Throughout pre-war and wartime Germany, civilians were employed by the Air Ministry (Reichsluftfahrtministerium) as salaried personnel to serve as doormen and elevator attendants in key Luftwaffe administrative buildings. These included:
The Air Ministry headquarters in Berlin
The four pre-war Air Fleet Command Headquarters (Luftflottenkommando) located in Berlin, Brunswick, Munich, and Vienna
The eleven Regional Air Command offices (Luftgaukommandos)
Various Flying Corps (Fliegerkorps) offices
Offices of Luftwaffe Commanding Officers (Luftwaffe Befehlshaber)
The German term Pförtner can be translated as doorman, porter, janitor, gatekeeper, or gateman. These civilians wore a standardized service uniform consisting of a peaked cap, jacket with rank insignia and armband, blue shirt with black tie, matching trousers, and black leather shoes. The uniform was to be worn strictly while on duty and was not authorized for off-duty wear.
This armband was part of the official service dress worn by Air Ministry and Luftwaffe-employed civilians in these roles.
This armband is constructed of Bordeaux-red wool and features a circular blue-gray wool patch sewn to the center. The patch bears an off-white embroidered political-style eagle clutching a swastika within a wreath. A single strip of flat aluminum tresse is sewn along the lower edge, denoting the position of Pförtner (doorman).
The armband remains in excellent condition overall, with only minor wear and a couple of very small holes on the reverse side. A rare and highly desirable Luftwaffe armband, seldom encountered on the market.
