HJ Drum Inscription - Please Help

[TobyR]

Hi Everybody,

I have, what appears to be, a Hitler Youth Drum. The central chrome panel of the drum bears the inscription:

'Fl. H. Kdtr. L. Lust'

The date '1935' appears above the inscription.

Can anybody explain the inscription for me please.

Thanks for your time.

All the best,
Toby.

[Rick Research]

I'd take that to be "Fliegerhorst Kommandantur Ludwigslust."

[TobyR]

Rick,

I'm still fairly clueless ! Can you enlighten me further please.

Thanks,
Toby.

[Rick Research]

Well, if I've interpreted the inscription correctly from the shortened form, that's the command of military airfield, Ludwigslust in Mecklenburg-Schwerin, which would make it Luftwaffe, not Hitler Youth.

But I don't know if there WAS an airbase there. Very close to what became the wrong side of the DDR border, and right where somebody from "your lot" would have picked things up in '45.

[bhholst]

Hello Toby.
As usual Rick is quite on the mark: There was a Flugzeugfuehrerschule in Ludwigslust per Mehner u. Teuber " Die Luftwaffe 1939-1945 ". Commander of which was also Commandant of the airbase known as Fliegerhorst Ludwigslust.

Bernhard H. Holst

[TobyR]

Rick / Bernard,

Thanks for the further explanation. I think now I'm going to have to get some pictures of the drum, so as to complete the picture.

All the best,
Toby.

[Erich B.]

drums

Most military and political drums had brass bodies and metal-covered wooden rims with painted designs. A chrome or nickeled body would be different than that normally used by the Luftwaffe or HJ.
Erich

[TobyR]

Well, here finally, is a picture of the drum. Actually, it was sold to me as an HJ drum, hence my reason for calling it such. Although the last time I saw an HJ drum, it was much taller and with black and white diamonds.

I did recently come across a description of a Heer drum, and that seemed very similar in design to this one, i.e. chrome band and not particularly deep.

Anyway, here it is. So, what do you all think? The drum is made by 'Sonor'. And hopefully, you can just about make out the inscription on the front of the drum.

Thanks for looking.
All the best,
Toby.

[Erich B.]

drums

Thanks for the photo--that is a standard military style drum as used by the armed forces. The body should be brass colored, however perhaps this was a presented piece or something like that, which would account for the nickeled finish. Sonor was a period drum maker. I've got several of their drums.
Nice piece!
Erich

[Greg Sebring]

Well, if I've interpreted the inscription correctly from the shortened form, that's the command of military airfield, Ludwigslust in Mecklenburg-Schwerin, which would make it Luftwaffe, not Hitler Youth.

But I don't know if there WAS an airbase there. Very close to what became the wrong side of the DDR border, and right where somebody from "your lot" would have picked things up in '45.

I thought I'd add another piece to the puzzle related to the airfield. Here is a photo of a CG4A glider landing at the airfield. You can see hangers in the background. My dad took these pix at what a training flight post war. Both were in Ludwigslust.

Greg

[Greg Sebring]

Here is another inbound...

[Larry deZeng]

Ludwigslust (GER) (102 km ESE of Hamburg in Mecklenburg)
Luftwaffe Fliegerhorstkommandantur by fall 1935.

Ludwigslust was a very active Luftwaffe air base from 1935-1945. It was used mainly by bomber units.

--Larry