BACKGROUND: As a result of observations of the Russian experimentation with the newly developing paratroop personnel in 1928 the Germans began serious consideration of also developing paratroop units and plans were drawn up for formation of such units in late 1935. Both the Luftwaffe and Army eventually established paratrooper units, consisting of voluntary personnel, on January 29TH 1936 and March 31ST 1937 respectively and a paratroop training school was established at Stendal in early 1937. The Paratrooper’s qualification badge was instituted by Hermann Göring on November 5TH 1936 for award to Luftwaffe personnel who had written the required tests and completed six parachute jumps. Individuals who were awarded the badge were obligated to re-qualify annually in order to retain it. On May 2ND 1944 award of the badge was extended to include Luftwaffe medical, administrative and legal personnel who had passed the required tests and completed one parachute jump. As with most other Luftwaffe qualification badges a cloth version of the paratroopers badge was authorized for wear on the flight blouse with a machine embroidered pattern for EM/NCO’s and a hand embroidered pattern for Officers.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: The badge consists of a roughly, 60mm tall, 50mm wide, Luftwaffe blue/grey wool construction, vertically oval, base which features a machine embroidered, stylized "diving" eagle clutching a swastika in it’s talons, in golden yellow cotton threads, encompassed by a vertically oval wreath in silvery/grey cotton threads. The wreath features laurel leaves to the right side and oak-leaves to the left side.