time produced badges. The photographs will speak for the proponents of the badges. After all, one picture is worth a thousand words, or so the old saying goes.

Factual evidence supporting that the Army Balloon Badge was not produced and issued

What occurred in the months between the date of the institution of the Army Balloon Observer’s badge of July 8th, 1944, until the end of the war in May of 1945, is crucial in establishing if the Army Balloon Observer’s Badge was produced and awarded or not. The badge would have to go through the same process as any badge before production could be undertaken. Regulations first had to be written, instituted, and then distributed to all potential designers. Next, a design drawing, matrix proofs and samples were to be submitted to the Reich’s Orders Chancellery for approval. After these steps had been taken, the proofs were submitted to the particular branch of service to which the badges were made for to receive their stamp of approval. Once this was done, mass-production by a firm or firms was undertaken. The final step came with the distribution of the badges to the troops. All these steps were required for a badge to make the long process from the drawing board to the recipients’ uniform.

With the Army Balloon Observer’s Badge, some factual and documented information is available concerning the design and possible production. However, equally missing information must be found and pieced into the overall picture by using logical deductions to fill in the missing gaps. I will be the first to say that some of the actual facts may never be uncovered to produce a 100% factual report. We will have to rely in some cases on circumstantial evidence, a preponderance of such evidence, to fill in the missing parts of the story. However, in the end I am positive that a logical story will evolve.

Here is a chronological list of the documented facts that dealing with the design and possible production of the badge.