WWII Luftwaffe - German nazi Air Force military issued watches (nov 2020 update) - B-Uhr, D & RLM
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- Опубликовано: 14 ноя 2020
- This video shows most of my current Luftwaffe watch collection. These were issued to the German Air Force in WWII. These usually have a 'D' marking on the caseback along with a serial number, but some also have an RLM marking (Reichtsluftfartministerium/Airway ministry of the nation). Then there's the famous and bulky B-Uhr Flieger, and the infamous Jaeger-LeCoultre Luftwaffe. This video covers many brands. The D signed watches: Alpina, Dogma, Doxa, Eterna, Grana, Ideal, Leonidas, Onda, Pronto, Record, Selza, Siegerin, Silvana, Syntakt, Titus Geneve, Zentra. The Laco B-Uhr, a Lemania Majetek, two Jaeger-LeCoultre luftwaffe watches, and for the RLM Uhren: sterile, Aristo, Montillier, Para, Stowa, Wagner. There are still more that I forgot to include, but they'll have to be for another video.
/ kabawatch
kabawatch.com/
After its World War I defeat, Germany signed the Versailles Peace Treaty in June 28th 1919. That treaty limited the damaged Reich to a standing Army of 100,000 men, and strictly prohibited Germany from possessing aircraft of any kind. Any aerial units formed after the end of the war were forced to disband. Even the German police force was forced to relinquish its aerial contingent. Despite the restrictions, German aviators, enthusiasts, as well as demobilized airmen, continued to take to the air over their homeland, even if only in unpowered gliders. These young people were to become the foundations of aviation in Germany’s Third Reich.
A few years later in the 1920’s, the Versailles Treaty was less heavily enforced. Several German air-flight clubs and companies came to existence, and sporting aircraft began to be built once more (under compliance with the treaty). Companies such as Dornier, Junckers, Heinkel started (again) around 1922. Heinkel also produced military models in co-operation with the Swedish firm Svenska Aero. In 1927 Messerschmitt (ring a bell?) came to existence, from the merger of two airplane manufacturing companies, one which is now known as BMW. After Hitler’s sudden rise to power in 1933, the once secretly developed German military aircraft industry underwent an undreamed of revival. Out of the many flight clubs came a flood of pilots eager to learn the art of military flight.
Due to the prohibition of military aviation, there were no official military aircraft clocks or aviation watches. There were however many pilot’s watches in 1920’s and 1930’s Germany that were (eventually) used by the Luftwaffe. Pilot’s wristwatches were produced by Omega, Longines, Zenith, IWC, Breitling, Helvetia, Heuer, Doxa, Titus, Mimo, Roamer, Lanco,… They all looked similar from afar, but had many, many little variations.
The German RLM (Reichs-Luftfahrt-Ministerium = Reich’s Air Ministry) had supported the development of all sorts of aircraft clocks, watches and flight chronographs. Even before proper wristwatches, pocket watches were converted to be worn over the flight jackets (like the Record). And eventually, in 1935, the RLM contracted its first official order of Luftwaffe watches… A. Lange & Sohne, IWC, Wempe, and also a few with Patek Philippe and Vacheron & Constantin. No wonder those dudes looked pimpin’!
Anyway, fast forward a bit in time, and the Munich Agreement of 1938 rolled around. This gave the Sudetenland to Germany and led to the occupation of all of Czechoslovakia. The Czech Army and Air Force became part of team Germany. Which brings us to the next watch: The Majetek.
Back in the day, the Czech Air Force was a very highly-developed military. In the late 1930's and through the 1940's, they had their own watches; the Majetek. These were produced by Longines, Eterna, and Lemania. All Majeteks have the same general design, with some small differences for each brand. The watch was issued to military pilots because of its big size and legible dial. Their iconic and large turtle case is still popular with today's standards. The turtle case shape is also where the Longines gets its nickname 'Tartarugone' from, which is Italian for 'turtle'.
Longines was the first to produce the Majetek, and due to popular demand from the military in WWII, Eterna and Lemania started producing them as well. While the watches got their Majetek name from the "Majetek Vojenské Správy"-engraving on the back (which means "Property of Military Administration"), many Eterna and Longines watches lack the signature.
While several markings were used for different types of watches, German WWII military watches mostly deals with two kinds: ‘D’, and ‘D H’. These were stamped next to the case serial number on the back of the watch. The ‘D. H.’ marking is generally interpreted as ‘Dienstuhr Heer’ (army service watch), these were (mostly) issued to the land forces of the Wehrmacht. Then there are also watches which only have ‘D’ engraved. The ‘D’ stands for Dienstuhr (service watch). Any watches stamped only with ‘D’ are assumed to have been used by the Luftwaffe.
Another great video! I’m astonished by your collections and your knowledge!
I just picked up a Glashutte chronograph...I love it!
I was told that the D stands for Dienst, mening service! I have one with the letters D.H ,, meaning army service!
Hey, do you have any information on vintage German aviator watches that were converted from pocket watches? I’ve seen a lot of them floating around but I can’t find much information on them. I’ve seen different listings with all types of brands, such as Rolex Laco aviator or Zenith Laco aviator. I’m just looking for any information I can get on these. I am quite new in my fascination with them and with watches in general so I apologize if my questions are dumb or obvious. Thanks!
Is there a way of tracing who the watch was allocated to by the number on the back? I would love to know who had my Arsa pocket watch during the war.
Wow. Nice collection. I wish I have one for my small collection.
I admire your profound collections, i also collect German's military watches. My personal favorite is the BWC DH, acquire it from a retired infantry army. He trade it for a Hebdomas pocketwatch of mine.
Stunning collection!
A tip : watch movies at Flixzone. I've been using them for watching a lot of movies these days.
@Dante Asher yea, been watching on Flixzone for months myself =)
good content, very interesting indeed
Nice collection. I have a Laco that looks like that giant flieger, though not quite as big lol
Haha yeah this one does look a bit comical. I worn it out maybe a handful of times, but it’s more of a watch that wears a person, instead of you wearing a watch
I had that A.lange Sohne Pilot watch but it got stolen... :(
What about Thiel watches?
I've just inherited a watch almost identical to some of these, it also has the D then the serial number on back, but as for the maker, it just has initials R.W.C on the front, I was hoping someone could help find out who this maker is.
Praiseworthy collection, Can you quote the price for Jaeger Le Coultre wristwatch please?
Thanks! These JLC’s are not for sale, but I do have a few others with my watchmaker that I might sell in the future
any of these for sale?