Flakbatterien zur besonderen Verwendung
During the reorganisation of the Luftwaffe ground forces in 1942, a large number of surplus troops became available to serve in the Flakartillerie. These troops were collected in Flakbatterien z.b.V., which usually only existed for a short time, before being absorbed into existing and newly created Flak-Abteilungen. The batteries were mainly used in the Reich air defence.
Those batteries formed in 1943-44 consisted mainly of remnants of various Flak-Abteilungen that had been destroyed at the front, or troops from the various replacement and training units.
As a general rule during most of 1944, the second digit in each 4 digit number, would indicate in which Luftgau-Kommando a particular battery was formed:
| Luftgau | Digit | Example |
| Luftgau-Kommando I | "3" | schwere Flak-Batterie zbV 6300 |
| Luftgau-Kommando III | "5" | schwere Flak-Batterie zbV 5533 |
| Luftgau-Kommando VI | "7" | schwere Flak-Batterie zbV 5775 |
| Luftgau-Kommando VII/XII | "2" | Flakscheinwerfer-Batterie zbV 8215 |
| Luftgau-Kommando VIII | "4" | leichte Flak-Batterie zbV 7540 |
| Luftgau-Kommando IX | "9" | leichte Flak-Batterie zbV 6940 |
| Luftgau-Kommando XVII | "3" & "4" | schwere Flak-Batterie zbV 6410 |
Unit details:
- leichte Flak-Batterien z.b.V.
- schwere Flak-Battrrien z.b.V.
- mittlere Flak-Battrrien z.b.V.
- Flakscheinwerfer-Batterien z.b.V.
Sources:
- Feldpostübersicht, RH 3/18 - 129. Has also been published by N. Kannapin in 3 volumes
- Gliederung und Unterstellungsverhältnis der Flak-Artillerie, 11.43 - 12.44, RL 2 III/1119 - 1122
- H. A. Koch, Flak: Die Geschichte der Deutschen Flakartillerie (Bad Nauheim, Germany: PodzuhnVerlag, 2nd Edition)
© 1997-2006 Michael Holm