History

On March 25, 1933 the DLV (Deutscher Luftsportverband = German Air Sports Association) was created as a civilian sports organisation, the umbrella organisation of all air-related sports. However, from the very beginning, the DLV was used to secretly train its members for future roles in the newly emerging Luftwaffe, a breach of the terms of the Versailles Treaty.
The organisation should not be confused with the Deutscher Luftfahrtverband (also abbreviated DLV), which was formed in 1902, but disbanded in favour of the new DLV under Third Reich rule.

The DLV was split into two groups, the civilian section and the secret military section, known as the “Fliegerschaft” (air crew). The organisation eventually became obsolete after the official unveiling of the Luftwaffe in 1935, and it was disbanded and replaced by the National Socialist Flyers Corps (NSFK or Nationalsozialistisches Fliegerkorps) in 1937.

All career insignia were worn on the lower left sleeve.

The Balloonist (Ballonfahrer) qualification badge is a round blue-grey wool backing with a silver-coloured balloon with gondola on it. The balloon was either in metal or embroidered.
Rare examples on a diamond-shaped backing are known to exist.

Versions with the balloon inside an open wreath of oak leaves also exist, yet their purpose is unknown.