LK5 - Luftwaffen-Kontrollkommission 5
Deutsche Waffenstillstandskommission (DWStK) - German Armistice Commission
The German Armistice Commission (DWStK) was a political administrative committee based in Wiesbaden, which existed from 1940 to 1944. Its function was to exercise the task resulting from the Franco-German armistice of 25 June 1940 of supervising compliance with the armistice conditions imposed on France, in particular in military terms.
The DWStK began work on June 30, 1940. Associated with this was a French delegation, the Délégation Française auprès de l'Commission Allemande d 'Armistice (DFCAA), whose role was to transmit the German instructions to the French Government, which was responsible for their practical implementation. At the same time, the DFCAA forwarded the wishes and suggestions of the Vichy government to the German Armistice Commission.
The DWStK existed for nearly four years as a large-scale authority. Heads were first the General Carl-Heinrich von Stülpnagel, later General Oskar Vogl (February 1941 to September 1944). Their French counterparts were Generals Charles Huntziger, Jean Louis Humbert, Paul-André Doyen, Etienne Paul Beynet and Louis Bérard.
There were various departments, like Rüstungsinspektion (Armament-inspection), Rüstungskontrollkommision (Armament-control-commission) to name just a few. The relevant department for us is the special task force Luftwaffe, the Luftwaffen-Kontrollkommission V.
Luftwaffen-Kontrollkommission 5
The Luftwaffen-Kontrollkommission 5 (Luftwaffe control-commission 5) was a special task force of the Luftwaffe and according to "Genst.Gen.Qu. 2. Abt. Nr. 7845/40 geh. II A, 1.8.1940" it was set up on August 1, 1940. The headquarters of Luftwaffen-Kontrollkommission 5 was located since August 18, 1940 in Aix-en-Provence in Southern France.
The commander of the Luftwaffen-Kontrollkommission 5, Lieutenant-Colonel Ernst van Vloten, died on October 10, 1940 in a plane crash. The transport plane a Junkers crashed between Montpellier and Marseille into the Gulf of Beauduc. With Lieutenant-Colonel Ernst van Vloten all Ju 52/3m crew members, some Italian and French control-commission members died.
Colonel Ernst Exss was commander of the
Luftwaffen-
Kontrollkommission
3, in October 1940 he got transfered and got appointed as commander of the Luftwaffen-Kontrollkommission 5 in Aix-en-Provence. In this function, on April 1, 1942 Ernst Exss got promoted to Major General.
The Luftwaffen-Kontrollkommission 5 was responsible as example for the armament of the French Armistice Air Force, anti-aircraft guns, artillery and small arms. In addition removal of certain French flying forces from general demobilization therewith they can start with their planes and give them fire permits for the purpose of repelling British attacks.
The Luftwaffen-Kontrollkommission 5 was dissolved during the year 1943.
In period documents I could see several abbreviation for Luftwaffen-Kontrollkommission 5. Sometimes it's written "Luftwaffen-Kontrollkommission 5", sometimes "Luftwaffen-Kontroll-Kommission 5", but the most common is Luftwaffen-Kontrollkommission 5.
The abbreviation "LK5", "LKK5" and "LwKK5" are possible.
Map Luftwaffen-Kontrollkommission 5 in Aix-en-Provence / Southern France
Feldpost (Field Post) of Luftwaffen-Kontrollkommission 5
Regards,
Stephan