The band is red with a white stripe running down the middle. At the centre is a swastika inside a white diamond, within a larger white diamond are a further four red diamond at each of its point.
A Luftwaffenhelfer, also commonly known as a Flakhelfer was, strictly speaking, any member of the auxiliary staff of the German Luftwaffe during World War II. Such terms often implied students drafted (conscripted) as child soldiers.
On April 1944 the Germans had requested the drafting of 7000 Latvian boys, aged 14–16, and 400 girls, all for service as Air Defense auxiliaries. However, the Self-Administration of Latvia refused and consented only to invite the youths to volunteer. As the situation at the Eastern Front worsened, in June and July the Self-Administration did agree to draft boys born in 1927 and 1928. From July 28 to September 9, 4139 boys were drafted, 525 of whom were volunteers.
~ Dimensions ~
The armband has a width of 8 inches (20.4 cm), and a height of 4 inches (10.2 cm).
~ Condition ~
There is some minor wear to the band, it has worn with age with some staining but no tears or major damage.
ref. GS6322D48 / MLAA0X45LP21SD43E
