Honour Goblet for the Victor in Aerial Combat
The Honour Goblet for the Victor in Aerial Combat (German: Ehrenbecher für den Sieger im Luftkampf) was a combat decoration of the Imperial German Air Service. It was awarded for the first victory (Luftsieg) in aerial combat during World War I. It was made of silver. The side bore the silver stamp "800." Approximately 2,500 honorary cups were awarded.
History
The honorary goblets were first awarded on 24 December 1915 to aviators Oswald Boelcke and Max Immelmann (although Walter Kandulski is said to have received it as early as 15 December). They were awarded to fighter squadron (Jagdstaffel or Jasta) pilots for their first aerial victory and were financed from a cash reserve provided to the Chief of Field Aviation, Hermann von der Lieth-Thomsen.
By the end of 1916, however, the silver cups were replaced by substitute materials such as iron. Toward the end of the war, no more cups were issued at all, but only award certificates.
The Imperial German Navy had its own air force during World War I. Initially, successful pilots could also be awarded the honorary cup. At the beginning of 1917, the Naval Aviation Honor Award was created and awarded approximately 182 times by the end of the war.
There was also another, even rarer German award, the Ehrenbecher für erfolgreiche Angriffe aus der Luft (English: Honour Goblet for successful attacks from the air / from above) for successful aerial attacks from airships. This was awarded only very rarely, for example to members of the crews of Zeppelin bombers or for certain successful attacks.
Between wars
On 13 and 14 June 1936, Otto von Stülpnagel visited the "pre-war aviation annual meeting in Munich" (Vorkriegsflieger-Jahrestreffen München 1936) and brought greetings from the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force, Generaloberst Hermann Göring, and in a short speech contrasted the young Luftwaffe's proud feeling that Germany was free again with the commitment to employment and willingness to sacrifice in the spirit of our World War I pilots. Through him, the young air force sends its greetings to the pioneers of the first German aviation. "But we old ones," concluded the General der Flieger, "greet the young air force and its commander-in-chief, who in the three years of construction with fanatical love and tenacious energy created this imperishable work of the new German air force." Reich air sports leader (Reichsluftsportführer) Colonel Alfred Mahncke remembered the achievements of our pre-war pilots and presented the honorary goblets (Ehrenbecher) to the pre-war pilots present. He himself was presented the honorary cup by Major a. D. Carl Braun.[1]
See also
External links
- Honorary Goblet of the Luftwaffe (Ehrenpokal für besondere Leistung im Luftkrieg)
