1937 Nazi Glider Dedication Ceremony – Original Press Photo, Berlin-Dahlem, Luftsportlandesgruppe 4

This original April 17, 1937 press photograph documents a Nazi-era glider dedication ceremony held in Berlin-Dahlem, Germany. The ceremony, described as a “baptism” of six new gliders, was conducted by Captain Horn, a Pour le Mérite–decorated WWI flying ace, and attended by Hitler Youth, Nazi officials, and uniformed paramilitary personnel.

The event, organized by Luftsportlandesgruppe 4, a regional Nazi-controlled aviation group, included local units 3, 4, and 5. Visible in the photograph are training gliders (likely SG-38 Schulgleiter types), prominently marked with swastikas and displayed in front of spectators and uniformed participants. The photo offers a haunting visual of how aviation training and Nazi youth indoctrination were interwoven in pre-WWII Germany.

Original Caption on Reverse (German):

"Sechs Segelflugzeuge der Luftsportlandesgruppe 4 getauft.
Heute nachmittag wurden in Berlin-Dahlem sechs neue Segelflugzeuge der Ortsgruppen 3,4 und 5 der Luftsportlandesgruppe 4 von dem Pour-le-mérite-Flieger Kapitän Horn getauft.
Während der Tauffeierlichkeiten.
17.4.37."

English Translation:

"Six gliders of Luftsportlandesgruppe 4 dedicated.
This afternoon, in Berlin-Dahlem, six new gliders belonging to local groups 3, 4, and 5 of Luftsportlandesgruppe 4 were dedicated by Captain Horn, holder of the Pour le Mérite.
During the dedication ceremony.
April 17, 1937."

Historical Significance:
This photo represents a well-documented and visually powerful example of aviation as propaganda in Nazi Germany. It highlights:

• The use of glider training to prepare youth for military aviation

• The ceremonial elevation of aircraft to ideological symbols

• The tight coordination between state, military, and youth organizations

Such photographs are of particular interest to collectors of Third Reich aviation, Hitler Youth training, and 1930s European militaria, as well as scholars studying the role of aviation in authoritarian regimes.

Key Features:

• Date: April 17, 1937

• Location: Berlin-Dahlem, Germany

• Event: Dedication (“baptism”) of 6 gliders by Captain Horn

• Aircraft: SG-38 Schulgleiter and similar training gliders

• Subjects: Luftsportlandesgruppe 4, Hitler Youth, Nazi officials

• Medium: Original press photograph with typed German caption on reverse